Here’s something you’ve probably never considered. When it comes to Europe, when you think of travel, you think of visiting the capital cities. Rome. London. Paris. Madrid. Stockholm. Lisbon. Athens. Copenhagen. Amsterdam. The list is … well, as long as the list of European countries. But venture outside of Europe, and things begin to change. Visiting America? You’ll want New York or Vegas, probably, and not Washington DC. Visiting Brazil? You’re most likely going to end up in Rio de Janeiro, and not the lesser known capital, Brasilia. People visiting Mexico don’t go to Mexico City, they go to Cancun. People visiting Canada don’t go to Ottawa, they go to Toronto. Auckland is the place to be in New Zealand, not Wellington. India? Same thing, you’re going to want somewhere like Mumbai before New Delhi. Japan (and Tokyo) is perhaps a rare exception.
Australia is one of those non-European countries that has at least one major city with an infinitely greater popularity than the capital city. We are, of course, talking about Sydney. Booking a trip ‘down under’ can take some planning (and you may need to send money overseas – see the best way to send money overseas via the link). But when you arrive, it’ll all be worth it, especially if you’ve done some research…
The Opera House is waiting for you
No trip to Sydney is complete with a tour of Sydney Opera House and some time spent soaking up the sun on Bondi Beach – conveniently located about a 15-20 minute drive away from each other. You’ll need to book your tickets in advance, but if you really want the full experience of the Opera House, you should also pay for the Bridge Climb experience – Sydney Harbour Bridge is adjacent to the Opera House, meaning you can see the skyline like never before. Also, if there is low cloud, you will be popping up on top of the bridge above the cloud, along with the high-rise lights of the city’s taller buildings – quite the magical once in a lifetime photo opportunity!
As for the beach…
Bondi Beach
Bondi Beach is perhaps the most iconic beach in the world. At 0.62 mi long, the beach plays host to an estimated 40,000 sun worshipers on a good day. With that many people, you can expect culture, restaurants, bookstores, entertainment, and even seaside yoga classes. There’s also the ‘shop-‘til-you-drop’ experience at Bondi Market, with designer clothing and vintage pieces of all kinds on sale. To be completely fair, Bondi is a day out by itself, if not two!
When it comes to travel destinations worthy of their popularity, Australia won’t let you down. But remember, temperatures here are not to be ignored, you’re going to need lots and lots of sunscreen!
