Sydney has long been on our bucket list of travel destinations. There are few cities with sights as iconic as the Sydney Opera house and Harbour Bridge. So when we planned our epic three week Australian vacation, we decided to end on a high note by spending three days in Sydney. However, since it is the largest city in Australia, deciding how to spend our three days in Sydney was a challenge. With so much to see and do and plenty of outdoor activities to fill your days, you will find no shortage of things to do. However, we put together this perfect three days in Sydney itinerary that we think is great for first time visitors. Keep reading for all the details!
When To Visit Sydney?
Sydney is one of the sunniest destinations in the world with over 300 days of sunshine each year. So is there really a bad time to visit Sydney? The answer is no.
However, there are a few popular times to visit. Sydney has one of the biggest New Year’s Eve parties in the world, making it a popular destination for this holiday. Sydney is also a popular destination for local travelers during school breaks. So while these are popular times to visit Sydney, if you don’t like crowds or surge pricing, you may want to avoid these times.
We visited at the end of the summer (February) and the weather was wonderful for both beach visits and walking the town. While the CBD (Central Business District) was busy as summer is the height of Sydney’s tourism season, the rest of Sydney was calm and relaxing – just as imagined!
The best time to visit Sydney is generally considered to be the shoulder season, Spring and Autumn. Prices during this time tend to be a bit lower and the weather is still wonderful providing you ample opportunity to enjoy all of Sydney’s outdoor sights.
How Many Days To Spends In Sydney?
You need at least two days to see all of the most popular things Sydney has to offer. The CBD of Sydney takes one day to explore. However, Sydney is so much more than the CBD. Some of the most popular things to do in Sydney are actually outside of the CBD in outlying neighborhoods. This is why we’ve crafted this itinerary so that you’ll spend three days in Sydney, which will give you enough time to see both the CBD and the Bondi Beach neighborhood.
CBD – Translation – Central Business District: You’ll hear a lot about the CBD in Sydney. This is the area of the city that is home to a majority of the things to do in Sydney that are in this Sydney itinerary, including the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
At the end of this 3 day Sydney itinerary, we’ve also included options for exploring even farther afield while still basing yourself in Sydney with an optional 4-5 day Sydney itinerary.
Getting There And Around
Getting to Sydney is super easy with a major international airport. You’ll find frequent international and domestic flights into the Sydney Airport.
Don’t plan on driving around Sydney. Navigating the highways wasn’t a problem but the streets of the CBD are crowded and parking is expensive. So if you have a car, plan on parking it and getting around Sydney via public transportation and the power of your own feet.
Public Transportation In Sydney
Public transportation in Sydney is great. They have a combination of trains, buses and ferries. If you plan on using public transit, you’ll want to get a rechargeable Opal card, the cashless way to pay transit fares in Sydney. The actual cards are free but you do need to put $20 AUD on the card when you purchase it and top in up in increments of $10 AUD. Most buses, and some ferry docks, do not take cash payment so you will need an Opal card to get around. Make sure to buy one prior to attempting a public transit ride. Details on buying and loading Opal cards are here.
If you don’t have a chance to get an Opal card but your credit card has the tap to pay option, you can use this in the same way you would use and Opal card, simply tap your card when you start your journey and tap the same card at the end of your journey and your card will be charged the Opal rate. A non-tappable card will not work.
Bonus Tip: The ferry system in Sydney is great and inexpensive. So not only is it a great way to get around but it also can be used as a way to get a scenic tour of Sydney Harbour. Consider taking the ferry whenever possible just for the great views from the deck of the boat.
Three Days In Sydney – Sydney Itinerary
And so begins our detailed itinerary of how to spend three days in Sydney. But wait there’s more! At the end of the post we’ll talk about where to stay in Sydney and how much you’ll need to budget to be able to afford this amazing Sydney itinerary.
Day 1 – Top Sydney Sights
Morning – Sydney Tours
We always start our time in a big city with a guided tour and Sydney is no exception. In our opinion, a guided tour gives you a taste of the city and helps to give you an idea of things you may want to add into your Sydney itinerary. We opted for a hop-on-hop-off bus tour – because after three weeks in Australia we needed to do some sitting. But if that isn’t your style, you could also consider a walking tour of the CBD.
We spent a good portion of our morning just riding around on this tour and learning. Make sure that your tour covers at least three main areas of Sydney: The Rocks, Circular Quay and Darling Harbour.
First, walk around Darling Harbour. Check out the ships outside the Maritime Museum and the boats coming and going.
Next, while visiting the Rocks, take in the great views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Lastly, while in the Circular Quay take in the beautiful iconic sights of the Sydney Opera House. Climb the steps and make your way through the “sails” of the building before walking all the way around the building.
Afternoon – Sydney Opera House & Harbour Bridge
In the afternoon, book a tour of the Sydney Opera House. This tour was very interesting and we were even able to hear a group practicing in the performance space. However, if you are interested in a tour, advance bookings are needed as this is one of the most popular things to do in Sydney.
Next, wander the coastline from the Opera House to the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Here you’ll have lots of great views of both top Sydney attractions.
Afterwards, head to The Rocks neighborhood to see the historical part of Sydney. If you are interested in this part of town, consider visiting The Rocks Discovery Museum to learn more about the seedy past of this neighborhoods and how it was converted to the hip area it is now.
