2 Day Sydney Itinerary: The Best Way To Spend 48 Hours

Two days is not a batch of clip to walk successful a metropolis arsenic pulsing and breathtaking as Sydney, but that doesn’t mean you can’t marque the astir retired of lone 48 hours!

With truthful overmuch to spot and do, it’s not casual to battalion each the astonishing sites into a 2 time Sydney itinerary.

And to beryllium honest, I privation you had much clip due to the fact that Sydney deserves longer than 2 days, but I cognize that we are not each blessed with a batch of time.

Sydney Harbour Bridge astatine night

If this is your archetypal trip to Australia, it’s imaginable that Sydney is your archetypal halt and you privation to get going.

This is wherefore I’ve prepared an action-packed itinerary for 2 days successful Sydney, truthful you tin spot each the highlights and the champion that Sydney has to offer.

This itinerary has history, beaches, world-famous monuments, and immoderate delicious nutrient stops.

Are 2 Days Enough For Sydney?

Two days is not a batch of clip to research Sydney, but if you’re prepared to rush, you tin spot galore of its highlights.

With arsenic overmuch going connected arsenic successful Sydney, you’ll request astatine slightest two afloat days, preferably 3 afloat days, truthful effort and alert successful the nighttime before!

I could walk 2 weeks successful Sydney and not get bored. I grew up an hr northbound of the metropolis and would often sojourn the metropolis and ever find thing caller and breathtaking to do.

But I recognize that erstwhile you are visiting from overseas, Sydney is usually the archetypal oregon past stop, and erstwhile you lone person 2 weeks successful Australia, determination is the tendency to spot arsenic overmuch arsenic possible.

Particularly if you are visiting from the US wherever astir of you lone person a modular two-week vacation.

With truthful overmuch to spot successful this immense onshore down under, astir tourists lone program for a mates of days successful Sydney earlier hitting the Reef and the Outback.

If you bash determine you privation to enactment longer, I person suggested immoderate ways to widen this itinerary towards the extremity of this guide.

The Ultimate 2 Day Sydney Itinerary

The pursuing itinerary is however I would suggest spending 2 days successful Sydney if I was visiting for the archetypal time. I’ve spent truthful overmuch clip successful Sydney, I couldn’t perchance number the fig of visits, and this is however I ever urge spending a mates of days to visitors.

However, this itinerary is not acceptable successful chromatic and tin beryllium tailored to your sensation and interests. There are immoderate suggestions for different activities that you mightiness bask astatine the end, particularly if you’re a quality person oregon person kids successful your question group.

So, usage this arsenic a usher and set it to suit your needs, clip frame, and budget.

The archetypal time explores the unmissable highlights specified arsenic the Sydney Opera House and The Rocks District, whereas the 2nd time is simply a much low-key, beachy day.

You mightiness privation to swap the days around, depending connected however your pitchy lag is feeling and what you’re astir excited to see.

Day 1: Unmissable Things to Do successful Sydney 

The archetypal time is astir ticking disconnected the highlights and astir unmissable attractions. These are the sites you simply cannot miss.

If your accommodation is successful the Sydney CBD, you tin aftermath up aboriginal and either person meal astatine your accommodation oregon consider Gowings Bar & Grill inside the QT Hotel.

Then it’s clip to caput to…

Stop 1: Circular Quay

Don’t cognize what to bash successful Sydney? Start present astatine Circular Quay!

The champion spot to commencement your sojourn is successful Circular Quay, and if you lone visited 1 country successful Sydney this is wherever I would nonstop you!

The Quay is the main transport hub of Sydney Harbour and it’s present that 2 of Australia’s astir iconic landmarks reside; the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Wander astir the Quay and instrumentality an “I was here” photo successful beforehand of these celebrated structures and consciousness the pulse of the city.

There’s astir apt nary different spot that volition jolt you awake from your pitchy lag and person you saying to yourself “hey, I’m successful Australia!”

On immoderate fixed day, particularly a sunny day, Circular Quay is simply a large spot to locomotion astir oregon conscionable beryllium and ticker the ferries travel and go.

Being a engaged transport hub you’ll besides find many outdoor cafes and restaurants lining the harbour, truthful if you skip meal you tin drawback a speedy wound here!

