Itinerary: A weekend in Sydney, NSW

After having spent a couple of weeks in Sydney, I practically feel like a local! Here are my top recommendations on what to do for a week in Sydney.

Note that this itinerary is pretty action-packed, so you may want to make some modifications according to your preferences. If you’ve got some additional time in the Down Under, I’d recommend splitting some of the days into two so that you’re not walking too much/tiring yourself out, or even adding some days to chill out.

Day 1: Visit the City Center

I feel like I had to see the Sydney Opera House as soon as we landed! After picking up our rental, we set the navigation towards the Museum of Sydney (since it's easier to park around this area). We decided to do a long walk around downtown, since that is one of the best ways of sightseeing and taking it all in.

Tip: If you have a motorcycle license, get a motorcycle at Scootering Rentals. It’s incredibly more affordable than car rentals (about $250 for a week, compared to $700 for a car). You also won’t spend anything on parking and close to nothing on gas!

As you stroll the streets, you’ll start feeling what the core of Sydney is like. Make sure to watch out for trains when crossing the street, as they are around.

Our first stop is the Circular Quay. From here, you can choose to go either, or both:

• Towards the Opera House: Walk up to the Sydney Opera House to see it up close. It feels pretty incredible! They also offer tours, which costs about $43 per person. We opted to just take pictures outside and kept walking over to the Royal Botanic Garden, a beautiful garden just beside the city and the sea. You’ll catch some nice views of the Opera House from there, so be ready for some great photo opportunities!
• Towards the The Rocks: Head to The Rocks and enjoy one of the best views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, as well as many bars and restaurants. To finish off the day, grab a beer in one of the many outdoor patios and soak in the sun!

Plus: If you’ve still got some energy left, another cute place to check out is the Queen Victoria building. It’s definitely quite a walk over there, but again, walking around is a great way of sightseeing! You can grab a cup of coffee, do some shopping, or just take some photos of the building.

Day 2: Experience local beaches & ocean pools

Let’s start off at Bronte Beach. Even though the sea is gorgeous, I noticed there were a lot of bluebottles by the beach, so I didn’t dare to swim in the sea directly. Thankfully, the pool was just beside!

Once you exit the parking lot, keep walking towards the right side of the beach and you’ll find an ocean pool: Bronte Baths. With free entrance, the pool offers an edge outflowing to the sea, with some pretty amazing views. You’ll also find the basic facilities here, including bathrooms, showers, and a fair number of restaurants nearby.

If you’re up for some more walking, take the Bronte to Coogee walk for breathtaking views. It will take you about 40-60 minutes to get to Coogee, but it's worth it!

You will pass through Clovelly beach, which also offers another incredible free-admission ocean pool (the Geoff James Pool). Make sure to stop by for a dip in there!

This was honestly my favourite swimming spot, since it feels like you’re out in the ocean but you’re still quite sheltered from the openness. At Clovelly, you can also count on facilities like showers, washrooms, and lifeguards. There are also a couple of cafes and food trucks around.

Once you’re done swimming, keep heading towards Coogee beach. You'll continue to get beautiful views on the way there. Grab a beer at one of the bars to reward yourself!

If you're feeling tired from all the walking, you can opt to take an Uber back to Bronte to get back to your vehicle. From there, if you are feeling hungry, finish off the day by heading over to Chargrill Charlie’s, which is about a 5 minute drive from any of those beaches. I’d highly recommend their chicken schnitzel + 3 sides, which is enough for 2 people and only costs $20.

Day 3: Wattamola Falls

This hidden gem is just about an hour drive away, making it a perfect option for a day trip from Sydney. The entry fee is only $12 per vehicle.

Tip: If you are going during the weekend or holidays, make sure to arrive early. The parking lot isn’t very big and the staff close it at some point.If you can, opt for visiting on a weekday.

Wattamola was one of my favourite spot of the whole trip. You get the best of both worlds: a waterfall with a lagoon AND a beach right beside each other!

Optional: You can cliff jump in the waterfall (you do need to jump over the fence, and please obviously be careful/consult with other locals before jumping as the water levels can vary; but overall, I felt this was one of the safest jump spots). The water is quite warm and delicious to swim in!

Don’t forget to pack some snacks so you can enjoy spending the day alternating between the waterfall and the beach.

Day 4: Surf at Manly Beach

Optional: If you’re up for some cliff jumping before the surf: Let’s head over to Manly Jump Rock. Again, please consult with locals before jumping off, but it’s a pretty deep spot and easy to get back from. We had a lot of fun here and it also gets pretty busy during the weekends.

Then, drive over to Manly Beach and grab yourself a delicious açaí at Oakberry Acai Manly. As a Brazilian, I can confirm the quality is very good! The unlimited toppings also don’t hurt :)

Once you’re ready for more action, head over to Manly Beach and look for surfboard rentals.There should be some tents right in the sand with rentals. They will point you to which spot is the best for beginners (over to the far right side) and work on getting those waves in!

Bonus tip: If you still have some energy left, finish the day off with some snorkelling at Shelly Beach. You might get to see some stingrays and even sharks if you’re lucky!

Day 5: The Gap & Bondi beach

Start off the day with one of the most unbelievable cliffs you’ve seen: The Gap. With free entrance, you can walk around the area and feel really tiny in the midst of those huge cliffs.

Our itinerary wouldn’t be complete without one of the most known beaches in Sydney: Let’s head over to Bondi Beach next. You’ll find a great beach with all the facilities you need here, as well as one of the most iconic ocean pools of the city (this one does have an entrance fee, but it’s only $7). It is a popular spot for good reason.

Tip: Head over to Sushi Train for a fun sushi experience.

I hope you enjoyed my itinerary suggestions for a week in Sydney, NSW! I absolutely loved visiting Australia for the first time and I’ll sure be coming back someday.

If you want to check out where I’m headed to next, keep up with my adventures on Tiktok and YouTube.