The area behind Parliament House and Hyde Park Barracks is a park called The Domain. A largely recreational area, and a favourite with lunch-time joggers, it contains the Art Gallery of NSW, and includes Mrs Macquarie's Point with fine views of the city, Harbour Bridge, and the Opera House across the Royal Botanic Gardens. It's also the venue for large, free open-air concerts and events like Opera in the Park and Carols by Candlelight.
St Mary's Cathedral (in College Street, running along the north-eastern side of the park) is one of the world's largest cathedrals. On the other side of the park is the Great Synagogue. Both have free tours.
Located near the Domain is the Australian Museum. Apart from interesting displays for adults, there's plenty of hands-on stuff for the kids. The Australian Museum claims to be one of the best six natural history museums in the world and has the largest and oldest collections of its type in Australia.
Across from the domain is the excellent Art Gallery of NSW. The permanent display is varied, rewarding and free and there are regular inspired temporary exhibitions where there is a charge.
Royal Botanic Gardens
These Gardens open from sunrise to sunset. Admission is free and there are free guided walks. A wonderful collection of plants and a great place for a stroll or picnic. There's also a nice restaurant.
Taronga Park Zoo has a vast array of exotic and local animals, reptiles and birds in a spectacular setting.
The biggest patch of green in the city, Hyde Park starts at Queens Square (Hyde Park Barracks) and extends two city blocks to Liverpool Street. It is a pretty walk in daylight and its main attractions are the Archibald fountain at the Queens Square end and the Anzac Memorial at the Liverpool Street end.
Macquarie Street houses several of the most interesting - The State Library of New South Wales, Parliament House, Sydney Hospital, the Old Mint (now a museum) and Hyde Park Barracks and the Land Titles Office.
Nearby Parliament House is the world's oldest continually operating parliament building. The lovely sandstone exterior hides the modern inside which has modern restaurant and swimming facilities to help the politicians with their daily grind. There are free guided tours and the public gallery is open when parliament sits.
The Sydney Mint Museum is another delightful building with interesting exhibits.
The Town Hall Precinct contains Sydney Town Hall (1884), St Andrews Cathedral (Anglican), and the Queen Victoria Building. Completed in 1819, St Andrews is the oldest cathedral in Australia.
Centrepiece of the Precinct is the ornate sandstone Queen Victoria Building topped with three large copper-clad domes, which was built as a produce market, reflecting the wealth of the city at the time. In a project costing $80 million, and completed in 1986, the QVB was completely renovated in the style of a 19th Century arcade, preserving its ornate exterior and beautiful stained glass windows. The QVB's 190 shops, boutiques and galleries are open daily and sell a wide range of products including Australian designer label clothes and quality jewelry.
The Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, are possibly Sydney's best-known landmarks and international symbols. Click either attraction for more information.
Circular Quay is both a gateway to the city and the harbour. It was where the first European settlement began. Along the quay you'll find buskers and street masseurs and the comings and goings of tourists and locals.
Customs House sits behind the Quay. It's a fine old building with an arts and cultural centre and al fresco dining.
Set into the path along the Quay at regular intervals are round plaques. This is the Writers' Walk which celebrates famous writers and has snippets of their impressions of Australia. Worth a read on your way to the Opera House.
Sydney has a large Chinese community, originally made up of Cantonese speakers from southern China who arrived in the 1850s Gold Rush era and stayed. Sydney's Chinatown is a bustling enclave of restaurants, shops and supermarkets on the southern fringe of the city area between George Street and Darling Harbour.