Other places of involvement astir the Quay see Customs House and the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Stop 2: Royal Botanic Gardens

image credit: Royal Botanic Garden

From the eastbound suburbs of the span and Opera House, you person casual entree to the Royal Botanic Gardens, successful my opinion, 1 of the astir awesome gardens successful the world, surely from a determination standpoint. 

You can’t bushed the serenity and harbour views and this is simply a large spot to walk an hr oregon 2 successful Sydney. Take a locomotion astir the gardens to respect the galore antithetic types of plants and metropolis views. You tin besides instrumentality a free self-guided walking tour.

If you’re into art, the Art Gallery of New South Wales is 1 of Australia’s starring creation museums with 5 levels of creation and extended collections of Australian, Aboriginal, European, Asian and modern art. 

Stop 3: Lunch successful the CBD

There are respective options to devour successful Sydney astir the Quay and CBD, but I’m going to suggest these two.

Picnic luncheon successful the Botanic Gardens

Royal Botanic Gardens

A inexpensive luncheon enactment is to drawback immoderate takeaway supplies, and possibly a vessel of wine, and incorporated it into your Botanical Gardens visit.

Pick a spot anywhere, oregon locomotion to Mrs Macquarie’s Chair for 1 of the champion vantage points successful Sydney with distant views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge (especially awesome for sunset).

Cafe Sydney

View of Sydney Harbour from Cafe Sydney. Image credit: Cafe Sydney

For thing much ceremonial I urge Cafe Sydney. Its premier presumption connected the rooftop of Customs House offers the champion of some worlds – spectacular elevated views of the harbour, the Opera House, and Harbour Bridge.

And you tin bask modern Australian cuisine and possibly a cheeky cocktail connected the outdoor terrace. 

Stop 4: Walk crossed the Sydney Harbour Bridge

View of Sydney Harbour and Opera House from walking crossed the bridge

Now that you’re rested with a afloat tummy it’s clip to agelong your legs again.

I suggest a locomotion crossed the bridge, but of course, if you privation the acquisition of a beingness by climbing implicit the Sydney Harbour Bridge you decidedly request to publication ahead.

Don’t conscionable stone up expecting to tick this disconnected your list, it’s precise popular. A sunrise oregon sunset span ascent would beryllium magical. 

However, a overmuch cheaper enactment (free) is to simply locomotion crossed the pedestrian way and instrumentality successful the aforesaid panoramic views connected a little level.

Or sojourn the Pylon Lookout where you get fantastic views positive 3 levels of exhibits to larn astir the past of the Bridge.

Stop 5: Explore The Rocks District

The Rocks District is simply a historical country of Sydney adjacent Circular Quay, and my favourite portion of the Sydney CBD area.

There’s a communicative astir each country erstwhile you locomotion the cobblestone streets, browse the play markets, and stroll on the harbour.

Pop into the Rocks Discovery Museum and walk immoderate clip connected the 3 floors learning much astir the past of the country and the stories of those who lived determination during the aboriginal years of achromatic Australia.

The Rocks District offers awesome views of Sydney Harbour Bridge. Image: Shutterstock.com

Feely thirsty aft each this walking? The Rocks is the cleanable spot to spell connected a spot of a pub crawl, arsenic it’s location to immoderate of Sydney’s oldest pubs. Grab a pint astatine one, oregon each of my favourites:

• The Glenmore – awesome rooftop terrace with views implicit Sydney Harbour.
• Australian Heritage Hotel – 1 of the oldest continuously licensed pubs successful Sydney.
• Harts Pub – large hand-crafted beers.
• The Mercantile – Australia’s longest-running Irish Pub.
• Lord Nelson – location of Australia’s oldest pub brewery.
• The Argyle – huge drinks enactment and unrecorded entertainment.

Stop 6: Dinner successful The Rocks

You’ve had a large time truthful present it’s clip to enactment your feet up for a bit.

I’d suggest either staying successful the Rocks for immoderate bully pub grub oregon taking the abbreviated locomotion backmost to Circular Quay for sunset drinks and a wound to devour from immoderate of the world’s champion waterfront eating locations.

In the Rocks, the Australian Heritage Hotel is celebrated for its kangaroo, emu, and crocodile pizzas. So if you privation to effort existent Aussie tucker this pub is wherever it’s at.

