How to Spend a Sunny Day in Sydney

You’ve spent months organising a trip to Australia—travel insurance, airfares, accommodation and domestic flights have all been paid for, an finally you find yourself in Sydney, on a sunny day, with nothing planned. Being in Sydney on a sunny day during spring or summer is like the last day of school—there’s a feeling of excitement in the air, and even the busy little worker-ants you see scurrying about the city have time to stop and appreciate that really, they live in one of the most beautiful places on earth. If you’re a visitor to Sydney (or maybe a local who just wants to experience everything this gorgeous city has on offer) here is a guide to Sydney on a sunny day. Enjoy!


Photo: sachman75

Bondi to Coogee
You certainly won’t be alone heading to Bondi Beach on a sunny day (or any day) in Sydney, but it’s worth braving the crowds to do the stunning Bondi to Coogee cliff walk. There is a walking path that runs all along the cliff line from iconic Bondi Beach to Coogee Beach, passing a range of pretty bays and beaches on the way. Take the opportunity to explore the coastline and enjoy the views, and make sure you stop at the historic Waverly Cemetery and have a look around.


Sydney Fish Markets
The Sydney Fish Markets are located in an inlet of the harbour and serve many of the local restaurants with their fresher than fresh seafood. Head there on a sunny day (a weekday is better as the weekends see patrons packed in like…well, like sardines) to sit out on the lawns and picnic tables tucking into a just-cooked batch of fish and chips or a tantalizingly tasty seafood platter. The atmosphere is friendly chaos, and the fruit of the sea the best you’ll find anywhere in Sydney.

Glebe Markets
If the weather is sunny and the day is a Saturday, head to the open-air markets in Glebe. Packed wall to wall (or, if we’re being specific, fence to fence) with arts, crafts and vintage wares, the markets are the perfect place to pick up a trendy new outfit that you won’t see on every second person you pass.

Hermitage Foreshore Walk
Now here is something really special: the Hermitage Foreshore walk stretches in and out of several harbour beaches in the exclusive suburb of Vaucluse. The only houses in sight, however, are the historic ones that are now owned buy the city and in various states of (dis)repair. There’s Vaucluse House which is a fully-functioning tourist attraction, Neilson Park which is open to the public but, quite frankly, pretty bare on the inside, and Strickland House, an abandoned house that became an abandoned hospital and now sits empty, waiting for the city to decide what to do with it and inviting speculation about haunting.

Sydney Harbour Cruise
There’s nothing that compares to sailing over the sparkling blue waters of Sydney Harbour on a Sydney Harbour cruise. Whether you choose to combine it with dinner and watch the sunset or just spend the afternoon learning about the history of the city, your sunny Sydney day will be well spent.