Oceania
Beaches, harbour-city glamour, and the world's oldest cultures.
Australia is a continent-sized country of dazzling beaches, red-dust outback, ancient rainforest and easy-going, outdoors-loving cities, home to the world's oldest continuous cultures. Sydney is the glittering front door: a harbour city built around one of the most beautiful waterways on earth, with the iconic Opera House and Bridge, golden surf beaches like Bondi a short ride from downtown, and a sunny, laid-back café-and-brunch lifestyle. Expensive, far away, and worth every hour of the flight.
What things cost: Australia is expensive — food, drink and accommodation all run high, though there's no tipping culture to add on top. Public beaches, coastal walks and many museums are free, and a café brunch or a barbecue is the affordable heart of the lifestyle. When a zone below says 'low', that means low for Sydney, which is dear.
Sometimes the event picks the city for you.
The world's most famous New Year's Eve — a jaw-dropping fireworks display launched from the Harbour Bridge and barges across the water, watched by over a million people around the foreshore in warm summer air. Stake out a harbour vantage point early in the day, or book a vantage with a view.
Sydney · Sydney Harbour
One of the world's biggest LGBTQ+ celebrations — a two-week festival crowned by a spectacular, glittering night parade of floats and dancers down Oxford Street, watched by hundreds of thousands. Joyous, flamboyant and a huge party for the whole city; book beds well ahead.
Sydney · Oxford Street & citywide
A dazzling festival of light, music and ideas that lights up the winter nights — the Opera House sails and the harbour buildings become giant canvases for projections, with light installations, concerts and talks across the city. Magical after dark; the light walks are free and spectacular.
Sydney · Circular Quay & citywide
The world's biggest fun run — some 80,000 people, many in costume, run (or walk) the iconic 14 km from the city centre over 'Heartbreak Hill' to finish at Bondi Beach. A joyful, only-in-Sydney spectacle and a great excuse for a beach celebration at the end; enter, or just cheer it on.
Sydney · City centre to Bondi Beach
