City Centre The busy centre of government and finance, but also home to many famous attractions, fine restaurants, and shopping.
The Rocks Just to the west of Circular Quay, now a cosmopolitan area, The Rocks includes the first colonial village of Sydney and the iconic Harbour Bridge.
Darling Harbour An extensive leisure and entertainment area immediately to the west of the Central Business District (CBD). Take an early morning trip to the fish markets, and follow up by exploring the restaurants, boardwalks, aquariums, wildlife, and museums around Cockle Bay by foot or above by monorail, or find a maritime pub and hit The Star casino.
City South The Haymarket, Chinatown and Central Station area is home to markets, cafes, Chinese culture and cuisine, and some cheaper accommodation and shopping.
City East Kings Cross, Darlinghurst, Surry Hills, Woolloomooloo and Moore Park. Busy nightlife, and coffee shops, fashion and entertainment by day.
Sydney is a vast sprawling city, and the suburbs in the city metropolitan area spread for up to 100km from the city centre. The traveller visiting the suburbs will find less crowded beaches, parks, cheaper shopping, commercial centres, cultural festivals, and hidden gems.
Greater Sydney districts
Eastern Suburbs Between the City and the sea, includes the world-famous Bondi Beach and other city beaches in the Eastern Suburbs, which are strong drawcards for visitors and residents in the city during summer.
Airport & Botany Bay Bargain shopping and bayside walks near the Sydney Airport.
Inner West Sydney's original suburbs are now bohemian and are a hub of cheap eats, shopping and inner-city culture. Also contains Sydney Olympic Park, the home of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, parks, cycling, and events.
Lower North Shore Over the Harbour Bridge are leafy residential areas stretching northwards. The Lower North Shore also has major commercial and retail areas at North Sydney and Chatswood, many smaller boutique shopping areas, and many parks and gardens, and Sydney's famous Taronga Zoo.
Macquarie Park & Ryde Macquarie Park hosts many of Sydney's technology-oriented businesses.
Sydney Northern (Northern Beaches, Upper North Shore, Hills & Hawkesbury) Offers the laidback Northern Beaches, from Manly stretching North along the coast to Palm Beach. Also includes leafy residential areas, national parks and rivers of the Upper North Shore, as well as the highly religious Hills District and semi-rural Dural & Galston in Hills & Hawkesbury.
Sydney Southern (South West, Sutherland Shire, Macarthur) The South West has some of the most vibrant immigrant communities in Sydney, with growing ethnic enclaves in different parts of the district. St George & Sutherland Shire enjoys access to the waterways of the St Georges River, Botany Bay and Port Hacking, and is home to Cronulla and Captain Cook's Landing Place. Macarthur contains the Campbelltown and Camden areas.
