A Day Out at Sydney, Australia's Fantastic Harbor

 Paris has the Eiffel Tower. San Francisco its bridge. New York has the Statue of Liberty. And Sydney has the iconic Opera House forever linked to its name. On our trip to visit our daughter, who lives in Sydney, we had a fun day visiting the Sydney harbor area. Come along as we walk the bridge, take a short ferry ride, see the Opera House and take a walk through the botanic garden for a great view.

Sydney Harbor Bridge

Our morning started with a walking tour through the historical Rocks District of Sydney - the founding neighborhood of the city - and you can read about that here. Now it was time to walk the bridge. The bridge is a steel through arch bridge - nicknamed the Coat Hanger due to it's shape - that crosses the Sydney Harbor. It carries rail, pedestrians, vehicles and bicycle traffic from the city to the North Shore. And it was opened in 1932.

There is a pedestrian walkway on the east side of the bridge which offers unparalleled views of the harbor. And it's completely free! (We used the stairs access from the Rocks district to gain access to the bridge) We walked, stopping for photos, until we reached the Pylon Lookout. For a small fee you may climb the Pylon and experience even greater and higher views and enjoy the small museum inside. For the daredevils out there, you may decide to splurge and do BridgeClimb Sydney. Climb leaders take you to the top of the bridge on a fully guided tour that lasts from 2.5 to 3.5 hours, depending on the package you purchase. It's pricey, though. Ticket prices start at $198 per person and that is dependent on when you go. But it might be worth it to you to be able to say that you climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge!

Look closely - those are people on that catwalk!

Climbing the Pylon tower

The North Shore Neighborhood

We walked across the bridge with the ending depositing us in the Milson Park neighborhood where we saw groups of people gathering in the park, kids walking home from school and some beautiful jacaranda trees. After walking around a bit we walked back under the bridge and past the famous Luna Park and the North Sydney Olympic Pool to get to the ferry. A short ride took us back to the Sydney Opera House.

The Sydney Opera House

There may be no lesser known building in the world than the Sydney Opera House. It is Australia's number one tourist destination, welcoming more than 8 million visitors per year. But like so many famous icons around the world, the Opera House was not without controversy. 

Sydney had become a booming city of massive growth yet it had no performing arts venue. An international contest was launched in 1956 for "a national opera house" and entrants were required to pay 10 pounds admission fee. Some 223 entries were received from 28 countries with 4 men judging. The winner was picked - a relatively unknown architect, 38 year old Jorn Utzen from Denmark. His sail-like building was the only one to take full advantage of the harbor setting where the building could be viewed from every angle. 

Construction began, and was delayed. (What was to take 4 years took 14) Controversy swirled around the project with many not seeing the architect's vision. The building costs, originally estimated at 7 million pounds, had risen to 13.5 million. (The final cost was around 100 million and was paid for by a State Lottery)The architect and the Minister of Public Works were having "creative differences" - over design, over costs and materials. Utzon resigned before the project was completed, left Australia and never returned. He was unwilling to see his design compromised and therefore, never saw the completed building - one of the most iconic in the world.

Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It hosts some 360 shows per year and includes several dining sites - the Opera Bar, Bennelong and Portside Sydney. And of course, you may take a tour of the building. We took a stroll around the outside and sat for a drink on this sunny, gorgeous day. It was absolutely delightful and a fantastic travel memory.

Sydney Botanical Garden

A short walk from the Opera House is the entrance to the Royal Botanic Garden of Sydney. Home to thousands of different plants, the Royal Botanic Garden is the oldest garden and scientific institution in Australia. Established in 1916, they have a variety of plants from around the world with a concentration on Australia and  the South Pacific. Besides walking around the garden, there is a path along the harbor which leads to a very unique spot - Mrs. Macquarie's Chair. 

Hand carved by convicts in 1810,  out of a sandstone rock, Mrs. Macquarie's chair was a bench actually. It was the favorite viewpoint of Elizabeth Macquarie, wife of Major-General Lachlan Macquarie, Governor of New South Wales. And quite a view it was! It was said that she sat there to watch for ships coming in from Great Britain. Now it is a supreme view of the Sydney Harbor and bridge. And many make their way there for  this view - as did we. On our visit there, at the end of the afternoon, it was such a peaceful spot with the best view. I'd highly recommend a visit here if you're in Sydney. You just can't beat it!

How about you? Have you been to the Sydney Harbor? If not, is it on your travel wish list?

Linking up with: My Corner of the World at Photographing New Zealand!