Coastal walks

I also enjoyed going on coastal walks with friends, and in Sydney, there are plenty of good ones to choose from. There are three that I can really recommend doing: 

1. Spit to Manly: This is a stunning 10km trail, so you should definitely take enough water with you. The small beaches you get to see during the walk and the views are just amazing.
2. Bondi to Coogee: Also a longer walk, 6km, but really nice, especially if the weather is good. When I did the walk, it was raining most of the time, which wasn’t too nice, as then the beaches don’t look as good and stunning as when it’s sunny. Every October and November, there is an annual free international art exhibition - Sculpture by the Sea - along the walk, which is pretty cool.
3. Dee Why to Curl Curl: This one is the shortest walk out of the three, at almost 2km. This walk offers spectacular ocean views.

 
Oh, and there is also the Wormhole in Manly, which is super cool, but I wouldn’t really count it as a coastal walk. Still worth mentioning! It is a secret tunnel at Queenscliff, and the way to the wormhole is a bit more adventurous, so be prepared.

Manly

Manly really deserves its own section in this post. Manly Beach is one of Australia's most famous beaches because it is the beach where the world's first surfing contest was held back in the 1960s. It is a super cute and chill town with lots of cute stores to shop and delicious food options. Every Saturday and Sunday, there is also a really nice market with lots of handmade items, jewelry, etc. From Manly, it is only a short walk to Shelly Beach, which is a popular spot to snorkel.

The cool thing about Manly is that there is a ferry that brings you from Manly to Circular Quay across Sydney Harbour within 20-30 minutes. From the ferry, you can enjoy the amazing view over the famous Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. Especially in the evening at sunset, this is great to look at.

Sydney CBD

Once you arrive at Circular Quay, you can take a stroll to the Opera House. At the Opera Bar, you can get something to drink and eat while enjoying the view of the Opera House and, of course, the Harbour Bridge. Especially in the evening, when everything is nicely lit, this is a great thing to do. Sometimes, there is even a live band or a DJ at the bar, which makes the whole atmosphere even more special. Other great sunset spots are Mrs Macquarie's Chair (on the edge of the Royal Botanic Gardens) and the Observatory Hill Park behind the Harbour Bridge. From Observatory Hill Park, it is not far to The Rocks, the oldest neighborhood in the city - a really nice and vibrant part of Sydney with lots of pubs and restaurants.

When you are in Sydney for the first time, I definitely recommend going on a free walking tour. They are offered on a daily basis and are really great to get to know the city! I definitely knew my way around a bit better after that, and I got a few good tips as well. They also tell you more about the hidden bar culture in Sydney, for example.

A really good spot to buy some souvenirs is Paddy’s Market, Sydney's biggest indoor market, located near Chinatown. Not far from there, you can find the Chinese Garden of Friendship, a Chinese garden with pavilions, exotic plants, ponds, waterfalls, and a teahouse. What I really liked about that neighborhood is the good food, and there are lots of karaoke bars around Chinatown.

I haven’t been to Sydney CBD too often, as it always took me around an hour to get there, but I recommend just going through the city and exploring. You can also go on lots of day trips from Sydney, but you can read more about that here.

Bondi Beach

This spot should of course not be forgotten when talking about Sydney. Bondi is one of Sydney’s most iconic beach suburbs and one of the most famous surf spots in the world. Not forgetting the famous Bondi Icebergs, which are a popular photo spot. You can actually go swimming there, you just have to pay the entrance fee.

There are various options for getting to Bondi. The one I liked best was to take the ferry from Circular Quay to Watsons Bay and then take the bus from there. Bondi is a very lively neighborhood and has lots of activities, and food options to offer, so it is definitely worth a visit!

Interested in how it is to be Au Pair in Sydney? You can read all about my Au Pair experience in Australia here. And if you're interested in what it's like to live in one of the other big cities in Australia as an Au Pair, check out this article here.