Day 01 : SYDNEY
On arrival at Sydney International Airport, transfer to the hotel. Check-in at the hotel. Day free at leisure.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 02 : SYDNEY
Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast, proceed for Half-day City tour of Sydney including luncheon cruise. Enjoy your tour through the Rocks, the birthplace of Sydney, with its colorful and historic past. Continue to the Botanical Gardens, St. Mary’s Cathedral, Parliament House, the Domain, Hyde Park, Mrs. Macquaries Chair and on to the exclusive Sydney suburbs of Double Bay, Rose bay, and the Gap. Visit Bondi Beach and Paddington before returning Via Darling Harbour and the Entertainment Center.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 03 : SYDNEY
Breakfast at the hotel. Day free to take optional tours.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 04 : SYDNEY
Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast transfer to Sydney Airport to board your flight.
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Sydney Attractions

Darling Harbour
Once a thriving industrial port, Darling Harbour is now a vast harbourside leisure park. Its various venues include the excellent Sydney Aquarium and Powerhouse Museum, the Australian National Maritime Museum, the touristy Harbourside shopping mall and Segaworld amusement park.

It was once a thriving dockland area, but it declined to the level of an urban eyesore before being reinvented as Darling Harbour in the 1980s by a combination of vision, planning, politicking, forbearance and huge amounts of cash. The emphasis is on casual fun and enjoyment of the kind appreciated by families with small children and coach tourists.

Domain
The Domain is a large grassy area east of Macquarie St which was set aside by Governor Phillip for public recreation. Today it is used by city workers for lunchtime sports and as a place to escape the bustle of the city. On Sunday afternoons, it's the gathering place for impassioned soapbox speakers, who do their best to entertain or enrage their listeners. It is also the venue for free events held during the Sydney Festival in January and the popular Carols by Candlelight at Christmas. The Art Gallery of New South Wales is in the northeast corner of The Domain. It has excellent permanent exhibitions of Australian, European, Japanese and tribal art, and has some inspired temporary exhibits.

Macquarie St
Sydney's greatest concentration of early public buildings grace Macquarie St, many of them commissioned by Governor Macquarie and designed by the convict architect Francis Greenway. The most impressive are the elegant, two-storey, verandaed Parliament House, Sydney Hospital, the Mint Building, the exquisite Hyde Park Barracks, St James Church and the voluminous State Library of NSW. The Barracks and the Mint are now museums, the library hosts exhibitions and there are tours of both the hospital and Parliament House. Macquarie St is the eastern boundary of the central business district and borders The Domain and the Royal Botanic Gardens. It runs from Hyde Park to Circular Quay.

Sydney Harbour
The harbour is the defining characteristic of the city. Criss-crossed by ferries and carpeted with yachts on weekends, it is both the city playground and a major port. Its multiple sandstone headlands, dramatic cliffs, rocky islands and stunning bays and beaches make it one of the most beautiful stretches of water in the world, and the area offers a close-up of Aussie beach culture at its best. Officially called Port Jackson, the harbour stretches some 20km (12mi) inland to join the mouth of the Parramatta River. The most scenic area is on the ocean side of the bridge. The Sydney Harbour National Park protects the scattered pockets of bushland around the harbour and offers good walking tracks. The best way to experience the harbour is to go sailing, but if you're lacking nautical skills there are plenty of ways to enjoy it. Try catching the Manly ferry, swimming at Nielsen Park, walking from Manly to Spit Bridge, having a drink at Watsons Bay, dining with a view at Milsons Point, Balmoral or Circular Quay, or cruising to the heads on the Bounty.

Sydney Opera House
Australia's most recognisable icon, perched dramatically over the sea, may look like sails in full flight but the architect's inspiration was the segments of a mandarin. It's a truly memorable place to see a performance, listen to a free outdoor concert or sit under a cafe umbrella and watch harbour life go by.

