Wow Factors in Sydney – Top 7 Things You Can’t Miss

Sydney, spectacularly draped around its glorious harbour and beaches, has a visual wow factor and it’s considered one of the world’s greatest cities.There’s much more to Sydney than just Bondi Beach and the Opera House: the buzzing CBD, beautiful Harbourside precincts and beachside suburbs offer guests plenty of ways to experience luxury, from world-class dining to opulent accommodation and specialised tours.

ESCAPE IN STYLE

Indulge in five-star splendour looking over Sydney Harbour, one of the world’s most beautiful natural waterways.

The Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, the Shangri-La Hotel Sydney and the Park Hyatt Sydney all offer breathtaking views of the harbour, while the InterContinental Sydney is superb for panoramic views and a cocktail on the rooftop bar as sunset charms the city.

HOTTEST NEIGHBOURHOODS

Sydney is divided into distinct neighbourhoods, each with its own character.Many of the big-ticket attractions can be found in or around the Circular Quay area, right by the harbor, in the city center.Here, you can hop on ferries to outlying islands or go exploring on foot with the Sydney Opera House, Royal Botanic Gardens, Museum of Contemporary Art and Museum of Sydney all nearby.A walk north along the water will lead travellers into The Rocks, the first European settlement in Australia and now a historic cobbled village full of heritage buildings.From this area, travellers can access the Sydney Harbour Bridge and stroll across.

BLUE MOUNTAINS

With stunning natural beauty, the World Heritage region of the Blue Mountains is an Australian highlight. The slate-coloured haze that gives the mountains their name comes from a fine mist of oil exuded by the huge eucalypts that form a dense canopy across the landscape of deep, often inaccessible valleys and chiselled sandstone outcrops.

Enjoy fine food and wines and spa treatments at Lilianfels Resort, Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley Resort or Echoes Boutique Hotel. Relax with private swimming pools, personal fireplaces and other luxury amenities.

GOURMET DINING

Sydney’s enviable reputation as a world-class dining destination is built on the talents of chefs using the freshest local produce and seafood caught in clean waters. Delight your senses by dining at Sydney’s best restaurants including Quay and Sepia, which are among the top 50 restaurants in the world. You’ll find plenty of quality restaurants with superb waterfront views, too.

HUNTER VALLEY

Australia’s oldest wine region produces some of the world’s best wines. The Hunter Valley offers you a taste of the finer things of life, from exquisite wines and acclaimed restaurants such as Muse and Bistro Molines to golf courses and day spas.

Elegant resorts include Château Élan and Crowne Plaza, and you can marvel at a glorious sunrise in a hot-air balloon with Balloon Aloft.

BYRON BAY

The intense popularity of Byron Bay can be, at first, a mystery. Sure, the beaches are sublime, but there are spectacular beaches all along this coast. Its locals have come to symbolise an Australian haute-boho lifestyle, yet much of the town is a squat, architectural mishmash and has a traffic problem. So why the legions of global fans? As they say in Byron, it’s the vibe.

CLIMB THE BRIDGE

Nicknamed “the coathanger,” the Sydney Harbour Bridge opened in 1932.Like the Sydney Opera House, it was an engineering masterpiece that was way ahead of its time.Sure, you can walk or cycle across the bridge, but the best way to appreciate the architectural marvel is up close and personal.That’s where the BridgeClimb comes in: the vertiginous experience affords views of the Sydney Harbour and beyond from atop the steel archways.