Sydney, Australia is arguably one of my favorite places on Earth. While it definitely takes more than one day to experience everything this incredible city has to offer, it is possible to hit a majority of the city’s highlights in just one day. If you have a long layover, or just a really tight schedule, here’s how you should spend 24 hours in Sydney.
When in Sydney…
…do as the Sydnians. Sydnites? Sydnonians?
Start your 24 hours in Sydney like any true blue Aussie- with a good cup of coffee. Stop at a nearby cafe for your morning java before heading out to explore.
Milson’s Point
From wherever you are in Sydney, take a train and get off at Milson’s Point station. Milson’s Point is located across the harbour from the city, and offers some lovely views. This is also the starting point for the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
The Harbour Bridge
Find the stairs that lead to the bridge’s pedestrian walkway. That’s right. You’re walking this bad boy. The walk will only take you about 20 minutes, but you will definitely want to stop and take some photos along the way. The view of Sydney Harbour is gorgeous from the bridge. Not to mention, you’ll get an up close view of one of the world’s most famous bridges!
The Rocks
The end of your bridge walk will leave you in a part of Sydney called The Rocks. This historical area is a favorite for its aged buildings and hip pubs. If you’re feeling hungry, head over to Pancakes on the Rocks. This popular restaurant serves all kinds of food, but is obviously most known for its delicious, gourmet pancakes. Don’t worry if there is a line; there’s always a line, but it moves pretty quickly.
The Sydney Opera House
As you make your way to the Opera House, you will pass through an area known as Circular Quay. This is the main hub for all the ferries in Sydney. You’ll find it’s usually pretty busy with people and street performers.
You are welcome to go inside the lobby of the Opera House, but in order to see the main performance area, you will need to sign up for a tour. This guided tour that will lead you through the Opera House, where you’ll learn all about its architecture and history. Tours are $37AUD for adults. Consider booking in advance if visiting during high season.
If you don’t want to spend money for a tour, at least check out the lobby bathrooms. Seriously, those sinks are magnificent. You can also venture outside of the Opera House for some great views of the Harbour Bridge. Don’t forget to take that iconic Opera House selfie!
The Royal Botanical Gardens
Located just to the east of the Opera House lies the Royal Botanical Gardens. This area is home to over 8900 different plant species from all over the world, including Australia and the South Pacific region. There are several tours that run through the gardens, but you are welcome to enjoy them on your own as well. Don’t be surprised if you stumble upon a flock of wild cockatoos- they like to hang around the gardens. Definitely take a walk out to the far end of the gardens to Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair. This area offers spectacular views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.
Related » Where to Find Awesome Views of Sydney
Hyde Park & St. Mary’s Cathedral
Heading south from the Botanical Gardens will lead you to Hyde Park and the incredible architectural structure that is St. Mary’s Cathedral. On your way there, stop by a bakery or pie shop and get yourself a traditional Australian meat pie. Find a nice bench in Hyde park to enjoy your lunch and some great people-watching.
The Sydney Tower
While in Hyde Park, if you look westward, then up in the sky, you should be able to see the Sydney Tower. It will be pretty easy to spot, as this is the tallest structure in Sydney. If you wish, you can go up to the observation deck at the top of the tower. Standard admission to the observation deck is $22.50AUD for adults. If you want something a little more extreme, try the Skywalk tour, where you’ll walk outside the top of the tower for amazing, unobstructed views. This is a bit pricey, at $70AUD per person (Save $20 by booking online!).
The Queen Victoria Building
This historic building is one of Sydney’s architectural gems. What once was a large and elegant market hall is now filled with high end shopping and restaurants. Even if you’re not in the mood for shopping, the beauty of this building is worth at least a walk through. Keep an eye out for all the gorgeous details, like the stained glass and the center dome.
Paddy’s Market
No Sydney traveler should leave without visiting Paddy’s Market. This huge produce and flea market is, hands down, the best place to pick up all your Sydney and Australia souvenirs. They have everything you could possibly want and more. You will easily spend over an hour getting lost among the vendor stalls and perusing through everything. They are only open Wednesday through Sunday, so make sure your 24 hours in Sydney falls in that timeframe!
Dinner in Darling Harbour
As evening approaches, you’ll find yourself in Darling Harbour- a great place for dinner. There are many waterfront restaurants that offer delicious and elegant dining with a view. Choose a seat outdoors and enjoy the warm air as the sun sets.
