Sydney tourist information
Posted on September 9, 2011 by admin
Sydney tourist information – general facts about Sydney
Sydney is the most well known city in Australia and its landmarks are popular all over the world. With a great number of buildings, parks and monuments to see and various beaches to stay on, swim or surf, Sydney is a great spot for active tourists. Culture lovers can watch excellent shows and performances and take part in all kinds of events. The nightlife is equally exciting and entertaining.
General Sydney tourist information
Sydney is considered to be the most popular Australian holiday destination. Each year it attracts over 4 million tourists. The record of most tourist visits in a year was in 2002, when according to statistics there over 7 million guest-night stays registered in Sydney.
Sydney is the capital of the New South Wales state. It is the largest Australian city, the oldest and the most populated at the same time, with more than 20 million inhabitants.
However, it has one of the lowest population densities in the world; combined with some of the highest living standards, this is a great city to visit and live in.
Sydney has access to the Tasman Sea and is located on the south eastern coast.
Sydney is the place where in 1788 the first British colony was established in Australia. However, only in 1842 it was officially recognized as a city.
In 2000 Sydney was the host of the Summer Olympic Games.
The Visitors Centre in Sydney is located in the Rocks, at the intersection of Argyle and Playfair Streets. Here you can acquire any information about the city, touristic tours, entertainment or accommodation between 9.30 AM and 5.30 PM.
Banks are open from 9.30 AM to 4.00 PM from Monday to Thursday; on Fridays the banks close one hour later.
Sydney tourist information – main attractions
Some of the most popular touristic sites in Sydney are Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Sydney Tower, Royal Botanic Gardens, Hyde Park, Bondi Beach, Manly Beach and Sydney Harbour.
Sydney Opera House is visited every year by more than 7 million people. In 2007 it was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nowadays is one of the world’s most popular performing arts centre, hosting more than 1500 performances each year. This is the place where the Australian Ballet, the Sydney Theatre Company, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Opera Australia host shows as well.
Sydney Harbour Bridge is also known as the Coathanger, because of its arched design. Opened in 1932, the bridge connects the Sydney central business district to the North Shore. It holds the world record of being the widest long span bridge; with a height of 134 meters from water level to the top, Harbour Bridge is also the tallest steel arch bridge in the world.
With a height of 309 meters, Sydney Tower is the tallest free standing structure in Australia and one of the world’s greatest towers. In order to stabilize it, 56 cables were used; each cable has a weight of 7 tones.
This Sydney tourist information will make your vacation planning easier and help you get all the facts in order to have a relaxed and incident-free holiday in one of the world’s most beautiful cities.