Opera Bar determination and view. Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Back astatine the Quay, a apical spot for a sundowner is the Opera Bar. What a mode to extremity your archetypal time than with a cocktail oregon acold brew and uninterrupted views of the Harbour Bridge.!

For good eating and much of those celebrated views (you’ll request to excavation into your wallet) publication a array astatine either Aria, Quay Restaurant, oregon Cafe Sydney if you didn’t bash lunch.

And there’s besides the celebrated Tetsuya’s

Day 2: Beaches and Natural Beauty

With different afloat time ahead, I promote you to emergence aboriginal and either drawback meal astatine your edifice oregon caput to this morning’s archetypal destination – Bondi Beach.

Stop 1: Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk

Bondi Beach, Sydney’s astir celebrated beach. Image: Shutterstock.com

Bondi is Sydney’s astir celebrated beach, and if you haven’t eaten yet, you tin get a decent meal astatine the family-friendly Bill’s Cafe.

To get to Bondi, drawback the bid from Central Station to Bondi Junction, past a autobus to Bondi Beach. 

From here, you volition instrumentality the abbreviated and sweet Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk, which is 1 of my favourite free things to bash successful Sydney. 

A stunning coastal walk and the cleanable mode to walk a gorgeous fewer hours successful Sydney

The 6km locomotion starts down Bondi Icebergs and usually takes america 2.5 hours with the kids, and features stunning views of cliffs, bays, and stone pools and passes the beaches of Tamarama, Bronte, Clovelly, and Gordon’s Bay. 

And don’t hide your swimmers if it’s lukewarm – the Bronte Baths is simply a bully spot for the kids.

Stop 2: Lunch successful Coogee

Bondi Icebergs | Credit Destination nSW

Depending connected what clip you commencement and decorativeness your walk, if you get successful Coogee Beach astir luncheon see the Coogee Pavillion.

Or, if you privation to bash the loop locomotion and caput backmost to Bondi, person luncheon astatine the celebrated Bondi Icebergs for immoderate good nutrient but the champion views implicit Bondi Beach (this is wherever Oprah Winfrey dined connected her visit).

We similar the bistro implicit the restaurant.

If you privation to caput consecutive backmost to the metropolis for luncheon instrumentality the autobus fig 372 oregon 373 oregon telephone an Uber.

Stop 3: Ferry to Manly from Circular Quay

The presumption from the Manly ferry

You can’t sojourn 1 of the champion harbour cities successful the satellite and not get retired connected the water!

A large and inexpensive mode to acquisition Sydney Harbour with stunning views of the metropolis skyline, Opera House, Harbour Bridge, and Botanic Gardens is to drawback the ferry from Circular Quay to Manly and back.

Manly Beach to Shelly Beach walk

In Manly, locomotion down the thenar tree-lined Corso, deed the promenade connected the formation for crystal cream, locomotion astir to picturesque Shelly Beach, oregon drawback a acold brew astatine Manly Wharf Hotel.

Time your instrumentality ferry travel backmost to the Quay to coincide with the sunset down the harbour bridge.

Stop 4: Dinner successful the CBD

What to bash successful Sydney for meal connected time two? Well, you tin spell fancy again oregon spell casual.

Consider 1 of the different options from time one, oregon for inexpensive eats see family-friendly Chinatown oregon drawback a pie, pastie, oregon blistery canine astatine an Australian icon called Harry’s Cafe De Wheels.

They are celebrated for their pies and blistery dogs and marque for a large spot to devour due to the fact that of the convenient locations successful Woolloomooloo and Haymarket.

Another spot to splurge and get those peculiar Sydney views is Altitude Restaurant, located 36 levels supra Sydney successful the Shangri-La Hotel, offering stunning views of the metropolis successful the evenings.

How to Extend this Itinerary

Taronga Zoo successful Sydney Harbour

If you determine 2 days isn’t enough, past present are immoderate different places you tin sojourn if you person much time.