Consider going to the top of the South Pylon Lookout for views of the harbour from above. Whatever you do, make sure you walk along the Sydney Harbour Bridge over the water before the day ends.
End your day with a dinner along the harbour. Splurge for some awesome views with the amazing Australian cuisine.
Day 2 – Sydney Beaches
Morning – Bondi Beach
First, start your Sydney itinerary, just outside of town at Bondi Beach. You’ll need to take public transport to get there. Spend a few hours watching the surfers and soaking up the sun. Just remember to Slip, Slap, Slop as the Australian signs say to prevent sunburn and skin cancer. Australian sun is strong sun!
Grab lunch at one of the many shops along Bondi Beach and maybe do a bit of shopping at the hip seaside shops.
Afternoon – Bondi Coastal Walk
The coastal walks of Sydney are some of the most popular things to do in Sydney for tourists and locals alike. Spend your afternoon walking south from Bondi Beach. You can do the short walk to Bronte Beach or continue on to Coogee Beach if you have the energy. The walk to Coogee Beach typically takes 3 hours to complete.
Alternative Option: While Bondi beach is the most famous beach in Australia and possibly the world, Manly Beach is another popular option and is a bit less touristy than Bondi Beach. So you can do this Beach/Coastal walk day by going to Manly Beach and then doing the Spit to Manly Coastal walk instead of Bondi if you prefer.
Grab some seafood at a local market and cook some amazing seafood at your accommodations for dinner.
Day 3 – Zoo, Garden and Museum
Morning – Zoo and Views
Start your morning with an early morning Ferry Ride to the Taronga Zoo. This is a great zoo that includes lots of native Australian wildlife along with animals from around the world. But don’t forget to enjoy the ferry ride and the views of the Sydney skyline that you get free with your ride.
Next, spend several hours at the Royal Botanic Garden of Sydney. These gardens are huge! So you’ll have to pick and choose what you see. There are several guided walkways where you learn as you walk. There also are rotating exhibits that you can see in greenhouses. A popular stop is Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair, a stone chair with excellent views of the harbour.
Afternoon – Australia Museum & More Parks
Next, head into Sydney proper and visit the Australian Museum. This is a FREE museum that is huge. There is a small fee for extra special exhibits. But you could easily spend hours in.
After visiting the museum, check out the smaller, but still impressive Hyde Park with the ANZAC Memorial Building and beautiful Archibald Fountains. Across from the park is St Mary’s Cathedral. This is an old and beautifully designed church worth a quick photo stop.
End your day at the Chinese Garden of Friendship before making your way to Chinatown for dinner.
Want To Adjust The Sydney Itinerary?
If you have less time, we did put these days in order from most popular sights to least. Therefore, day one has all of the most popular things to do. So if you have less than three days in Sydney, you can cut out day three and even day two if needed to.
If you have extra time, consider taking one or two day trips from Sydney.
The first day trip we can highly recommend is a trip to the Blue Mountains. You can get there on public transit and then book a hop-on-hop-off bus once you are there to see all the sights.
You could also take a day trip to the Hunter Valley for wine tasting. The Hunter Valley is one of the most popular wine growing regions in Australia. A visit is best done with a guided tour so you have someone to do the driving for you while you drink the wine. If you book through our website here, we’ll earn a commission at not extra cost to you so we can keep writing this content.
Where To Stay In Sydney?
The CBD is undoubtedly the most convenient place to stay if you are exploring Sydney for the first time, especially if you are following this Sydney itinerary. However, this comes with a higher price tag. But you get what you pay for and you save money in transportation costs.
However, for our first time in Sydney, we instead stayed near a ferry terminal. This way we had Harbour views and could easily get around Sydney. So if you don’t want to/can’t afford to stay in Sydney proper, make sure to position yourself near public transportation instead.
What To Budget For Sydney
Sydney was not nearly as expensive as we thought it would be. While accommodations are expensive and eating out could also be expensive, the fact that there were so many free activities allowed us to spend three days in Sydney without spending a ton of money.
We spent $230 AUD/night on our accommodations, which were outside of the main tourist areas. If you would like to stay in the CBD, plan on spending around $450 AUD/night for mid-level accommodations.
Additionally, we spent about $100 AUD each day on food for both of us. We snacked our way through breakfast and lunch eating anything that sounded good. This kept our budget in check so we could completely splurge for dinner at some amazing restaurants with great views.
One of the amazing things about Sydney is that there is a ton to do for FREE!
Cost for activities for this three days in Sydney itinerary:
- Opera House tour – $43 AUD/person
- Big Bus Tour – $45 AUD/person
- Walking Tour – FREE, but you should tip
- South Pylon Lookout (optional climb) – $25 AUD/person
- Tonga Zoo – $47 AUD/person
Overall, we spent $1260 AUD on this three days in Sydney itinerary for two people. This converts to about $830 USD for fellow Americans. We think this was a great deal compared with other large cities in English speaking world.
What To Pack For Sydney
We loved having our day pack with us while we explored Sydney! It allowed us to carry water and snacks with us which saved us money.
You will also want to make sure you pack comfortable shoes for visiting Sydney – or sandals. We spent tons of time outside walking around on our feet following this Sydney itinerary. And we were tired at the end of it! So give your feet some love.
We hope that this three days in Sydney itinerary has help you to plan your very own vacation to the land down under! We absolutely loved Australia and no trip would be complete without a stop in Sydney. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below and we’d be happy to get in touch.
