Blue Mountains Tours
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When planning a trip to Sydney, there’s so much to see that trying to fit it all in may feel overwhelming. So we’ve come up with a Sydney 3 and 5 day itinerary to get you started.
Taking in all the major sights, and some locations you may not have considered, these Sydney itineraries will give you a well-rounded experience of the city and its surrounds on your visit. They’re flexible so you can chop and change and mix and match according to your needs.
Day One: Sydney Harbour
Particularly if it’s your first time visiting Sydney, day one of your Sydney itinerary should be all about our famous Sydney Harbour. Shake off the jet lag cobwebs with a day of walking the harbour foreshore (and some sea and sky-high adventure along the way). It’s easy to do and you can see a good amount in one day.
Of course, if you wish to take a tour, Your Sydney Guide’s range of private Sydney city day tours will get you around the city in stylish comfort, and they’re a great introduction to the city.
Day One Highlights
Morning
Start your Sydney itinerary with a morning coffee at Sydney’s bustling Circular Quay, the city’s main ferry terminal, looking out over the harbour. Then head nearby to one of our world icons, the Sydney Opera House, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed architectural wonder. If you’ve got time, we highly recommend taking the Opera House guided tour inside too, rather than just viewing the outside. An hour in length, it’s the main way to see the interior other than having paid tickets to events. You’ll learn about the Opera House’s fascinating history, the controversies, and construction challenges to bring renowned architect Jørn Utzon’s vision to fruition.
Then, have a stroll through the beautiful Royal Botanic Gardens nearby and take your seat on Mrs Macquarie’s Chair. Up next, walk north across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the world’s largest steel arch bridge. Entering from historic The Rocks district via Circular Quay, it’ll take you about 20 minutes. Be sure to walk down the bridge stairs once there to explore the harbour from the north side to get a different perspective of the Opera House, bridge and city skyline.
On walking back across the bridge, step back in time with a stop at The Rocks. The oldest part of Sydney, walk cobblestone streets lined with heritage housing, visit The Rocks Discovery Museum to learn about the birthplace of Sydney’s fascinating history, and perhaps a spot of luxury shopping. (And if you’re in the market for opal jewellery, this is a key hub to buy Australia’s national gemstone).
Afternoon
After some lunch at one of the historic pubs in The Rocks district, head back to Circular Quay to rest the legs on a ferry ride. We’d suggest a trip to Sydney’s other famous major beach, Manly. One of the most scenic ferry routes, the Manly route offers expansive views of the harbour, Opera House and bridge. At Manly, walk the bustling Corso, the beach and the short walk from the main beach to Shelly Beach, a great place for an afternoon dip as it’s a sheltered cove (so better for families with young kids) and less busy. Manly is also a regular stop on some of our Sydney City private day tours or can be built into your tour.
On return to Circular Quay, it’s time for a thrill as you go from sea to sky for a late afternoon view of the harbour skyline and beyond. There’s three main ways you could choose to do this: a scenic heli ride, walk on top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge with BridgeClimb, or head up to Sydney’s tallest structure, Sydney Tower Eye, for a 360 degree view of the city, harbour and beyond. View from indoors on the observation deck or dare to take the SKYWALK where you can step out onto glass-bottomed decks 268 metres into the sky.
Night
Once again on terra firma, have dinner by the harbour. There are many fine dining restaurants to choose from, but we’d suggest trying some of the best waterside restaurants the city has to offer like Aria, located opposite the Sydney Opera House, or Bennelong, situated within its sails. You could also choose to view the Opera House at the end of the day as the sun sets and then have dinner nearby.
For these restaurants, and all of the attractions mentioned, we’d definitely recommend booking a good way in advance so you can be sure to have them built into your Sydney itinerary.
Day Two: Bondi Beach, Inner City, & CBD
Sydney isn’t just about the harbour, so day 2 of your Sydney itinerary is the day to get a fuller taste of the city and its culture.
Day Two Highlights
Arrive early and watch the sun rise over Bondi Beach before enjoying breakfast at one of the many beachside cafés. Walk the soft, golden sands, have a dip at the beach or the iconic Bondi Icebergs pool with its superb views out to the ocean.
Then, walk part of the scenic Bondi to Coogee walk (or the entire track if you have time, which takes around 2-3 hours one way), for a further taste of Aussie beach culture and beauty, taking in Tamarama, Bronte, and Clovelly beaches.
