Sydney

1. Sydney Opera House

One of the world's great icons, the Sydney Opera House is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the star attraction on the glittering harbor. This graceful building, shaped like shells or billowing sails, perches on a finger of land surrounded by water. Snap a photo while gliding by on a harbor cruise, relax at one of the restaurants, stroll around its exterior, or take an organized tour of this magnificent structure, which encompasses theaters, studios, exhibition rooms, a concert hall, and cinema.

2. Sydney Harbour Bridge

The Sydney Harbour Bridge or "Coathanger," as locals call it, was the city's best-known landmark prior to construction of the Sydney Opera House. Supported by massive double piers at each end, it was built in 1932 and remains the world's largest steel arch bridge, connecting the harbor's north and south shores in a single curve rising 134 meters above the water. Along its length run two railway lines and eight lanes for road traffic, the direction of which can be varied according to traffic flow.

3. The Rocks

On a tongue of land protruding into Sydney Harbour, the Rocks historic area was once home to the Gadigal aboriginal people and later became the country's first site of European settlement. The name of the Rocks comes from the rocky coast on the west side of Sydney Cove, where the convicts pitched their tents. Today, more than 100 heritage sites and buildings jostle along the narrow streets, including Sydney's oldest surviving house, Cadman's cottage, built in 1816.

4. Harbor Cruises from Circular Quay

Built by convict labor in Sydney Cove, bustling Circular Quay is now home to the city's main ferry terminal. Thousands of commuters flood the area at peak hours, cafés and restaurants line the waterfront, and street performers entertain locals and visitors along the sunny walkways. One of the most popular things to do here, and the best way to appreciate Sydney's sparkling waterfront setting, is to hop aboard a harbor cruise, like the popular two-hour Sydney Harbour Coffee Cruise.

5. Darling Harbour

A hub for tourists and locals alike, Darling Harbour is a waterfront pedestrian precinct packed with shops, restaurants, museums, exhibitions, and entertainment venues. Families will love Madame Tussaud's; the WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo; and the SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, which contains the world's largest collection of Aus tralian marine creatures.

6. The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney

The Royal Botanic Garden at Farm Cove lies a short and scenic stroll along the waterfront from the Sydney Opera House. The gardens were established in 1816 and encompass 30 hectares of themed gardens with towering trees, palm groves, orchids, ferns, and flocks of fruit bats. Visiting the gardens is one of the many wonderful things to do in Sydney for free. Among the highlights are the Palace Rose Garden, which includes some 1,800 roses, and the Glasshouse Latitude 23 and Fernery, brimming with tropical foliage, begonias, and orchids. For the less energetic, a hop-on, hop-off train tours the grounds.

7. Queen Victoria Building

A high point of Sydney shopping is the Romanesque-style Queen Victoria Building ("QVB"), linked by underground arcades with Town Hall Station. Originally built as a market hall between 1893 and 1898, this elegant building is crowned by a high central dome surrounded by 20 smaller domes. After decades of neglect and even plans for demolition, this grand sandstone building was restored to its original state in the early 1980s. Today, more than 200 high-end shops line its light-filled galleries.

8. The Sydney Tower Eye

Soaring above the city skyline, the 309-meter-high Sydney Tower Eye is the city's tallest building and one of its great landmarks (other than the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, of course). This golden spire-topped turret rises from the busy Centrepoint shopping mall. Express lifts whisk visitors to the observation deck at the top, or to SKYWALK, an alfresco glass-floor viewing platform, the perfect spot for sightseeing.

9. Sydney Beaches

Sydney is famous for its fabulous beaches. Tucked around the harbor are many sheltered coves with calm water and sugary sands. Less than a 15-minute drive from the city, iconic Bondi Beach beckons with its great surf, café scene, and cosmopolitan vibe. For fantastic ocean views, take the coastal walk along the cliffs from Bondi to Coogee.

10. Chinatown

Inhale the fragrance of sizzling Szechuan spices, shop for Chinese specialty items, or feast on authentic Asian cuisine at Sydney's Chinatown. Framed by lion gates at each end, this small district lies in the pedestrian zone of Dixon Street between Darling Harbour and Central Station. Yum cha is a popular pastime here, and the Friday night market is a feast for the senses with everything from dim sum and Vietnamese pho to teppanyaki. On the first full moon after January 21, the streets of Chinatown come alive during the celebration of the Chinese New Year. Near Chinatown, Paddy's Markets, is a Sydney institution from Wednesdays through Sundays with hundreds of stalls selling fresh produce, bargain fashions, and souvenirs.