Advantages: Loads to see and do. Quite cheap
Disadvantages: Busy

...Sydney has everything to suit an independent traveller on a budget. There is plenty of cheap accommodation, lots to see and do, excellent transportation and a whole lot more. I arrived by train, at the Central station. Situated literally just accross the road from this is the Sydney Central YHA, a huge, fantastic youth hostel. However, in spite of being so massive, its many facilities make it extremely popular so my advice is to book in advance. If you don't want to stay here, there are many other backpacker-type places splashed all over the city and its suberbs. Getting around Sydney is easy. it has a fantastic public transport system which includdes buses, tram-type trains and even a monorail system. However, when you have a little more time on your hands make sure to walk around the city, it is truly amazing. There is lots... Read review

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Advantages: Awesome place/great photo opportunities!
Disadvantages: I was jet lagged when we saw it!

...Last Summer I was lucky enough to go on a world rugby tour to Australia and New Zealand, it was an amazing trip and I am going to review each section of the trip, to let you know how fantastic it was! I will try not to do it in a blog style and hopefully tell you what the places were actually like, how good/bad parts of the trip were rather than simply 'how great the trip was'. Then hopefully if you are planning a trip to Australia and New Zealand you might find something in my review that you would like to do or a place which you want to see. I will put up lots of pictures as well so you get a feel for the places I'm reviewing. Basically our tour consisted of flying to Sydney for 3 days, then to New Zealand for 9 days, then back to Brisbane in Australia for a final few luxurious rugby free days and finally home. A lot of flying... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Excellent City, Clean streets, Great Transport, Loads to do
Disadvantages: Changable and Blustery in Winter, A Bit too far from Ireland

...I stayed in Sydney for over 10 months in 2003 and the hardest thing I had to do was to leave the place. Sydney is an amazing city, with so much to do you will never get bored. From the Harbour area to the beaches of Bondi - theres something for everyone. When we arrived we did the usual tourist trips, Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Trips on the Harbour Ferries, Centrepoint Tower but as time went on we found a hidden Sydney. These are areas or items in Sydney which are not on the usual tourist trail. Places like Suzannah Place in the Rocks which documents early life around 1830, and how the working classes lived. It is a living museum. Other areas of interest included Balmain, Manly, Paddington and Potts Point. We were lucky enough to be there for the New Years Eve fireworks and they are as amazing as people say. However if you... Read review

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Advantages: Great Tourist Attractions, Nice Beaches, Hot, Cheaper in some places than the UK
Disadvantages: Long Flight, Not easy to get around

...Since I was a teenager I had always wanted to tour Australia, and finally as I hit 18 I booked my first visit to Sydney. From the minute I stepped on Emirates Airlines I was satisfied. It was a fabulous, unforgettable experience. I flew from London Heathrow to Sydney and spent three weeks staying in Hotel InterContinental Sydney, which was probably the most expensive but luxiourus hotel I have ever stayed in. I spent the first two or three days relaxing at the hotel, going to it's gym, the pool and having a look around the city. We spent the time looking at the tourist attractions, including The Sydney Opera House, where we dined and watch a production, which was absoultey spectacular, we did a Captain Cook Dinner cruise around the Sydney harbour which had a tasty menu, which we enjoyed and ofcourse I could not leave Sydney without... Read review

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Advantages: Superb service, good facilties, excellent food, reasonable prices
Disadvantages: Not in the city, I was there on business

...When I knew I could go to Australia, my next mission was to find somewhere to stay. I tried Expedia, last minute, and the other usual culprits, but as I knew nothing of Australia's Geography, I was very much in the dark about what to chose. The University I visited was in a Sydney Suburb called North Ryde, and it was Google that came up trumps directing me to the four vacation outlets in the area. Only problem was, being that far away from away from home, firstly I wanted High Speed Internet Access and an indoor, or outdoor heated pool. The Stamford Grand North Ryde came up trumps on both accounts, but in endeavouring to keep my travel budget down and having forked out nearly £700 for a flight, all the agent websites were way too expensive. So I did what I quite often do and tried to dig out the chains website, who unwaveringly... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Great city opera house
Disadvantages: expensive