The Opera House is so unique that it has been photographed a zillion times, appears on an army of cheap T-shirts and every other Sydney postcard and decorates the frames of Dame Edna's dramatic glasses. The Opera House hosts theatre, classical music, ballet and film, as well as the seasonal opera performances. There is also a venue called The Studio, which stages contemporary arts events. There is free music on the prow of the Opera House on weekends and a craft market on the forecourt on Sunday.

The Rocks
'Old Sydney town' in the heart of CBD-mania, the once much rockier Rocks (an historic shantytown) is now a sanitised tourist precinct. Its narrow cobbled streets and fine colonial buildings are still evocative and its tea rooms make the perfect lunch stop before an afternoon of souvenir browsing.

If you ignore the kitsch, a stroll around The Rocks can be delightful. Attractions include the weekend market, the Sydney Observatory, and numerous craft shops and art galleries. But it's the old buildings, alleyways and historic facades that attract most visitors. Try exploring the less developed areas in the contiguous suburb of Millers Point, which has not sacrificed its community life to the tourist dollar. Check out the Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel and The Hero of Waterloo, two of Sydney's oldest pubs.

Bondi Beach
Probably the best-known beach in the world, the one and a third kilometre (one mile) long Bondi Beach is the closest to the city centre and one of the best places to witness Australian beach culture.

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Sydney Travel Tips

When to Visit - Arts and Events

From Christmas through to the end of January is the most festive time in Sydney. After celebrating with a Yuletide 'barbie' or picnic on the beach, Boxing Day is the start of the Sydney to Hobart Race when roughly two hundred yachts set sail, cheered on by huge crowds around the Harbour. New Year is welcomed with a fantastic firework display against the backdrop of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. The Sydney Festival runs for the last three weeks of the month featuring opera, theatre, concerts and outdoor art installations.

Australia Day on the 26th is an all-day all-night party with a variety of water-borne races in the afternoon and a selection of cultural events and fireworks in the evening. February hosts the month-long Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival with glamour and glitz to rival Rio. The Sydney Film Festival takes place during the first two weeks of June, with the Manly Jazz Festival in early October. From mid-September to early November every even-numbered year, the Sydney Biennale focuses on the cutting edge of contemporary art with exhibitions at various venues around the city.

Sydney Dining

Australian food has come a long way from simply 'barbies and pavs' (barbecues with 'pavlova' for dessert) or traditional English-style roasts. The truly international range of ethnic styles, combined with the country's profusion of superb fresh produce, has created 'Contemporary Australian' cuisine. Similar to Californian, it is a blend of exciting taste sensations and cosmopolitan influences, especially those of the Mediterranean and Southeast Asia, and is part of the renowned 'Pacific Rim' school. Sydney has a great many restaurants serving distinct ethnic dishes or a mix of styles as befits a city of such cultural diversity. The quality of the food is always of the highest standard, as is the service.

Sydney Tipping Advice

Throughout Australia tipping used not to be customary, but is becoming more widespread. In a restaurant a tip of ten per cent is now normal although some restaurants have started adding a service charge to the bill. Porters and staff at larger hotels can be offered a gratuity for good service, but it is purely discretionary. Taxi drivers may not expect a tip unless helping with luggage, but it is usual to round the fare up to the nearest dollar.
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TOUR COST :

HOTEL Rate (Per person on Twin sharing basis)
Crest Hotel (3*) : AUD 276
Holiday Inn Potts Point (4*) : AUD 314
Hotel Star City (5*) : AUD 466

PRICE INCLUDES:
1) 3 nights accommodation at the chosen Hotel.
2) Daily Breakfast.
3) Return Transfers ( Airport – Hotel – Airport ) on Seat in Coach basis.
4) Half day city tour including lunceon cruise.

OPTIONAL TOURS
1) Full day Blue Mountain and Wildlife Park : AUD 95
2) Showboat dinner cruise : AUD 110
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Have a great trip! This itinerary and supplementary information has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it may be subject to change, and DOES NOT form part of a contract between the client and AirCruise.

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