Sydney Cruise Holiday Guide

GMT + 10 (GMT + 11 from last Sunday in October to first Saturday in March).

Australian Dollar (A$) = 100 cents.

Language

English.

The city of Sydney is home to one of the world's most beautiful harbours, which stands as the city's majestic centrepiece with the world-famous Opera House the jewel in its crown. Visitors to Sydney disembark ship near Darling Harbour, one of the city's newest precincts; this bustling area contains numerous attractions including the Harbourside shopping centre, Gavala Aboriginal and Cultural Education Centre, the Chinese Gardens, the Powerhouse Museum (design and science), the Sydney Maritime Museum, Cockle Bay Wharf and the Sydney Aquarium. Sydney's skyline is amazing and rivals that of Manhattan in New York, with the added attraction that Sydney is far more likely to be seen under a clear blue sky. There is a spectacular view of the city and its surroundings from the 305m-high (1000ft) AMP Tower above the Centrepoint Shopping Complex. There are various quarters of the city which can be explored on foot, such as Chinatown, Paddington and Kings Cross. There are also a staggering number of concert halls, museums, art galleries and theatres. Other highlights include the Harbour Bridge (the third-longest single-span bridge in the world), Taronga Zoo, the Royal Botanic Gardens, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Australian Museum and The Rocks area – the home of Australia's first European settlement and full of cobbled streets, gas lamps, craft shops and small restaurants. Tours around Olympic Park – venue of the 2000 Olympic Games – have become a popular visitor attraction, and include a visit to the Olympic Village. Sydney is also famous for its many excellent beaches in and around the city, such as Manly, on the north shore (15 minutes by hydrofoil), or Bondi, Watson's Bay, Bronte, Clovelly or Coogee to the south.

The city's flagship department stores are David Jones, the gentlemen's emporium Gowing Brothers which dates back to 1868 and the down-to-earth Grace Bros. It is worth exploring the length of Oxford Street to experience the variety of shopping genres, from the camp end at Darlinghurst, past the small fashion stores of Paddington, through Edgecliff and on into Woollahra, and the top-of-the-range antique shops in and around Queen Street. Darling Harbour, Chinatown and The Rocks historic district are teeming with souvenir and craft shops. There are markets at Balmain, Bondi Beach and The Rocks, but perhaps the one with the strongest local flavour is the Sydney Fish Market, at Blackwattle Bay, offering over 100 species of the freshest seafood, sushi bars and fish cafés.

Cooking in New South Wales, and Sydney in particular, reflects the State's multicultural makeup with Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, Greek, Italian and Indian cuisine all represented.

Sydney Central Station.

Sydney Central Station.

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Sydney hotels include the Park Hyatt, Holiday Inn, Best Western Oxford Koala Hotel & Appartments, Radisson Hotel & Suites and Sheraton on the Park.

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