Sydney: Off The Beaten Path

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Sydney: Off The Beaten Path

19 Oct 2019 085 Views Sakshi

The cosmopolitan city of Australia - Sydney - has a world-class stature and is visited by thousands of tourists every single year.

It is one of the largest cities in Australia and lives up to it's internationally recognized fame, however the multicultural capital of New South Wales offers way more than you might actually expect. From possibly every cuisine in the world a rich heritage, beautiful landscapes and beaches to countless quirky activities, Sydney is known to never disappoint its visitors.

sydneyThe Sydney skyline. Image:

Sydney's Harbour Bridge, Opera House, and the Bondi beach are iconic and must be on your itinerary but you know, Sydney is not just about these three attractions. Sydney goes way beyond that. If you are willing to explore another side of the glamorous city, here we delve into the hidden treasures and surprise elements of the city.

With the T20 World Cup's coming up next year, it is the best time to plan a trip to Australia and ensure you have Sydney on your list. Team India women is scheduled to play Australia in the opening match at the Sydney showground, whist Team India Men will play just one group match at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) against Afghanistan. Apart from the group matches, SCG will also host both semi finals in the women's World Cup and the first semi-final of the T20 men's World Cup 2020. 

5 off-beat places you must visit in Sydney:


Tourists generally head to the attractive Central Business District (CBD) and Eastern Suburbs but in order to discover the beautiful and vibrant secrets of Sydney, you need to head more towards inner West. That's where you'll come across Newtown, a must-visit neighbourhood in Sydney. Along with Newtown, you can also visit places such as Marrickville and Glebe. They are not very far from each other.

You can reach these places by public transport from the main city. In fact, the bus ride will last only for about 10 minutes as you go south of Sydney city. These places are less popular among tourists but they sure promise a lot. They have microbreweries, live music venues and tons of restaurants serving an array of cuisines. For architecture-lovers, you may head down the road to catch a glimpse of the historic Sydney University. The walk is definitely worth it and since it is the oldest university in the country, the architecture is sublime.

Newtown is a pretty neighbourhood in west Sydney. Image:

A Walk to Manly Beach

Sydney, being a stunning harbour city, offers several walks that take you closer to nature and give you an experience of a lifetime. A lot of tourists simply opt for a walk involving the famous Bondi beach but if you want to be away from the crowd and are looking for serenity, opt for the walk from Spit Bridge to Manly beach. It's a 10km walk that offers hidden inner harbour beaches, the bushlands and panoramic ocean views. The walk starts from Spit Bridge and you can get there using public transport or a ferry from Sydney city.

During the walk you will find stunning waterfalls, picturesque beaches and the famous rock engravings that are believed to be hundreds of years old and now appear as sandstone. When you reach the cliff, you will spots lots of dots which are actually yachts sailing and the sight of the beautiful horizon shouts and reminds you that, "Yes, you are still in Sydney!"

A view of the stunning Manly Beach. Image:

Waverley Cemetery

If you plan to explore Bondi Beach on foot, you must do the coastal walk and on the way, you'll come across the iconic Waverley Cemetery in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. There is a broadway constructed out of the cemetery borders for tourists to have a look at its architecture. The place also offers one of the best views of Sydney. It is surely worth a visit. 

Waverley Cemetery  Image:


From being transformed from an industrial wasteland to a fancy hub, Alexandria has begun to rival Newton in being the more popular neighbourhood away from the main city. It has several hip cafes and bars to relax in,  but still it remains a tiny part of huge Sydney. It is one of the most off-beat places in the whole of Sydney and if you are looking to escape the crowd, Alexandria is for you.

If you visit the town, you must surely head to Grounds of Alexandria, a wonderful cafe, which is famous for their casual look, coffee, rustic garden setting and the fact that they keep their farm animals on the site. It is a perfect place for a quick meal.

The Grounds of Alexandria, Alexandria Destination NSW

Cockatoo Island

One of the biggest shipyards in Sydney, Cockatoo Island is a must-visit and the effort will be all worth it as you'll get to see a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Getting there is not complicated as you can take a ferry from Circular Quay and the journey will take approximately 20 minutes. One of the best things about the place is that it has an Island Bar where you can order pizza and cocktails and just live in the moment and admire the surroundings.

Cockatoo Island, Sydney harbour -  Ethan Rohloff; Destination NSW



Bharat Army Writer

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