Walking Tours
The Rocks Self-guided Tour leaflet is available from the Sydney Visitor Centre (see Sightseeing) and covers approximately 30 historic buildings and points of interest in The Rocks district. The heritage walk takes one to three hours, beginning at the visitor centre (a former sailor's home) and ending at Cadman's Cottage. The Rocks Walking Tours (tel: (02) 9247 6678; website: www.rockswalkingtours.com.au) operates 90-minute guided tours, taking in all the historic sites. Tours depart three times per day (twice per day on the weekend and in January) from 23 Playfair Street.

Sydney Aboriginal Discoveries (tel: (02) 9680 3098; website: www.sydneyaustour.com.au/Abordiscover.html) runs a number of tours around the city with a focus on Aboriginal history and culture. Visitors explore sacred sites, taste Aboriginal foods, experience Dreamtime music and stories, and discover Aboriginal names and their meanings.

Sydney Architecture Walks (tel: (02) 8239 2211; www.sydneyarchitecture.org) offers four themed walking tours - Sydney Opera House, Public Art, Harbour Features & Buildings and Urban Patterns of Sydney - and are led by enthusiastic and knowledgeable guides.

Bus Tours
City Sightseeing Sydney (tel: (02) 9567 8400; website: www.city-sightseeing.com) covers 22 points of interest in the city, Kings Cross, Woolloomooloo and Darling Harbour, with a hop-on, hop-off service. Departures are every 15 to 30 minutes daily. The red Sydney Explorer (tel: 131 500, in Australia only; website: www.sydneypassinfo/sydneyexplorer/) bus visits an extra five attractions en route (that's 27 in total) accompanied by an on-board commentary. This service starts at Circular Quay but can be picked up at any stop along the route at 20-minute intervals.

Boat Tours
There is a plethora of harbour cruises available from a number of operators; many of them based at Circular Quay. Captain Cook Cruises (tel: (02) 9206 1111; website: www.captaincook.com.au) offers the luxury ‘Sydney 2000 Dinner Cruise', departing every evening from No 6 Jetty Circular Quay. The fee includes an à la carte three-course meal with coffee (wine is extra). The ‘Sydney Harbour Explorer' and ‘Harbour Highlights Cruise' are fully narrated cruises, leaving from No 6 Jetty Circular Quay or Pier 26 in Darling Harbour, with a fixed number of stopping points. The ‘Sydney Harbour Explorer' tour takes two hours and departures are every two hours daily. The ‘Harbour Highlights Cruise' takes approximately 75 minutes with regular departures daily. Matilda Cruises (tel: (02) 9264 7377; www.matilda.com.au) has a range of cruising options including catamarans, yachts and ferries.

Other Tours
For aerial views of Sydney, Australia By Air (tel: (02) 9982 9666; website: www.australiabyair.com.au) offers a one-hour ‘Sydney Scenic Flight' in a twin-engine aircraft. Flights depart Sunday, Wednesday and Friday and include a complimentary hotel pick-up and drop-off. The 90-minute ‘Sydney and Mountains Scenic Flight' includes all of the above plus flight over the Blue Mountains.