Quezi

Sydney Opera House - courtesy kangotraveler - CC-BY

Sydney is the state capital of New South Wales and the largest city in Australia.

Sydney was founded in January 1788 and was named after the British Home Secretary, Thomas Townshend, Lord Sydney. During July 1842 the municipal council of Sydney was incorporated and the town was declared the first city in Australia.

Sydney is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, reflecting its role as a major destination for immigrants to Australia. It also ranks among the top 10 most liveable cities in the world according to Mercer Human Resource Consulting and The Economist. It has also been voted “world’s best city” by readers of US travel magazines Travel & Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler. In fact, if one word can sum up a city, the word would be ‘diverse.’ Sydney is a city of diverse culture, diverse ethnic blend, diverse shopping and dining. This multicultural city’s restaurant scene is enhanced by outstanding local fresh produce and world-class wines and you can sample menus from every part of the globe. Food, fashion, fads, whatever takes your fancy you’ll find in Sydney. From elegant boutiques to enormous department stores, galleries to bustling markets, Sydney is a shopper’s paradise.

There are so many things to do and see. Tour the Sydney Opera House or climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge, then take a relaxing walk through the Royal Botanic Gardens and head to the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Sydney Harbor is beautiful to look at but is even more fun to ride on. No visit to Sydney is complete without a harbor cruise of some kind. One question visitors face is how to pass the day in a city with so many great attractions. Combined with golden beaches, timeless history, South Pacific climate, beautiful national parks and Sydney Harbor, Sydney welcomes over 3 million international visitors every year.

Sydney, like any other major city, is not crime free, but it is relatively safe, particularly in the main tourist areas.

The warmest month is January, with an average temperature range of 18.6-25.8 C (65.5-78.4 F) and the coolest month is July, with an average range of 8-16.2 C (46.4-61.2 F).

Sydney is served by Sydney Airport.  Public transportation is light rail, monorail, bus, ferry and taxi.

Sydney population is 4,336,374 (2006).

+61 is the international calling code for Australia
2 is the area code for Sydney

For more information about Sydney