Then, en route to the très chic inner city suburb of Paddington on Oxford St, take in more nature at Centennial Park, a green oasis for city dwellers that goes under the radar for many tourists when planning their Sydney itinerary. It’s the biggest urban park not just in Sydney but also the Southern Hemisphere, perfect for a bike ride (bikes are available to rent on site), or a gentle stroll among picturesque gardens, ponds, avenues, heritage buildings and sports fields, mingling with the locals getting their exercise fix.
By now, you’ve likely built up a good appetite. Grab a bite to eat at the park before heading down Oxford St towards the city to the aforementioned Paddington, one of Sydney’s most exclusive inner suburbs. Walk heritage terrace-lined leafy streets, have a luxury shop at boutiques featuring some of the best names in Australian fashion, and grab a coffee at one of the many cafés or a tipple with the locals at a pub and watch the beautiful people go by.
For some more luxury shopping, make your way back into the CBD to one of Sydney’s architectural jewels, the historic Queen Victoria Building opposite the Sydney Town Hall on Sydney’s main thoroughfare, George St. Or even if you’re not interested in shopping, the building with its ornate Romanesque Revival architecture, is an ode to opulence and quite a sight to behold.
Then, take a 10-minute stroll from there to the Darling Harbour precinct, a great place for family activities with a wealth of options, from the interactive play area Tumbalong Park, to Wild Life Sydney Zoo, Sea Life Sydney Aquarium, Madame Tussauds wax museum, IMAX theatre, and the Australian National Maritime Museum. And find soothing tranquillity in the beautiful Chinese Garden of Friendship located between the adjacent Darling Quarter and Darling Square.
You won’t be spoilt for choice with dining options with many to choose from in Darling Quarter and Darling Square, Chinatown in nearby Haymarket, or choose to walk further around the harbour to the swish dining precinct of Barangaroo.
Day Three: Day Trip from Sydney – The Blue Mountains
On day three of your Sydney itinerary, it’s time for a day trip out of the city. There are some great options for day trips from Sydney, including heading north to the Hunter Valley and Post Stephens, or to the south coast. But the most popular is the Blue Mountains, and for good reason. Just 90 minutes west of Sydney, the 10,000 square kilometre UNESCO-listed region is a nature lover’s wonderland with breathtaking scenery, adventure activities galore, and the chance to see Australia’s unique wildlife.
If you’ve got a hire car, you can certainly visit the Blue Mountains yourself, but for ease and efficiency we definitely recommend going on a day tour. Where most tours are one-size-fits-all, we offer flexible Blue Mountains private tours with local tour guides and can take you to more remote areas that most tourists don’t see, and wildlife watching for Aussie icons like kangaroos.
Day Three Highlights
En route west of Sydney to the Blue Mountains, stop by Featherdale Wildlife Park. While Sydney’s major animal attraction, Taronga Zoo is certainly worth a visit, if you have to choose, we’d definitely recommend Featherdale as its main focus is Australian wildlife, where Taronga has both international and local animals. For an unforgettably Aussie experience at Featherdale, get up close and personal to the likes of koalas, kangaroos and wombats plus much more.
As you make your way into the Mountains, stop for a coffee at one of the charming towns along the way such as Leura where you’ll find a great selection of boutique shops and art galleries.
Then make your way for stunning panoramic views at Kings Tableland lookout, a spot not overcrowded with tourist buses.
Next stop is Scenic World in Katoomba where you can take the Scenic Skyway for spectacular views of the Jamison Valley and a Blue Mountains icon, the Three Sisters, or a 52-degree decline into lush rainforest on the Scenic Railway.
After the thrills, head to the picturesque Megalong Valley for a bush lunch before you make your way for a closer look at the Three Sisters at Echo Point. Here you can take the short Three Sisters Walk to get different perspectives of this superb ancient sandstone formation, or if you’re feeling particularly energetic, descend the Grand Stairway of almost 1,000 steps into the Jamison Valley for superb views from the forest floor.
Next, head to Pulpit Rock, a tiered pinnacle lookout hovering high above the spectacular Grose Valley. And finish your Blue Mountains day trip by taking to the skies for a scenic heli flight over this ancient landscape.
After a big day in the wilderness, head back to Sydney to the very cosmopolitan Surry Hills, an inner-city food precinct with a cornucopia of cuisine from around the world.
