Experiencing New Year’s Eve in Sydney, Australia sounds amazing, right? Well, it’s definitely one of my most memorable New Years of all time. We can all agree on one thing, and that is that Australia is located at the end of the world, so to speak.
But travelling for almost 18 hours is a small price to pay just to experience the hot weather in winter and to see the most wonderful fireworks on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Visiting Sydney on Christmas and New Year’s Eve has its own perks. For example, did you know that Australia is one of the first countries to go into the New Year? This means that if you are there around this time of the year, you’ll get the chance to experience the celebration before any other country the world.
Christmas, the most beautiful time of the year
Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. It is really special if you celebrate it in Australia. It is that time of the year when people gather around and get creative with decorations and food. But Christmas is nothing without a turkey dish with cranberry sauce, followed by a traditional dessert which is Christmas pudding with ice cream.
Every year, the day after Christmas, Australians celebrate their popular holiday called Boxing Day. Different annual events are hosted on this particular day, but the most recognizable one is the Sydney to Hobart Yacht race. The racing starts in Sydney, New South Wales, and finishing in Hobart, Tasmania. The beauty of this race is that anyone can be a participant. For me as a tourist it is a very unusual experience, yet beautiful.
My memorable New Year’s Eve story
Celebrating New Year in Sydney is a pretty big deal. Their spectacle with fireworks on the Harbour Bridge is well known around the world. Knowing you are a part of their tradition gets you excited alongside the citizens of Sydney. That’s why the preparations for the big night, started in the early morning. So basically, we met at the Harbour, and all of our friends brought something from home, either that was dinner, or dessert, or wine. Everyone had to bring something homemade.
Then we took our friend’s boat and parked in front of the Harbor Bridge. I think that the whole city was there, parked on their boats waiting for the big finale. So as we ate and drink, we were waiting to get dark, so the show on the bridge can finally start. Somewhere before midnight, all the lights went off and the fireworks started.
First, they started small, so we weren’t that impressed, but after that it was magical, I haven’t seen anything like that in my life before. It was mesmerizing.
In the end, after the show had been over, we all went home to get rest, but even the next day I still had the chills from the fireworks. As far as I’m concerned, this was one of my best New Year Eve’s, if not my best.
The sightseeing:
When you’re visiting a new place for the first time you’re always wondering, where is the best view in the city? The Sydney Harbour Bridge has exactly what you’re looking for. Not only you’ll get to see the most incredible view of the Sydney Opera House, but also you will be able to see the whole Harbor. The only right way to experience this is by walking across the bridge.
Since you’ll be in the area, after the long walk on the bridge, definitely make a stop to admire the Sydney Opera House. It is one of the most fascinating architectural designs of all time. Also, make sure you buy tickets for the Opera tour, or just go and see a show.
When you are a tourist in a new city, you have to visit the zoo. In that way, you can make a comparison to other Zoo-s. There is no doubt that Taronga Zoo will make it to the top of your list. Not only because it’s an enormous zoo, but also because it has a great variety of unique animals, such as Goodfellow’s tree-kangaroo, Asian elephant, Tasmanian devil, Koala, Australian sea lion, Greater Bilby, Meerkat and etc.
Since you are in a city like Sydney, you have to take one day off and visit the beach. There are probably many beautiful beaches on the coast, but the most famous one is the Bondi beach. It is the most visited beach by tourists. Nearby, there are several shops, restaurants & skate parks. After the long sunny day, at the end of the beach, you can have a meal in the most famous restaurant called the Icebergs. The restaurant is so popular that even Paris Hilton has visited it, one day before me. The Icebergs restaurant offers Italian cuisine, sustainable seafood, native Australian food, etc.
If you want a nice and peaceful place, spend one day in the Royal Botanical Garden. The garden is located in the core of Sydney. It is one of the oldest scientific institutions in Australia and also one of the most important historic botanical institutions in the world.
If you don’t know anyone in the city, take a rental car and drive through the Anzac Bridge (Madonna’s Bra) just to see it. It is one of the longest bridges in Australia.
Fun fact: Off the record, it’s called the Madonna’s Bra Bridge by the citizens of Sydney. Generally, because of the design of Madonna’s bras that she wore back in the days. Also, with a rental car you can explore more parts of the city. Besides, if you get a rental you can go and visit those parks where you can pet the kangaroos and koalas and see them up close.
It is nice to see the Sydney Sea Life Aquarium, which contains a large variety of Australian aquatic life. Also, the aquarium had different themed zones. The one that made a big impact on me was the Shark walk. It was frightening, but exciting at the same time to see the sharks swimming on top of your head.
And last but not least…
For a perfect ending to your travel experience visit the Queen Victoria Building. It is one of those old architectures build in the nineteenth century. It is by far the most outstanding building in Sydney, according to me. Also, the building consists of four main shopping floors, so it is perfect for us shopaholics.
A fun fact: Aboriginal people were the first people who arrived in Australia. So, ask some of the locals to tell you about their culture and their music. As well as, how they arrived here in Australia, and other fun historical facts.