Cameras at the ready!
Charming waterfront quarter The Rocks is one of Sydney’s most historic areas, home to heritage sandstone buildings, atmospheric cobbled lanes, and jaw-dropping views of Sydney Harbour Bridge (plus lots of other Instagrammable spots. Get your Insta filters chosen!
BridgeClimb
Not content with appreciating Sydney Harbour Bridge from afar? BridgeClimb guides guests up this iconic steel structure via various vertiginous routes, with jaw-dropping summit views.
3 Cumberland Street
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia
Your go-to for inspiring Australian art, the MCA displays modern and indigenous works in a striking heritage-modern building, with a free permanent collection and ticketed exhibitions. For local contemporary design and art buys, MCA Store sells cards, books, homewares, toys, jewelry, and fashion accessories.
140 George Street
Sydney Observatory
Get starry-eyed at Sydney Observatory, set in a little park above The Rocks with dramatic views. This historic site includes the city’s first Time Ball, used daily to signal the time to ships.
1003 Upper Fort Street, Millers Point
The Rocks Discovery Museum
Delve into local history at The Rocks Discovery Museum, a free attraction housed in an 1850s sandstone warehouse. Exhibits cover archaeological artifacts, Aboriginal and colonial heritage, and more recent struggles to preserve this fast-gentrifying area.
Kendall Lane
The Rocks Markets
Every weekend, The Rocks Markets brings this historic quarter alive (Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.). Stalls tout fab food, fashion, jewelry, beauty booty, and art and craft pieces, with local artisan makers also selling their wares online. There’s a Friday night edition too (4 p.m.–9 p.m.).
George Street, Playfair Street and Jack Mundey Place
The Rocks Walking Tours
Explore Sydney’s oldest colonial area by foot with The Rocks Walking Tours<https://www.rockswalkingtours.com.au/> to learn the stories of Australia’s first British settlement. Guided 90-minute tours depart twice daily with highlights including historic Cadman’s Cottage, skinny alleys Nurses Walk and Suez Canal, and epic rock cutting the Argyle Cut.
Clocktower Square, Shop 5, corner Argyle and Harrington streets
We recommend checking websites before visiting, as some venues are currently impacted by the Sydney lockdown; others are offering takeout, virtual experiences, and online shopping services or Click & Collect.
