Things to do in Sydney

Sydney Opera House

Although it has become something of a cliche, the opera house is a magnificant Australian icon. It is a must-see for any first-time visitor to Sydney. In fact, it should be seen from all directions - from the Botantic gardens, up-close, and from a slow ferry to Manly to appreciate its beauty.

Weekend Markets
If you are tired of seeing the same overpriced, overhyped commercial goods in the shops, weekend shopping in the markets will be enjoyable. Even if you don't buy anything, it is fun watching the craftperson at work, chatting with them, or rummaging through trunks of vintage treasures.

Ferry ride
Ferry rides are fun and offer some of the best sights in Sydney. Take a ferry ride to Manly or any coastal area and sit on deck with a camera and just snap away at the beautiful sights (especially in the evenings).

Coastal walks (Bondi to Bronte)
Get out of urban Sydney and to the beaches. Even if you don't swim or sunbathe, a walk along the rugged coast will offer you breathtaking sights and good exercise.

Quick Tips:

- Get the tourist guide at the visitors centre when you come as it has discount coupons and useful information.

- Live near town to see the sights and save transport costs.

Best Way To Get Around:

Taxis are not cheap, so use public transport or walk [especially when the weather is good]. If you are here for a few days, it makes economic sense to get a bus, ferry, and weekly train pass rather than pay individually for trips. You can check bus schedules online to avoid long waits or waits for a bus that may never come.

Glebe Point Road is an artery of good food. There is a great variety, from fine dining to fish-and-chip shops, and it boasts of at least three Thai takeaways.

The best value for money Thai food is at Thai On Wok at Glebe Point Road near the junction of Bridge Road. Lunchtime specials are $6.50 for a standard stir-fry and rice or a noodle dish. The food is fresh and generous, and prepared only after you order. The downside is that the wait during peak hours is at least 20 minutes, and it's tough finding a a seat then.

The staff are polite and helpful and totally efficient. The sight of them frying the food in the open-concept kitchen is totally mesmerizing.

Marigold is a Yum Cha institution in Sydney's Chinatown. Consistently placed in Sydney's Good eating guides, Marigold offers a wide range of dim sum at reasonable prices.

Beyond the dim sum favourites, like steamed pork buns and siew mai, there is a wide range of cooked food to satisfy every taste bud. The century egg porridge is good and flavourful, the doufa (steamed bean curd) with a tinge of ginger is lovely (although a little too sweet), and the cheong fun with sugar peas is also very nice. The seafood also features with steamed chillie pippies and very nice salt-and-pepper calamari.

The restaurant is like a traditional dim sum restaurant, where the food comes to you in pushcarts. In some instances, the food is even cooked (like the boiled vegs or fried rice rolls) right in front of your eyes, so the food is all fresh and hot.

The only drawback of the place is that it is very crowded on weekend with many families, making yum cha a regular fixture on their schedule. It is best to arrive at the restaurant before 12:30pm, or else you may have to wait in queue while you watch the delicious food whizz past you. Because of the crowds, the service also sometimes suffers, but for me, the food is worth it.

The weekend markets offer some of the best shopping in Sydney. Here, I review five markets for you to check out.

New Stuff
The Rocks (Saturday and Sunday)
Open 10am to 5pm
The Rocks, just round from Circular Quay
http://www.rocksmarket.com.au/

This is the best-known market, close to the main tourist belt. It is near the Opera House, Circular Quay, and the Museum of Contemporary Art and is a good place to visit if you are in the vicinity. It offers a wide range of high-quality Australian arts and crafts, ranging from limited-edition photo prints, handmade jewellery, lip gloss in a shell, and modernist plastic lampshades. You can expect quality goods here with prices reflective of them.

Paddington Market (Sat)
Open 10am to 4pm
Oxford St, Paddington

This market along Oxford Street showcases some of the most innovative and beautiful handmade arts and crafts. Expect one-of-a-kind handbags, jewellery, picture frames, cosmetics, toothbrush holders, and more. The things here are less commercialised that those at the Rocks and many would make great gifts. Handmade things however do come at a price and you will be hard-pressed to find a bag for anything less than $30.

Paddy’s Market (Thur – Sun)
Thursday and Friday Open 9am to 4:30pm
Cnr Hay & Thomas Streets, Sydney
http://www.paddysmarkets.com.au/

Like a traditional Asian market, this market is divided into two sections. One is the food section, which sells some of the freshest, as well as cheapest fruit, vegetables, fish, and meat. The quality of the produce here makes the pushing and shoving in this noisy and crowded section worth it. The other section is where to go for bargains on mass-produced, made-in-China-type goods. Here you can probably get 20 koala bear key chains for $2 and a T-shirt with a huge kangaroo for about $5.

New and 2nd-hand Stuff
Rozelle Market (Sat-Sun)
Open 9am to 4pm
Rozelle School
Darling St, Rozelle (near Victoria Rd.)

This is a good second-hand market which would please shoppers interested in vintage. There are old clothes, books, bags, china, mirrors, and radios from all eras. The prices are reasonable (you can sometimes bargain with the seller), and you can find really cheap stuff if you are not picky (eg, T-shirt for $2) or very nice vintage lace or dresses. Being in a suburb, there are fewer tourists and people, so browsing is very pleasant.

Glebe Market (Sat)
Open 10am to 4pm
School Grounds
Glebe Point Rd, Glebe

This is a popular market selling both old and new stuff. There are handmade books and cards, as well as secondhand books and clothes, so this is a good market to visit if you want to see an eclectic mix of goods. There are many stalls cramped in a small area, so there is not a lot of space to manoeuvre in this market.

This art gallery has possibly the largest art collection in Sydney and usually hosts the biggest blockbuster art shows in town. The art gallery has an extensive range of European and Australian art, which includes some contemporary art and aboriginal art. These pieces will appeal more to traditionalists and those who like to see a wide range of styles and art pieces. Those who are really interested in more cutting-edge contemporary art should head for the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), about a 15-minute walk at Circular Quay.

Admission to the museum is free, but there are usually separate charges for blockbuster exhibitions. If you are in Sydney from late March to May, you can catch the exhibition of entries to the Annual Archibald Prize for the best portrait. Usually the decisions are controversial, and it is fun to have a look and see how you compare with the critics. There is a nice but busy cafe, and if you take a outdoor table, you can see some views (not fantastic, though). There are usually activities for families on the weekends or during school holidays, and free Wednesday evening talks for art buffs.

Visit their website at http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/ for more information.