• Surf astatine Bondi Beach. If you person much time, I would walk it by the ocean. You tin instrumentality a surfing acquisition oregon rent a committee and deed the waves astatine Bondi.
• Take the ferry to Watsons Bay. This is simply a large spot to find much relaxed and quiescent beaches distant from the crowds of Bondi. Allow astatine slightest fractional a time for this.
• Take time trips. There are galore places you tin sojourn connected a time travel from Sydney, specified arsenic Hunter Valley vino region, the Royal National Park, Featherdale Wildlife Park and Scenic World, and of course, The Blue Mountains and adjacent municipality of Katoomba. See much ideas for day trips from Sydney
• Visit Bronte Beach. Escape the hustle and bustle of the metropolis and unbend astatine 1 of the astir beauteous beaches adjacent Sydney.
• Take the kids to Taronga Zoo. If your kids emotion zoos, they volition emotion the Taronga Zoo which has some Aussie animals and planetary animals. The Sea Life Sydney Aquarium is besides a large spot to spot animals.
• Watch the sunset from Sydney Tower Eye. This is conscionable an reflection platform and a large spot to spot immoderate views. If you’re abbreviated connected time, you tin skip it and spot astonishing views from the Shangri-La rooftop edifice instead, but if you person much clip it’s thing to consider.
• Explore the buying district/Central CBD. The country astir Darling Harbour is large for buying and wherever you volition find a fig of boutiques. It’s besides wherever immoderate humanities buildings tin beryllium recovered specified arsenic Queen Victoria Building and the Town Hall, arsenic good arsenic the lush Hyde Park, a tranquil municipality flight that’s perfect for a picnic.
• Take the kids to Luna Park. If you person kids, they whitethorn bask Luna Park, a heritage-listed amusement park. It’s champion to spell astatine nighttime erstwhile it’s each lit up and magical!

How to Get To Sydney CBD From The Airport

approaching from Milsons Point side

Ok, if it’s your archetypal clip successful Sydney, let’s rapidly screen however you get to the CBD (central concern district), besides known arsenic the metropolis centre, from the airport.

To get yourself from the airport into the city, you person a mates of options; hop connected the Sydney Airport Link Train which takes 15 minutes to the CBD.

I urge you get yourself an Opal Card, which is simply a astute paper you tin apical up and usage to wage for fares connected nationalist proscription specified arsenic trains, buses, ferries, and airy rail.

When it comes to getting astir the city, the champion and cheapest mode to spot Sydney is connected foot.

Several of Sydney’s highlights tin beryllium taken successful for escaped oregon inexpensive simply by walking around.

Where to Stay successful Sydney

On a abbreviated enactment successful Sydney, you privation to maximize your clip successful the metropolis and basal yourself adjacent each the attractions.

Your champion stake is to find yourself successful and astir the CBD, Circular Quay, oregon The Rocks District.

This means you tin locomotion to galore of the apical attractions specified arsenic the UNESCO World Heritage site, Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, whilst inactive being successful a vibrant and breathtaking area.

Consider these budget, mid-level, oregon luxury hotels successful these cardinal locations.

Budget:

• Sydney Harbour YHA – the lone hostel successful the Rocks!
• Sydney Central YHA – adjacent to Central Station
• Wake Up! – close to Central Station

Mid-Level:

All these properties are successful the CBD oregon Circular Quay area:

• Mercure Sydney Martin Place
• Park Regis City Centre
• Ibis Sydney World Square
• Vibe Hotel CBD 

Luxury:

All these properties are successful the CBD oregon Circular Quay area:

• Shangri-La Hotel Sydney
• Sydney Harbour Marriott
• Four Seasons Sydney
• The Fullerton Hotel Sydney
• InterContinental Sydney

Before You Go

There you person it, this is however I suggest you walk 2 days successful Sydney! This itinerary should support you busy.

This itinerary takes successful the highlights of Sydney for the magnitude of clip you have, but hopefully it has besides fixed you immoderate inspiration to travel backmost erstwhile you person much time!

Before you go, retrieve that the play is much costly and hotels and attractions thin to get booked up successful advance.

If you program to sojourn connected a Saturday and Sunday, prevention yourself wealth and clip by booking accommodation and attractions successful beforehand to debar disappointment.

More Sydney Travel Tips

Staying longer than 48 hours? Then these different resources whitethorn beryllium utile to you…

• Ultimate Guide to Sydney
• Free things to bash successful Sydney
• Day trips from Sydney For a play getaway
• Palm Beach: Is this 1 of the champion beaches successful Sydney?

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