Then, take in the harbour and city from on high with a night cap at a rooftop bar – the Shangri-La’s Blu Bar on 36, Astor at the InterContinental Sydney, and Sydney Tower’s Bar 83 just some of several options.
The average Sydney stay for our guests is usually about three days, but if you have the time, there’s a swag more to see in Sydney and beyond for an extended 5 day Sydney itinerary.
Days One-Three as above.
Day Four: Critters & Culture
Day four of your Sydney itinerary is the day to take in some more Aussie culture in some easy, accessible ways. From animals local and international, to fine art, historical treasures, and an alternate inner-city suburb.
Highlights
While our zoo of choice is Featherdale Wildlife Park, Taronga Zoo is the most well-known and definitely worth a visit. It’s certainly easiest to get to if you’re sticking closer to the city, and it’s hard to beat the zoo’s spectacular view of the harbour. Catch a ferry from Circular Quay which should take around 15 minutes. Once you alight, take the Sky Safari cable car up to the top of the zoo, taking in the view as you go, and make your way down.
There’s plenty to see – the zoo is home to 5,000 animals from over 350 species from around the world, including all the Aussie favourites – so you should allow for at least half a day to cover the zoo.
Once back at Circular Quay, head up nearby Macquarie St where you’ll access green space, The Domain to reach the Art Gallery of NSW to view extensive collections including European masters, Asian artefacts, one of the largest galleries of Australian and Torres Strait Islander art in Australia, as well as local and international contemporary art.
The gallery actually takes in two buildings, the grand 19th century sandstone original and the modern 2022 addition, so you could easily spend a few hours here if you choose.
Then head back to Macquarie St, past the historic Hyde Park Barracks and St. Mary’s Cathedral, before arriving at the Australian Museum, Australia’s oldest museum.
Again, you could easily spend a few hours here – over some 190 years, the Australian Museum has accrued a vast collection of almost 22 million objects and specimens. It’s a great museum for families with many exhibits that children, and all ages alike, will enjoy. Among the many highlights, the museum’s dinosaurs exhibit with its real dinosaur skeletons, life-size models and fossils.
For something different, make your way to the very bohemian, very eclectic inner-western suburb of Newtown for dinner. An easy, quick train ride from the city, it features excellent food from around the globe, heaps of pubs and bars, and hip stores to browse in.
Day Five: Day Trip from Sydney – South Coast & Southern Highlands
Making a day trip to the Royal National Park and the south coast is somewhat of a road less travelled for international tourists, which means the final day of your Sydney itinerary is a great opportunity to get away from the crowds if you’re a bit over them.
Again, taking this day trip from Sydney is perfectly doable if you have a car, but we would recommend taking a tour to make the most of the day and see more than you may if navigating your own way. And, like all of Your Sydney Guide tours, our South Coast tours are fully private so we can fully tailor them to be as active or relaxed as you’d like your day to be. We also offer the option of combining day tours from Sydney and adding an overnight stay for the ultimate Sydney getaway.
Drive 40 minutes south of Sydney to the spectacular Royal National Park, which traverses 15,000 hectares of pristine land. Australia’s oldest national park (and the world’s second-oldest behind only Yellowstone National Park), here you’ll find stunning coastal scenery, secluded beaches and water holes, ancient forests, and fascinating formations like the famous Figure 8 Pool and Wedding Cake Rock. Enjoy morning tea and perhaps a dip at the beautiful Wattamolla Beach, one of Sydney’s best keep secrets. ‘The Royal’, as the locals call it, is a great region for hiking where you can walk along towering sandstone escarpments with panoramic views down the south coast.
Back on the road, travel the picturesque Grand Pacific Drive, featuring the iconic Sea Cliff Bridge, and make a stop at Bald Hill in Stanwell Tops to enjoy views down the coast and watch the hang gliders take off.
Time for a scenic lunch at the Scarborough Hotel with its beautiful sea-cliff garden and sweeping views out to the sea and coastline before making your way into the lush surrounds of the Southern Highlands. Here you can visit charming historic towns including Robertson, Berrima, Bowral, and Moss Vale, and experience the majestic Fitzroy Falls.
After a packed day, return to where it all began with dinner by Sydney Harbour and a nightcap at Opera Bar at the Sydney Opera House to farewell the city.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. And visit our Sydney Private Tours page for information on all of our tours, and check out our blog for a swag of useful resources – from the best Sydney luxury hotels to the best time to visit Sydney.
Looking forward to seeing you in Sydney!
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