When I first told my friends that I would be escaping frenzied last minute Christmas shopping and the grey skies of England to spend the festive period in sunny Sydney, their reactions were mixed. There was a small but hardcore group of “friends” whose comments are not fit to be published. However, the majority wished me well, a few who know of my love of Sydney said “I bet you can’t wait to see the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge again”. Having lived in Sydney for six months whilst I was on my Antipodean Odyssey many moons ago, (working just a stones throw away from these two landmarks) I agreed with them. This “Iconic Sydney” as I like to call it, is truly spectacular and is what springs to mind to the majority when Australia’s principle city is mentioned. However, although they are a natural place to start your exploration, there is considerably more to this amazing city than these two instantly recognizable landmarks.

Sydney’s CBD (Central Business District) has a wide range of opportunities for shopping and sightseeing. The Rocks is the oldest preserved colonial district in Sydney and the area of the first European settlement in 1788. It has some of the oldest buildings you will find in Australia, lovely boutiques, good quality souvenir shops and art galleries. Original Aboriginal artwork is a good buy as are the quirky antiquities which are in abundance at the excellent weekend market. A good alternative to Circular Quay, the location of the International Cruise Terminal and an area with a wealth of waterside bars, restaurants and cafés, is Darling Harbour. It accommodates the superb Aquarium, Maritime Museum and International Conference Centre. It too has many bars, restaurants and cafés and is less crowded than Circular Quay. The Botanical Gardens should be on any sightseers’ hit-list. A leisurely walk around its edge to Mrs Macquarie’s Chair allows for some of the best views of the cityscape from sea level. If you want to see a panoramic view of the city and surrounding areas from the sky, and you have a head for heights, the Sydney Tower is for you. At 250 metres in height it is an amazing 360 degree vantage point for Sydney, its parkland and its beaches. I recommend a trip early in your stay as it really helps you to get your bearings!

Having been immersed in the world of travel for several years and being a fully paid up member of the cruising community, fine cuisine and even finer wine are very close to my heart, and the culinary delights which await any visit to Sydney can only be described as divine. If you thought a visit to Australia would mean steak, fish and little else then you’re in for a huge and very pleasant surprise. Yes, the seafood is excellent and yes, there is a wealth of fine carvaries but there is also much, much more. Due to Australia’s proximity (in the grand scheme of things!) to the Far East, it is so called ‘fusion cooking’ that is fast becoming a highlight of any trip to this cosmopolitan city. The combination of the freshest local ingredients and the finest Eastern cuisine styles has created menus which are as original as they delightful. Dishes such as; spicy duck ravioli; plump Coffin Bay scallops with ginger and shallots; and steamed baby snapper with coriander and chilli, will delight your sense of sight, smell and of course taste. All of which can be washed down by exquisite wine, lovingly produced in local vineyards. Who said tucker down under had to be “surf and turf” and cold cans of Fosters!

Just a short journey from Sydney is the Hunter Valley, where many of the wines you can enjoy in the city’s superb restaurants are produced. This region, blessed with picturesque views, rolling hills and hugely varied flora and fauna, is well worth visiting for a few days to unwind from the “big city” in one of its many guest houses, rustic cottages or luxury 5 star hotels. Since the mid 1800s, the Hunter Valley, which now has over eighty Wineries and Cellar Doors dotted around acres of lush vineyard, has been a centre of viticulture and produces the “New World” wines for which Australia is now renowned. A visit here is a great opportunity to taste the new generation wines of the likes of Chambourcin, Verdelho or savour the latest vintage of classic Hunter Valley varieties such as Chardonnay, Semillon and Shiraz, in the heart of where they have been produced. A large number of Wineries offer tours and tastings. There is the added bonus of being able to pick up a bargain or twelve – many of the estates will arrange the shipment of cases of your selected wines to your door for you. There is the opportunity to make a real killing if you fancy yourself as an armchair expert. Prices here are significantly cheaper than they are in good old Blighty due to the strength of the pound against the Ozzy Dollar and if you pick up the local produce in a good year you could have the start of a very valuable collection.

For those wishing to venture out of the city limits of Sydney, the World Heritage listed Blue Mountains, known as the “Grand Canyon” of Australia, are a perfect option as a relaxing retreat for those who desire serene backdrops in rural green Australia. A huge array of bushwalks, waterfalls, a scenic railway and wild kangaroos await anyone blessed enough to visit. The highlight of any visit to the Blue Mountains has to be the Three Sisters rock formation at Echo Point. This combines stunning natural beauty with the rich Aboriginal heritage of Australia.

The Aboriginal dream-time legend says that this magnificent rock formation was created when a tribal witchdoctor turned three beautiful sisters ‘Meehni’, ‘Wimlah’ and ‘Gunnedoo’ into Stone to prevent them from marrying three brothers from a rival tribe. When the witchdoctor was killed in battle with this rival tribe, the spell which he meant to reverse remained – the sisters irreversibly locked in this state. This romanticism simply adds to the appeal of the area. The countryside which surrounds this area is truly breath-taking and very accessible from the state capital, either by car or train.

If the lush Ozzy outback doesn’t appeal, then a visit to one of Sydney’s world renowned beaches is most definitely for you. Bondi Beach is Sydney’s and Australia’s most famous, however, it is very commercialised with fast food restaurants and many British and Irish Backpackers – in fact it is known as “County Bondi” in some circles due to the large number of Irish travellers who live in the area. In my humble opinion the only reason to go to Bondi is because it is the starting point of the Bondi to Coogee walk. This relatively strenuous two hour walk around the headlands boasts magnificent views of the Sydney coastline. Your rewards along the way are some exquisite bays and coves, spectacular crashing waves, finishing with Coogee beach, Bondi’s smaller and gentler neighbour. However, the highlight for me is without doubt catching the ferry to Manly Beach, the first of Sydney’s Northern beaches. Ferries leave regularly from Circular Quay. The beach is beautiful and clean, there is a promenade which stretches its entire length and there is an excellent range of intimate cafés and bars to shelter you from the midday sun. Your return journey takes you back to the heart of Sydney, sailing past the Opera house and the Harbour Bridge.

So there we are… back to the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge! They are difficult to avoid mentioning, but I’m sure you’ll agree there is infinitely more to Sydney than it simply being the home of two of the world’s most famous landmarks.