The Best Free Sydney Attractions

Traveling to Australia will carry a price tag with it, but once you are in Sydney, there are a great many things to do that won’t cost you a thing.  A metropolitan center like Sydney is constantly offering tourists the opportunity to see into the past and the present of the city.  All the traveler has to do is be in the know.  With that in mind, here are seven stops to make in Sydney, all of them totally free.

Stepping into the Sydney neighborhood known as the Rocks is taking a step back into the Colonial period and beyond. The cobblestones under the feet of pedestrians were laid by the original convicts sentenced to hard labor in Australia. Follow the winding streets to the Rocks Discovery Museum (free admission), where you will learn even more about the history of this vibrant part of the city. On weekends, watch the streets become packed with vendors and all kind of performers. The Rocks is a must on any tour of Sydney.

The Royal Botanic Gardens were plotted and opened in the early 19^th century, but they remain one of Sydney’s finest public oases to this day. More than thirty hectares of trees, flowers and winding paths await visitors, who can take along a picnic basket or just sit and enjoy the sights. Springtime may be the peak of the gardens’ annual progression, but tourists visiting at any time of the year should take advantage of this beautiful public space. Entrance is always free.

Any tour of the Royal Botanic Gardens will bring visitors to another great free destination, Sydney Government House.  The Governors of New South Wales ruled here in the colonial era, and their spectacular premises have been preserved for today’s generations.  Free tours are offered to the public on weekends, with guides offering stories on the history of the artwork and building itself.  The expansive gardens outside are also open to the public for free.

No trip to Australia is complete without a visit to the many exquisite beaches.  Bondi Beach is unique in that it is the beach closest to Sydney and has a history of being one of the area’s most popular (and free) tourist destinations.  It’s a surfing spot for anyone who has brought along a board, but it’s also just a fun beach for taking in the atmosphere and relaxing on the soft, white sand.  Visitors can walk down Bondi Beach and follow the cliffs too Coogee, one of the best ways to spend an afternoon.

Sydney Opera House is the one destination that tourists never miss – and it should be that way.  Getting inside to see a world-class performance will cost a pretty penny, but the Opera House’s galleries and bustling surroundings are all free to tourists.  Bring along a camera to take photos of the country’s most exquisite architecture, or a picnic basket to relax on the grounds of the Opera House.  As the night comes along, the entire area takes on the feeling of a night at the theater, with locals and tourists enjoying the excellent atmosphere.

Hyde Park is another spectacular green space right in the heart of downtown Sydney which is free to the public.  The lawns are the perfect place to take a break from a day of sightseeing and the park offers a number of its own sights as well.  Besides the elegant design of the walkways and the well-manicured lawns, several structures built by Francis Greenway are located inside the park.  Greenway, a convict sentenced to a labor camp in Sydney, was responsible for these exceptional structures which stand to this day.

Visitors hoping to take in the terrific views from Sydney Harbour Bridge will find a number of different options.  To the west, the paths are reserved for bikers; above, there is a fee for the bridge climb; on the lower eastern side, the walk is free to pedestrians and offers views of the city with few equals.  Check out Circular Quay and all the other sights below.  The Sydney Harbor Bridge can be accessed easily from the Rocks, so ask someone in the neighborhood to point you in the right direction.