Evening Ferry Ride
To finish off your 24 hours in Sydney, hop onboard the ferry from Darling Harbour. Sit in the open-air top floor and enjoy the breeze as the boat speeds along the harbour. The lights of the city will dazzle you, and the view of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge all lit up will just about take your breath away. Simply relax and enjoy the ride, as the ferry takes you around the harbour to your hotel’s closest ferry wharf.
Have more time in Sydney? Lucky you! Here’s How to spend 5 days in Sydney!
Looking for more to do in Sydney? Check out these 15 Free Things to do in Sydney. Or, try taking a day trip out to the Blue Mountains!
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55 Comments
What a fantastic guide! I can’t wait to visit Sydney, I’ll definitely be visiting that waffle house!
So many wonderful places here and you are right, Sydney is definitely a city where you can do so many of these things easily in a day. I simply love the harbour and the area around The Rocks. The history and the beautiful buildings are super special as is the food. Great article Brianna.
Thanks, Kerri!
That’s awesome that you could pack all of those amazing things to do in just one day! We will be doing it at a much slower pace when we visit though, as we plan to spend a few months in Australia!
Good plan! I’ll be posting more Australia guides in the next couple weeks, so stay tuned!
Oh wow those pancakes look amazing!
Sydney in one day! Say it isn’t so! Hahaha I lived there for three years and I STILL feel like I didn’t see everything. They call themselves Sydneysiders, by the way. 🙂 You cover off on a lot of the ‘must dos’ in this post, great job! I’d only add the Bondi to Bronte Coastal Walk — it’s absolutely stunning!
I totally agree, but I didn’t think I could fit that into a one day itinerary! I’ll be sure to add it to my longer guide that I’ll be publishing soon.
These all sound like great options and I love the look of Pancakes on the Rocks. Yum! And, the night harbor cruise would be a great way to experience the city at night.
Thank you for the detailled article! It’s full of useful information, I’ve just bookmarked it for future reference!
Wow, Sydney looks really nice. This is a really nice post for a 24 hr getaway. I haven’t been to Sydney but if I go, I will definitely go to these places. Thank you for the recommendation.
Those pancakes looked amazing! Also, so cool that Sydney has botanical gardens! I just visited some in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Sounds beautiful!
You had me at pancakes! Great foodie suggestion. I love Sydney – beautiful photos. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Impressive guide! The view from the Sydney habour does look beautiful. Will definetly try the pancakes when I travel to Sydney. They look delish
Sydney never fails to amaze the travelers. The city is so vibrant. And opera house and bridge are so symbolic of the city. Lovely list to carry when traveling to Sydney!
Never been to Australia but would love to. A friend of mine was there recently and her travel pictures made me almost book a flight and just go! A great guide! Sydney seems like a great city… and those pancakes..oh
This is perfect, I’ve been looking at Australia as a destination, and due to US vacation schedules, don’t have a ton of time. I was hoping to be able to hit highlights in a day, but hadn’t found a guide I really liked yet. This looks perfect though–the evening ferry seems like the perfect place to end the day!
What a great guide! We visited Sydney while on honeymoon a few years back and loved it. There’s a few things on here we missed though, so we’ll just have to go back! P.S those waffles look amazing
Pancake on the rocks! Something we would definitely try out. Can we have that for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Pretty please 🙂
I totally would! There are so many kinds to choose from, it would probably be easy to eat all three meals here! 😛
Ah this makes me miss my home away from home! I would recommend a day trip out to Blue Mountains as well 🙂
Agreed! I’m actually publishing a post about the Blue Mountains within the next few weeks!
If you’re on a budget (or like me just love Asian food) I highly recommend China town for delicious and cheap food. My favourite is Malaysian restaurant Mamak!
Lovely list and it covers almost all major attractions in the city! I would love to know a bit more about the budget and public transport – or is it better to self-drive?
I m not a great fan of wrapping up a visit to a place in 24 hours but this plan looks quite doable. Looks like the Opera House is located close to many attractions because I see it in the background in many images.
Wow you covered a lot in 24 hours, this is amazing! I’ve always wanted to check out the Sydney opera house, but we will be sure to add a lot of these destinations to our list. Those pancakes made me so hungry!
Wow! That is really incredible. Touring Sydney in a day really sounded impossible. I would love to eat at Pancakes on the Rock. And definitely visit the royal botanical gardens. 24 hours in Sydney holds the promise of a great experience,
Sydney in a day! That sounds like impossible to me but you have done a great job by covering so much in 24 hours. Pancakes look yummy and the idea of evening ferry ride is quite fascinating.
