Walking tour of Sydney

Understand

Sydney is the largest city in Australia, and capital of New South Wales. Fortunately for visitors, it has a compact centre that is pedestrian friendly and brimming with star attractions. The main sights in central Sydney can be covered on foot in a day's walking tour. It takes about 35-45 minutes to walk straight from Central Station to Circular Quay. Most attractions can be seen for free, but some of the locations require admission fees if you want to go in and have a detailed look around. The complete tour is a large loop that covers sights in City Centre, The Rocks, Darling Harbour, and City South. It can take at least several hours and up to a full day, depending on speed, fitness level, and time spent at each location. It can easily be extended over several days with longer visits to some of the museums, galleries and shopping districts. There are several optional loops listed on this tour, which will extend it further. You will have to be very fit and walk fast to complete all the options in a single day. If you are short in time and wish to do only part of the walking tour, consider taking the Harbour side walk from Mrs Macquarie's Chair, with the waters to your right, down to the gated Royal Botanic Gardens, up to the iconic Opera House, down to Circular Quay, and up through The Rocks to the Harbour Bridge. This segment of the walking tour is for many the epitome of the Sydney experience.

Prepare

The climate in Sydney ranges from cool winters to hot summers. In the warmer months, it is imperative to protect yourself from the harsh Australian sun. Use a maximum protection sunblock (SPF 30+) on all exposed skin, and re-apply during the day. Wear a hat with a wide brim. Do not worry about making a fashion statement - Sydneysiders are very sun-aware and won't look twice at anyone in a sunhat. Sunglasses are also highly recommended. In winter (i.e., April to September), central Sydney can get quite chilly, especially on a windy day, as the wind is funneled between the tall buildings. Wear a wind-resistant jacket. This tour requires a good deal of walking, with some gentle slopes and a few stairs. Wear comfortable shoes. There are plenty of places to buy food and drink along the way, but city prices can be expensive. Carrying your own bottle of water is a good idea if you don't like paying a lot for it. Filtered water fountains for top ups are available for free in many parks and tourist areas.

Get in

If staying near City Centre, you can pick up this walk at the nearest point to your accommodation. If staying outside City Centre, catch a train to Town Hall Station or a bus to Town Hall on George Street for the starting point. If you are staying near a ferry wharf, you could catch a ferry to Circular Quay and begin the loop there. By taxi, request a drop-off at Town Hall if coming from south of the harbor. If coming from north of the harbor, request Wynyard as your destination and join the walk there, to save the extra taxi fare down to Town Hall.

Walk

Town Hall to Hyde Park

A good place to start is on the steps of the Sydney Town Hall. It is easily accessible by train (Town Hall station on the City Circle line) and bus. This is the place where Sydneysiders meet, wait and watch. If open, walk inside and have look around at the ornate interior and see the massive pipe organ. To the left of the entrance is a quiet café. Walk across Sydney Square and enter St. Andrew’s Cathedral via the main entrance at the far end of the Square. After looking around, exit via the side entrance and head east up Bathurst Street towards Hyde Park.

Cross Elizabeth Street and past the Obelisk (which is actually a vent for the sewer system) and into Hyde Park and head towards the ANZAC Memorial. You can enter the building via the side entrance at the ground level. There is a small museum to the right and ahead is a statue of a dead soldier being carried by the grieving women left behind in his life. Read the explanatory plaque and head upstairs to the main chamber where the eternal flame burns. Exit via the main doors and walk around the reflecting pool. On your right across College Street is the Australian Museum, which is worth a visit if you have more time in Sydney. Continue down the central path of Hyde Park and cross Park Street. Note the amazing canopy of trees as you walk towards the Archibald Fountain. This is a beautiful place, especially on a sunny day when rainbows form in the spray from the fountain. Head east towards the cathedral and cross the road. Located under the far end of the plaza (skateboard park) is the Cook and Philip Olympic Pool. You are welcome to have a look at the complex if you ask the staff member at the entrance counter.

St Mary's Cathedral to the State Library

Enter St. Mary’s Cathedral via the main stairs off the plaza and have a look around. The layout of the cathedral is unusual in that it runs north-south, rather than the usual east-west. Purchase a photography permit from the cathedral shop before taking photos of the interior. Exit the cathedral via the shop on the left side. Head north towards Macquarie Street. On your right is the Hyde Park Barracks which was the principal male c

Stay safe

During daylight, the most dangerous thing you will encounter on this walk is traffic. Be careful crossing streets, remembering to look right for oncoming traffic if you are from a country where cars drive on the right side of the road. Many locals will dash across streets whenever there is a gap in the traffic, but it's better to obey the crossing signals for maximum safety. You may be approached by a more or less scruffy looking beggar at some point, often requesting money for "a bus ticket home." Politely refuse and walk away and they will generally leave you alone. If you remain on the streets after dark, stick to well-lit main thoroughfares. The area along George Street south of Town Hall can harbor boisterous youths who may have had too much to drink, although police presence means incidents are rare. Along the water, especially at Circular Quay, anyone with food will be pestered by seagulls. They are harmless, but can be annoying and disconcerting. Avoid feeding them.

Go next

There are several other scenic walks within Sydney, taking in parts of the suburbs around the CBD area.

Coogee Beach to BondiA clifftop walk along the eastern coastline past several of Sydney's beautiful beaches. Stop off for a swim if you get too hot. Manly to The Spit Along the foreshore of Sydney Harbour. North Head to Manly walk a scenic historic walk that takes one along North Head Bondi to Manly Walk. The Bondi to Manly Walk (B2M) links all the existing coastal and harbour-side walking tracks between Australia’s two most famous surf beaches, Bondi Beach and Manly Beach.