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City guide · Sydney
Sydney
The harbour where the First Fleet landed: the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and Bondi Beach
Sydney unfolds around one of the most beautiful natural harbours in the world: the white sails of the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge nicknamed 'the Coathanger', and ferries criss-crossing Circular Quay. To the east is Bondi Beach; two hours to the west are the Blue Mountains.
History
Los orígenes de la ciudad
The south shore of Sydney Harbour from South Head to Darling Harbour is the land of the Gadigal people, and Greater Sydney is home to at least 28 Aboriginal clans. After the American colonies won independence, Britain needed a new penal colony. In January 1788 Captain Arthur Phillip led the 11 ships of the First Fleet into Botany Bay, then founded Britain's first settlement in Australia at a cove in Port Jackson, naming it Sydney Cove after the home secretary, Viscount Sydney. Sydney became a city in 1842. The Harbour Bridge opened in 1932; in 1957 the Danish architect Utzon won the design competition for the Opera House, which opened in 1973 and became a World Heritage Site in 2007.
- 1788The First Fleet arrived and founded the Sydney Cove settlement
- 1842Sydney became a city
- 1932The Sydney Harbour Bridge opened
- 1973The Sydney Opera House opened
- 2007The Opera House became a World Heritage Site
Stories
Historias de la ciudad
Historia · Sydney Opera House
After the architect left
In 1955 New South Wales held an international design competition for an opera house, receiving 233 entries from 32 countries; on 29 January 1957 the Danish architect Jørn Utzon was announced the winner. Work began in 1958 but was dogged by controversy over cost overruns, delays and political pressure; Utzon eventually resigned and left Australia, and the Opera House was completed by an Australian team led by Peter Hall and opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 20 October 1973. Utzon won the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2003, the Opera House was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2007, and he died in Copenhagen the following year.
Historia · Sydney Harbour Bridge
The 'Coathanger' held together by six million rivets
In 1914 John Bradfield was appointed chief engineer for the Sydney Harbour Bridge and city railway. He first planned a cantilever bridge without piers; in 1916 a bill passed the lower house of the state parliament but was rejected by the upper house on the grounds that 'the money should be spent on the war', and the bridge act was only finally passed in 1922. The bridge was designed and built by Dorman Long of Middlesbrough in England, using about six million Australian-made hand-driven rivets; the last was driven into the deck on 21 January 1932, and the bridge opened the same year.
Historia · The Rocks
The First Fleet and Sydney Cove
After the American colonies won independence in 1783, Britain lost its destination for transported convicts and decided to found a penal colony at Botany Bay in Australia. In January 1788 Captain Arthur Phillip led the First Fleet of 11 ships to Botany Bay, then moved north to Port Jackson, establishing a settlement in a cove he named Sydney Cove after the Home Secretary, Lord Sydney. The Rocks was one of this settlement's earliest neighbourhoods. Phillip realised early that the colony needed civil administration, as well as a system to restore freedom to convicts who had served their sentences.
People
Personajes vinculados a Sydney
18th century · 1738–1814
Arthur Phillip
Commander of the First Fleet and first Governor of New South Wales
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20th century · 1867–1943
John Bradfield
Father of the Sydney Harbour Bridge
1 lugares relacionados
20th century · 1918–2008
Jørn Utzon
Designer of the Sydney Opera House
1 lugares relacionados
Must see
Lugares imprescindibles
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Sydney Opera House
A World Heritage Site of shells and sails: an architectural poem on Sydney Harbour
Sydney Harbour Bridge
A 134-m climb on the 'Coathanger': the world's most spectacular city climb
Bondi Beach
A 1-km crescent of sand, the spiritual totem of Australian beach culture
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Blue Mountains National Park
In the blue haze of eucalyptus oil: a canyon epic watched over by the Three Sisters
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The Rocks
Where the First Fleet landed in 1788: Australia's oldest European neighbourhood, with sandstone houses, narrow lanes and a weekend market.
Local life
Gastronomía y vida cotidiana
Before you go
Normas que debe conocer en Sydney
Australian beaches: swim between the red and yellow flags
- Swim only between the red and yellow flags where lifeguards are on duty
- If you don't know the conditions, ask a lifeguard
- Swimming at unpatrolled beaches or outside the flags
Outside the flags there may be rip currents, and lifeguards cannot reach you in time.
Sin verificarFuente: Surf Life Saving Australia: beach safety signs
Uluru: climbing is not allowed
- Walk the base track around Uluru and learn about Anangu culture
- Climbing Uluru
The climb closed permanently on 26 October 2019; climbing breaks the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act and is punished.
Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park: climb closure
Entering Australia: food, plant and animal products must be declared
- Truthfully declare all food (even small, packaged snacks), plants and animal products on your arrival card
- If in doubt, declare it
- Bringing fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, seeds or wooden souvenirs without declaring them
You can be issued an infringement notice; your visa may be cancelled, you may be refused entry and barred from returning for up to 3 years.
Sin verificarFuente: Australian Department of Agriculture: travelling to Australia
Australia: tipping is not required
- When service is especially good, round up or leave a small tip
- Feeling bad about not leaving a tip
There is no penalty; Australian wages do not depend on tips.
Sin verificarFuente: Mozo: tipping in Australia