11 Free things to do in Sydney, Australia

Sydney has stolen my heart but it is so expensive! Because I was backpacking I was a bit scared to be broke after a couple of days. After doing some research I found out there are enough free things to do in and around Sydney. free things to do in Sydney
To make it a bit easier for you guys I made a list of 11 free things to do in Sydney that I really enjoyed doing. I hope you will too!

1. Free walking tour

When I go to a new city and I don’t have much time I like doing a free walking tour. It is the easiest and fasted way to see and know more of Sydney. free things to do in Sydney
They will talk about the history of Sydney and will tell you stories and secrets.

You can join the group at 10.30am or 2.30pm. It takes around 2,5-3 hours.

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2. Harbour Bridge

Besides the Harbour Bridge climb, which I did, you can also just walk across the bridge. In the mean time you can enjoy the beautiful view of the Opera house and its surroundings.

free things to do in Sydney

3. Go to the beach

When you think about the beaches of Sydney you probably think about Bondi and people think Bondi is the only beach out there but there are so much more beaches.

If you want to go somewhere quieter, and not to far from the city, then you should check out Palm Beach (here they film the famous soap: Home and Away), Coogee and Bronte.

Manly is also a nice beach with lots of activities but it can be very busy in the weekends but definitely worth going to.

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Manly

4. Bondi to Coogee coastal walk

When you are at Bondi you can do the coastal walk to Coogee. You will walk along other beaches, cliffs, bays and rock pools. So make sure you bring your swimmers, sunscreen and lots of water.

How to get there: take the train from Central station to Bondi Junction (T3 or T4). Here there are many busses to Bondi Beach.

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5. North Head sanctuary walk

When you are at Manly you can also walk to North Head. It is breathtaking but keep in mind it is a long walk. You will walk along cliffs, through bushes, see the Sydney skyline, see an old cemetery, ect.

I did this walk without really knowing where I was going and it definitely took me a couple of hours but it was worth it! Make sure you go to the cemetery. Here you have a beautiful view of the city and it is just so peaceful here.

Don’t forget sunscreen, water, walking shoes and your camera!

How to get there: take the ferry at Circular Quay, No. 3 Wharf (F1 Manly) to Manly Wharf. Then walk 15 minutes to Manly Beach. Or take the Manly Fast Ferry, but this is more expensive.

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6. The Royal Botanical gardens 

Another must visit is The Royal Botanical garden. This garden is located in the heart of Sydney. From here you can also walk to the Sydney Opera House.
You can enjoy the beautiful garden with a picnic or take a self-guided walk.

Make sure you go to Mrs Macquarie’s Point where you have an amazing view of the Opera house and the Harbour bridge. At Mrs Macquarie’s Point is where I spend New Years Eve and saw the fireworks.

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7. Darling Harbour

Darling Harbour is a nice place to wander around and it’s only a 10-minute walk from the CBD. It has cafe’s, restaurants, a large kids playground and there is free entertainment every week!

8. The Rocks district

If you like markets then you can’t miss the one at the rocks. I loved going here and wander through the market. Here you can find handmade products, food and live music. It is open every Saturday and Sunday.

If you want to learn more about the district of the rocks then you should check out the Rocks Discovery Museum. It’s free!

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9. Hyde Park

If you like walking then take a walk through Hyde Park. During the summer months there are lots of activities. Did you know this is Australia’s oldest park?!

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10. Street performers

If you like music and entertainment then you will love seeing the street performers everywhere! Most of the time you can find them at Circular Quay or at Pitt Street near Westfield Sydney Central Plaza.

11. Blue mountains

Okay I have to admit that the Blue Mountains isn’t near the city but definitely worth a 2-hour train ride. After that it’s all-free! You can walk to the Three Sisters and then down the giant stairway. At the bottom you can go left or right. Left has the most amazing views but going right will take you to the world steepest railway and then back to the three sisters.

Again, don’t forget to bring water, sunscreen and walking shoes.
Tip: if you take the train on a Sunday it’s only $2,50 with an Opal card.

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How to get there: Take the train from Central station to Katoomba station (Blue Mountains Line). Then it is a 30 minute walk to the Three Sisters.