Wow. So much to do in a day! This post can come in handy when I’m visiting Sydney. Would love to check all of this out.
All these in 24 hours? By 24 hours you mean 12 to 12 in day light or 12 to next day 12? Such wonderful sights, I would prefer a relaxed tour. The stained glass has been covered so beautifully!
Coming from an ex- Sydneysider, you nailed it on all the must-sees in a day. As you said, there’s so much more, but this covers the icons. Nice job.
Looks like you can see a lot in Sidney in 24 hours. I was kind of surprised how expensive it is go go in the attractions but I guess that is ususally the case. Maybe I’ll just check out the Opera House toilets rather than a tour of the building. Haha
I really need to come back to Sydney. Last time I was in Sydney, we spent most of the day hanging around the opera house and Circular bay. And next day we ended up going for Skydiving. Would love to come back to see an opera inside and to climb the harbour bridge.
Fantastic itinerary – I was walking it with you as I’ve done it many a time – Sydney is a great place to visit and you’ve managed to squeeze so much into this itinerary! Brilliant!
What a cool list! I have not been to Sydney yet but can’t wait to make it over there soon and do a whole roadtrip 🙂
This is such a great itinerary for a day in Sydney! When I was little I used to watch a tv series with the water police of Sydney. I loved it so much that I still remember how much I wanted to travel to Sydney and see the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House with my own eyes. I still want to, I just need some time as Australia is so, so far away!
I haven’t visited Sydney but I wanna go there badly. It seems to be such an interesting and inspiring city 🙂 Definitely Australia is one of my big dreams. Very useful post!
Nice post! I’ve never been to Sydney but it looks really lovely from your photos. And those pancakes – mmmmm! Thanks for sharing this guide, will keep it in mind if I ever make it over there!
The view from the Harbor bridge is no doubt the most stunning with the vistas of Sydney Harbour and a glimpse of the Sydney opera house. Architecture and history always fascinate us St. Mary’s Cathedral and Queen Victoria Building with awe-inspiring architecture would definitely be on the list. And we would not want to miss that lovely ferry ride through the gleaming lights of the city.
Sydney is a great city and good to see such a succinct guide to it. I do like to take it slow but if it can be done in 24 hours then why not? Love the pic of Queen Victoria Building. Great framing.
Thanks! As an ultra-amateur photographer, I really appreciate the compliment! 🙂
great post! I spent about 12 hours in Sydney and did none of this stuff! wish I’d has this list beforehand – haha!
Great stuff – I’ve visited Sydney and the sights mentioned many times. You’ve covered all the main points of interest that first-time travellers should check out.
I have heard so many great things about Sydney from all friends who have gone there. Hopefully, there will be a good possibility to go there one day. Not only to see Sydney, but also the rest of Australia. Hard not to remember all the photos of the Opera House that was shown during the Olympic Games several years ago. 🙂
This post made me super nostalgic! I last visited Sydney when i was just 11, but only remember the bridge and the opera house. I had no idea you could see all of this in one day, its such a helpful itinerary!
I always thought that this city was too big to manage seeing all of its major attractions in one day but you nailed it.I think the “Pancake on the Rocks” restaurant is a place where I would end up spending too much time if I visited it, those pancakes looked delicious!How much was the ferry ride?The view on Harbour bridge looked awesome!
Ferry pricing will depend on which journey you choose to take. You can calculate all Sydney transport costs at this website: https://tp.transportnsw.info/nsw/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en&_ga=1.257211469.739928941.1490356666
You have compiled a very balanced list. It will enable us to see the best of Sidney in limited time. I know not everything can be covered in this short time. So, when I go there, if I have only 24 hours, I will like to follow your list
Perfect itinerary for Sydney in a day. While reading it I almost thought you would not include the ferry ride. When we were there we would take the ferry ride as often as we could.
Sydney is the most incredible city and you touched on some of my favourite things about it! To anyone thinking of travelling there, GO, it is like no other city in the world!
Great post. Plan a visit to India once you will love it 🙂
I would definitely visit India if the chance arose! There are so many beautiful places to see!
Very efficient itinerary! You got to experience a lot in just one day! We just did Sydney in 2-3 days – and it was an outstanding experience. I will have Paddy’s Market in mind for next time – we didn’t make that one!
24 hours is a super short amount of time to spend in Sydney- I’m glad you got more time! Definitely swing by Paddy’s next time though 🙂
I don’t like wrapping up a visit to a place in 24 hours but this plan looks good.