...Sydney General Before I went to Australia I had this image in my head of the Sydney Opera and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, this was the first thing I thought about when I thought of Australia, so the first thing I did when I arrived was drive down to see it for myself! I was so excited, I almost had to pinch myself as it all felt like a dream but I really was in Australia at last. Standing by the Opera House was a dream come true; it really is a remarkable site and one I will not forget for a very long time. The structure and design is fascinating and I spent a good while walking around it all. The view of the Harbour Bridge opposite is startling it is so huge if you look closely you can make out the small figures of the brave climbing over the top of it. The thing I love about Sydney the most is its beaches, with so many... Read review

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Advantages: Great views over the city
Disadvantages: Not cheap

...Sydney CBD is quite densely populated with lots of tall buildings, so to get any sort of view you really need some height. Sydney Tower provides this quite nicely in the form of an observation deck at 819 feet (250m) up. The tower stretches a total of 1000 feet (304m) with the space above the people deck occupied by a 162 000 litre water tank that steadies the building on windy days and topped off with an antenna. A popular attraction for tourists, the tower has 3 main sections: 1. THE TOWER ITSELF You can go up the tower, which is good. Not much point in spending $25 million US and 6 years building something that tall if you can't charge people for going up it. Tickets are on the high side of moderately priced: adults cost $23.50 (~ 10GBP) and kids, students and seniors between $14 and $17.50 (~ 6 GBP - 8 GBP) but this price... Read review

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Advantages: Fantstic views, sense of real achievement
Disadvantages: Quite pricy, need to book

...One of the biggest tourist attractions in Sydney is the Sydney Harbour Bridge. There it stands at the Quay Side all majestic and quite frankly massive. You can walk over the bridge as a pedestrian to get to the other side of the harbour. However why would you want to do that when you could climb the bridge!!!!!!! I am not frightened of heights (I mean I have done a parachute jump for gods sake) but even to me this looked quite daunting. Its 136 metres above sea level and is one of the largest bridges in the world. There is a company called Bridge Climb that have based themselves there and basically they give you training and then you climb the bridge. The Bridgeclimb is a totally professional affair and it costs $155 dollars (about 70 pound at the current exchange rate) to do it monday to friday or $175 dollars... Read review

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Advantages: Cheap and easy to use
Disadvantages: none

...My wife and I went to Sydney for our son’s wedding in November 2003. We didn’t know what to expect but had a brilliant time and can’t wait to go back and enjoy everything we didn’t get chance to do and all those things we’d like to do again. Getting around Sydney is easy and cheap. You can start saving immediately you arrive at the airport by purchasing a “TravelPass”. These can be purchased at the International rail station, which is located below T1 (International Terminal) and is reached from inside the terminal on the arrivals level. The journey into Sydney takes 13 minutes and trains run every 10 minutes. The station in Sydney links directly to the City Circle which means that most city attractions and hotels are within a few minutes walk of either Central, Museum, St James, Circular Quay, Wynyard and Town Hall stations. However... Read review

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Advantages: What a beautiful city!!!
Disadvantages: Don't go when it's really hot or when there are tonnes of tourists

...I had the opportunity to visit Sydney, Australia in March of 1999. This was the most beautiful city I have ever seen! From the transportation, to the accommodations, to the people, everything was superb. Sitting right on the harbour, it offers great sunrises, and lovely crisp days. In March, it rains more often than not, however the rain lasting several hours and stopping for the rest of the day. The transportation system is incredible. Whether by bus, car, or ferry, there is virtually no problems, at least none that I came across. If you have any questions about how to get around or where to go, asking someone on the street does quite well as the people there are very friendly. For those interested in some tourist highlights, I would recommend the following: 1. The Harbour Bridge Climb: For AU$100, you can view Sydney... Read review

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