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Which free activity would you like to do in Sydney? Are there any free things to do in Sydney that I missed? I would love to hear them! free things to do in Sydney

This article was originally published in July 2015 and updated in January 2017. free things to do in Sydney
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17 Comments

    • Marlies
      Author
      July 20, 2015 / 9:18 am

      Thank you. If you ever get the chance you could definitely go!

  1. July 30, 2015 / 9:39 pm

    Free is for me! (Graduate student=budget traveler!) I will remember this when I get over to this beautiful area. Thanks for sharing!

    Katie @ Katie Wanders

    • Marlies
      Author
      July 30, 2015 / 10:21 pm

      Happy you liked it! 🙂

  2. January 12, 2017 / 2:17 pm

    Oh gaaf!! Ga ik onthouden voor als ik er eens naartoe ga 🙂

    • Marlies
      Author
      January 12, 2017 / 4:05 pm

      Leuk om te horen! Laat me weten als je ze hebt uitgeprobeerd en wat je ervan vind 🙂

  3. January 13, 2017 / 1:09 pm

    Ahhh, Sydney looks so amazing! I would love to visit it one day. Free walking tours are amazing for any city, you get to know so much about the place! x

    -Leta | The Nerdy Me

    • Marlies
      Author
      January 16, 2017 / 2:52 pm

      I fell in love with Sydney. There is always something to do. I hope you get to go there one day. Thats what I like about free walking tours as well and then you know where to go afterwards.

  4. January 15, 2017 / 3:13 pm

    Wat een leuke gratis tips! Sommige heb ik gedaan, maar bv de Blue Mountains heb ik de vorige keer overgeslagen, die staat wel op mijn lijstje voor de volgende keer (en hopelijk komt die volgende keer snel, ik ben verliefd geworden op het land en deze stad). Liefs.x

    • Marlies
      Author
      January 16, 2017 / 2:55 pm

      Dank je! Volgende keer moet je echt de Blue Mountains doen. Het is daar zo mooi!! Ik snap je liefde voor de stad 🙂

  5. January 15, 2017 / 7:31 pm

    Ik zou de free walking tour doen omdat je zo toch al veel ziet van de stad en informatie meekrijgt. Verder zou ik vooral veel gaan wandelen buiten de stad, en de Blue Mountains willen verkennen. Veel wandelen dus 🙂 Australië lijkt mij zo’n gaaf land om te bezoeken. Zo veelzijdig ook. En Sydney, daar moet je gewoon zijn geweest!

    • Marlies
      Author
      January 16, 2017 / 2:57 pm

      Ja dat vind ik dus ook. Blue Mountains is echt de plek voor mooie wandelingen maar je mag de afstand echt niet onderschatten. Heb ik dus zelf meegemaakt, haha. Je kan trouwens overal in Australië hele mooie wandelingen maken. 🙂 Zeker doen en dan ineens Nieuw Zeeland erbij nemen 🙂 😉

  6. Kay
    January 17, 2017 / 11:13 am

    I’ve never been to Australia, or that part of the world in general, but I’d absolutely love to visit it one day! Beautiful sights, and so much to do! 🙂 Thanks for sharing, lovely. <3 xoxo

    Kay
    http://shoesandglitter.com

    • Marlies
      Author
      January 17, 2017 / 2:48 pm

      You are welcome! Australia and Sydney are definitely worth your visit 🙂

  7. February 3, 2017 / 3:09 pm

    Ik ben echt gek op Sydney. Ik vind het heerlijk om ergens een broodje te scoren en dit te eten in de Royal Botanical Gardens. Zo relaxed en je hebt schitterend uitzicht natuurlijk. De Rocks District vind ik ook altijd een fijne plek om rond te hangen. En de Blue Mountains inderdaad. Heerlijk om daar te wandelen. Ik vind überhaupt de hele sfeer prettig in Sydney. Ik ben er 2 keer naar toe gereisd en er komt heus nog wel een 3e keer.

    • Marlies
      Author
      February 6, 2017 / 2:59 pm

      Ik ben helemaal met je eens 🙂 Leuk om te horen dat jij ook zo gek bent van Sydney. Sydney heeft gewoon wat 🙂

  8. February 7, 2017 / 8:53 pm

    Door 10 jaar lang te werken in Australië kreeg ik de kans om dit prachtige land te ontdekken, alsook het mooie Sydney. Wat’n geweldige stad!

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