Arrive knowing where to go.
Ten years of guests asking us the same questions. Here are the answers — the neighbourhoods worth your time, how to get around, and what to do in your first hour.
Sydney, New South Wales
A harbour city that lives outdoors.
Sydney rewards people who walk. Almost everything worth seeing sits within twenty minutes of the water, and the best days here are the unplanned ones — a ferry, a coastal path, a long lunch somewhere with a view.
Where to stay, and why.
Four neighbourhoods we know well, because we manage properties in all of them.
Circular Quay
Ferries, the Opera House and the Botanic Gardens on foot. Busy, but unbeatable for a first visit.
Surry Hills
Terrace houses, small bars and the best breakfast in the city. Where locals actually eat.
Bondi
The beach everyone knows, plus the coastal walk to Coogee that nobody regrets doing.
Chatswood
Asian food halls, quiet streets and a direct train line. Popular with students for good reason.
Getting Around
Tap on with an Opal card.
The airport connects straight to Central and Circular Quay. Tap a contactless card or phone — no ticket needed, and the airport stations charge an extra access fee.
The Manly ferry costs the same as a bus and gives you the harbour view people pay for on cruises. Sit outside, at the back.
The CBD to Surry Hills is fifteen minutes on foot. Hills are real but short, and the coastal paths are the reason to be here.
First 24 Hours
Do these three things.
A flat white is the default. Sydney takes coffee seriously and the corner cafe is usually better than the chain.
Thirty minutes each way, best value in the city. Go late afternoon and come back at dusk.
Public fountains are everywhere and the tap water is excellent. It is hotter than it looks.
Eat & Drink
Where Sydney actually eats.
Brunch is a real meal
Long, unhurried and taken seriously — especially in Surry Hills, Newtown and Bondi. Expect a queue and no bookings on weekends.
Head to Chinatown or Cabramatta
Some of the best Vietnamese and Chinese food outside Asia, at a fraction of CBD prices. Cash still helps at the smaller places.
Small bars, not big pubs
Since the licensing changes, the good drinking is in laneway bars around Surry Hills, Darlinghurst and the CBD fringe.
Worth the trip out of town.
Blue Mountains
Cliffs, rainforest and cold air two hours west. Katoomba is walkable from the station — no car needed.
Royal National Park
Empty beaches and clifftop walks the tourist buses miss. Take the train to Otford and walk down.
Hunter Valley
Vineyards, long lunches and cellar doors. Worth an overnight rather than a rushed day trip.
Practical things nobody tells you.
Type I sockets, 230V. Bring an adapter — Australian plugs are not the same as anywhere else.
Service is included in the price. Rounding up for great service is welcome, never expected.
Police, fire and ambulance on one number. It works from any phone, locked or without credit.
UV levels are among the highest in the world. Sunscreen matters even on overcast days.
Tap payments are standard, including on transport and in taxis. Some small venues add a surcharge.
Prepaid SIMs are cheap from any supermarket or airport kiosk. Coverage in both cities is strong.
Longer Reads
Guides written for one person.
Not general travel advice — the specific things we get asked, by the people who ask them.
Student Guide to Sydney
SIM cards, bank accounts, where students actually live, and what the first three weeks really feel like.
Read the guide For Students & Parents · 11 min
Student Guide to Melbourne
Myki cards, the Free Tram Zone, why there is no airport train, and the suburbs worth the rent.
Read the guide For Parents · 10 min
Family Guide to Sydney
What to check before signing, how to spend the first week together, and staying in touch without hovering.
Read the guideSomewhere to stay in Sydney?
Book direct with us — same apartments, better rate, and a local team you can actually reach.