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10 amazing & free things to do in Sydney

Sydney is one of the world’s most expensive cities, and if you are traveling on a tight budget and still want to experience as much as possible, you can actually do amazing things for free. Below we have listed 10 amazing things you can do in Sydney that are completely free-of-charge!101189-aerial_sydney-large-13700147361-carousel

1. Royal Botanic Gardens
Located in central Sydney, east of the Opera House and Macquarie Street, you find this oasis of beautiful gardening, walking trails and wildlife. If you walk out to the point of “Mrs Macquarie’s Chair”, you have an amazing view of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Just walk around, maybe have a picnic, and spend some time enjoying this beautiful place in Sydney, especially because it’s free!

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2. Walk over Harbour Bridge
If your budget is not big enough to have a go at the Harbour Bridge Climb, you can always walk across it yourself. From the bridge, you have a fantastic view of the Sydney skyline, coastline, and the (always impressive) Opera House. Once across, you will have the chance to explore Sydney’s northern areas like Kirribilli, Lavender Bay and Mahones Point (Hint: there’s good, cheap restaurants on Sydney’s northside).

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3. The Beaches
To visit Sydney’s beaches is simply a must; this city has some of the best beaches in the world. You have several different beaches to choose from within a reasonable distance, the most known ones being Bondi Beach, Bronte Beach and Coogee Beach. Bondi and Coogee are larger beaches where you have the best chance to go surfing, while Bronte is a smaller beach with a stunning saltwater pool perfect for a swim. Another beach to visit is Manly Beach, and make your way up the northern beaches like Shelly Beach (go snorkeling!) and Palm Beach. To get to Manly, the easiest way is to go by the ferry; a good day to do that is on Sundays, when it only costs around $2.50, and the view from the ferry is worth the trip!

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4. Museums

Learn about Australia’s History, Archaeology and Religion by visiting some of Sydney’s free museums. Here are 4 of them:

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5. Walk to Observatory Hill Park
To take a walk up to Observatory Hill Park doesn’t make you disappointed. On the contrary, it might send you into ecstasy! Here you have a stunning view of the Harbour Bridge, with Luna Park, Lavender Bay and Kirribilli in the background. The park is perfect for a picnic and just sit and enjoy the view, you don’t get a view like this everyday!

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6. Walk the Sydney Beach Walks
Sydney has many fantastic walks, one of the best being along the eastern beaches. This most famous promenade is the Bondi to Coogee walk, which takes about 2 hours depending on pace, and during the walk you will pass Tamarama Beach, Clovelly Beach and Bronte Beach. So, for no cost at all, you get an incredible walk by Sydney’s finest beaches with spectacular views, cliffs and pounding waves! (Hint: the Manly to Spit Bridge walk is also a must-do)

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7. The Markets
On the weekends in Sydney there are loads of markets, offering colourful and creative products of various kinds. It is completely free to enter these markets and, even if you do not shop, it is a really fun experience to see all the beautiful things and also to meet some of the coolest locals. You might just make a new friend!

Here are 5 great markets:

  • The Rocks Markets – Open Friday 9am – 3pm (food market) and Sat-Sun 10am – 5pm. To read more about it: www.therocks.com
  • Glebe Market – Open every Sat 10am-4pm. Probably the hippest market in Sydney with around 200 stalls that offers cool vintage clothes, jewelry, books and so much more. Read more here: www.glebemarkets.com.au
  • Paddington Market – Open every Sat 10am -4pm. This is a community based market with a lot of handmade art, jewelry and crafts. Great place to support the local entrepreneurs. Read more here: www.paddingtonmarkets.com.au
  • Bondi Markets – Open Sun 10am – 4pm. A lovely beachfront market with hand made jewellery, designer clothing, arts, crafts, retro furniture, vintage clothes and so much more. Read more about it here: www.bondimarkets.com.au
  • Kirribilli Markets – Open once a month, Sun  8:30am – 3pm. This market has a vibrant atmosphere with good vintage clothes, great live music and international food. Read more here: www.thekirribillicentre.org/market-dates/

 

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 2, 2014; Sydney Opera Hosue illuminated in geometric vibrant colour during Vivid Sydney annual festival of light, music and ideas

8. Festivals and Events
Sydney is a city with some of the best festivals and events in the world, and many of them are totally free! Here are 3 of the coolest events you can go to anywhere, at any price:

  • Vivid Sydney transforms the city into a wonderland of ‘light art’ sculptures, innovative light installations and grand-scale projections for all to enjoy. It’s amazing, and entirely free! Read more here, we promise you don’t want to miss this one: http://www.vividsydney.com/
  • Mardi Gras – The annual gay parade (and party) on Oxford Street, and one of the biggest gay festivals in the world! Read more here: www.mardigras.org.au
  • Outdoor Cinemas – All around Sydney, and especially around summer, there are many great outdoor cinemas to enjoy, and some are free. To read more about them: www.au.timeout.com/sydney/film/features/13918/sydneys-best-outdoor-cinema-seasons

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9. Visit St Mary’s Cathedral
This church is found in the centre of Sydney, perched just east of Hyde Park. It is Sydney’s largest and oldest church by far, and totally worth a visit. You can go to one of the masses, or just go take some pictures of the beautiful building and architecture.

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10. Visit Luna Park

There’s no entry fee to this magical amusement park just across the Harbour Bridge to the north. If you are looking for a fun night with a killer view, you should absolutely visit Luna Park! If you really want to take one of the rides, it only costs $10, so still a totally budget friendly thing to do.

Do you know of other free things to do in Sydney? What’s your favourite one?  Tell us with a comment below 🙂

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