From the craggy peaks of the Blue Mountains to the lush tropics of Queensland and the coral treasure land of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia has something unusual and something special to offer visitors—even those traveling by tour bus. Much of Australia's vast "red center" has been tamed and put on a tour, but the Outback hasn't lost its frontier allure. The same can be said for much of the rest of this country that's also a continent. Sydney may have joined the ranks of the world's top cities, but its architecture, stunning harbor and electric, manic personality keep it singular: You won't mistake it for anywhere else. When we visited Australia, sleek tour buses were already idling in the parking lot when we saw a handful of mud-caked camper vans pull up—fuel cans and lawn chairs strapped to their roofs. We heard the motorcycles before we saw the riders climb off and straighten their jeans. But the noise didn't seem to bother the caravan of camels loping in the distance. We were all assembling for one of Australia's greatest shows: sunset at Uluru (formerly known as Ayers Rock). Yes, it has become something of a circus. But watching the scalloped monolith go from reddish-brown to a haunting burnt-orange against the desert sky is still a magical—some say spiritual—experience.

Early European explorers had been curious about the possible existence of Australia long before they actually found it. During the first 250 years of Pacific exploration by Europeans, a large blank space in the corner of navigators' maps was marked Terra Australis Incognita, meaning Unknown Southern Land. In 1770, Captain James Cook reached the southeast coast. He claimed the land for England, named it New South Wales and sailed 2,500 mi/4,000 km along its shores, charting the coast and barrier reef.
The "new" land wasn't empty, however. Cook encountered a dark-skinned race of nomadic hunters and gatherers. The distant ancestors of these people had begun their migration into the land as many as 75,000 years earlier, passing across land bridges and shallow seas connecting Ice Age Asia to present-day Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Australia.



Australia can be seen independently or on escorted, hosted or fly/drive tours. The absolute minimum for a first-time visitor would be one week. Two weeks would be more than twice as good.
For a one-week visit, you could make an itinerary from two of the following options; for a two-week visit, choose three or four options—three is preferable so as not to spend too much time traveling from place to place. Most options include a city, a wilderness/national park, and a coast and wine region (where applicable).
• Three days in Sydney, including day trips to the Blue Mountains and/or Hunter Valley (wine region) and/or Port Stephens.
• Three days in Melbourne with day trips to the Great Ocean Road and/or the Yarra Valley (wine region) and/or Wilson's Promentory.
• Three days in Adelaide with day trips to the Barossa Valley (wine region) and/or Kangaroo Island, or a side trip to the Flinders Ranges/Wilpena Pound.
• Three days in Perth with day trips to Rottnest Island and/or Margaret River (wine region) and/or Pinnacles Desert.
• Three days in Darwin with day trips to Kakadu National Park and/or Katherine Gorge, or a side trip to Arnhem Land.
• Three days in Cairns with day trips to the barrier reef, with a side trip to Daintree rain forest and Cape Tribulation.
• Three days exploring the "red center" (Ayers Rock/Kings Canyon/Palm Valley exclusive of Alice Springs or Ayers Rock).
• Three nights somewhere between Cairns and Gladstone (on an island, near the Great Barrier Reef or sailing around the Whitsundays).
If you have a month available, try to visit or do at least some of these: Cairns (including an overnight in the rain forest), a cattle station in Queensland, Fraser Island, the Great Barrier Reef, Darwin (with a side trip to Kakadu), Alice Springs and Uluru, Broome and the Kimberley, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane (with a trip to Moreton Island), Melbourne and Sydney. Spend some time getting close to nature in Wilson's Promontory and Phillip Island in Victoria or in the Blue Mountains near Sydney.


Sights—The architecturally stunning Sydney Opera House; the historic Rocks district; Taronga Zoo; the view of the skyline from the top of Sydney Harbour Bridge or Sydney Tower; the peaceful Royal Botanic Gardens; the view from North Head, Manly.
Museums—Early Australian, contemporary and Aboriginal art at the Art Gallery of New South Wales; contemporary pieces at the Museum of Contemporary Art; natural and cultural history at the Australian Museum; the temporary exhibitions at the State Library of New South Wales; the city's history at the Museum of Sydney; the early days at the Rocks Discovery Museum; Australian innovation and technology at the Powerhouse Museum.

Memorable Meals—A plate of fresh oysters at Sydney Cove Oyster Bar; Chinese food in Chinatown; spicy Malaysian fare in the garden courtyard at Chinta Ria in Darling Harbour; the sheer artistry of food presentation at the highly acclaimed Tetsuya's; the Outback degustation menu at Deep Blue Bistro in the seaside suburb of Coogee.

Nightlife—A night of opera at Sydney Opera House; live jazz at The Basement in Circular Quay; enjoying the view and libations at Cargo Bar & Lounge on King Street Wharf; dancing at the super-hip Home on Cockle Bay Wharf or at the mega-trendy Tank; the Friday-night buzz around the pubs of Taylor Square in Darlinghurst.

Walks—A walk through the Royal Botanic Gardens; a breezy stroll across the Sydney Harbour Bridge (preferably from the north to the south side at sunset); a saunter down Oxford Street, from Darlinghurst to Paddington; the Manly Scenic Walk.

Especially for Kids—Sleeping over at Taronga Zoo ("Roar and Snore" sleepovers are available on selected dates); the shark tank at the Sydney Aquarium; the interactive exhibits at Oceanworld Manly; examples of human achievement at the Powerhouse Museum; petting a kangaroo at Featherdale Wildlife Park; the fair and rides at Luna Park; the huge indoor playground at Lollipops Playland.


Many of Sydney's attractions are within easy walking distance of one another. In theory you could attempt to see many of them in a single day—though you wouldn't stand still for long. We suggest taking a more leisurely approach by beginning your visit at Circular Quay (pronounced key), where you can catch a morning cruise of the city's harbor. When you get back, head for the Sydney Opera House. Its prominence on the waterfront and its distinctive white, sails-style roof have made it the city's (and Australia's) most famous landmark.
You can stroll along the bay from the Opera House to the Royal Botanic Gardens, which we consider a must-see. The park's gardens and ponds are lovely, and the views of the harbor are spectacular—particularly from Mrs. Macquarie's Chair (actually a rock favored by the wife of an early governor of New South Wales). In addition, you can visit the ornate Government House, take in the artwork at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, or find out what life was like for the city's first felons at nearby Hyde Park Barracks.
On another day, tour the Australian Museum and then cut through Hyde Park to the Sydney Tower, in the heart of downtown, for views of the Pacific to the east and the Blue Mountains to the west. You can hop on the Metro Monorail to Darling Harbour and visit the shark tanks at the Sydney Aquarium or take advantage of the huge selection of restaurants and cafes. A water taxi or a ferry will return you to Circular Quay. From there it's an easy walk to The Rocks, the city's most historic area. (If you are taking the BridgeClimb tour, you'll depart from The Rocks. If you're not, consider walking across the Sydney Harbour Bridge—the views are almost as good.)
Reserve an afternoon for a visit to the Taronga Zoo, which is on the north side of the harbor. (It's best reached by ferry from Circular Quay.) You could easily spend another day browsing the shops in Paddington, Darlinghurst and Kings Cross. Glebe is wrapped in hippie culture and packed with cafes and new-age bookstores—it's an interesting stop if you've got some extra time, as is Newtown, filled with colorful backstreet pubs, artists of all stripes and bohemian vibes. Beach lovers will want to plan a day at either Manly or Bondi beach—if you don't have time for both. More than likely, you'll run out of time before you'll run out of things to see and do in Sydney.