48 hours in Sydney: Where to stay, what to do and where to eat

Traveloka Team

29 Sep 2025 - 3 min read

A Sydney weekend doesn’t muck around. One moment you’re on a ferry with the wind in your hair, the next you’re raising a glass under those famous sails. Like its world-famous Opera House, this city loves a show. There is climbing the Harbour Bridge and dinner cruises if you’re feeling flash, coastal walks and botanic gardens if you’re keeping it simple. Two days might not sound like much. But trust us, it’s plenty to squeeze in the highlights without feeling out of breath.

Where to stay in Sydney

Got just two days up your sleeve? Plant yourself in the CBD or Circular Quay. It’s the sweet spot where Sydney does its best work. Ferries honking, tourists and locals strolling, and that harbour view showing off at every turn. From here, the Opera House can be just a few minutes away, Manly and Taronga are a ferry ride away. And rooftop cocktails? Always dangerously close.

Shangri-La Sydney: Skyline staple with some of the city’s best harbour views. The Horizon Club Lounge is a local legend for sunset drinks overlooking the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

QT Sydney: Boutique swagger in a heritage-listed building. Bold design, moody bars and a spot that puts you right between the CBD’s laneways and Pitt Street shopping.

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What to do in Sydney

Mornings

Explore Sydney Harbour: Start your day exploring the stunning harbour by kayak, weaving in and out of picturesque coves. Not keen on paddling? Hop on a ferry and head to Manly, Watsons Bay or up the Parramatta River.

Go whale watching: If you’re in town in autumn or spring, hop on a whale watching cruise that will start with a scenic cruise through the harbour and out onto the open ocean between the heads and watch the majestic humpbacks on their migration.

Afternoons

Taronga Zoo Sydney: At Taronga, the giraffes get the best real estate in town, with harbour views that make Sydneysiders jealous. With its cable car ride, furry locals and a skyline across the water, you've got half zoo, half postcard.

BridgeClimb Sydney: Strap in for the climb of your life. The view from the top is unbeatable, but even walking across on foot (for free) delivers a hit of Sydney magic with The Rocks’ cobbled laneways waiting on the other side.

Evenings

Sydney Harbour Dinner Cruise: Glide past the Opera House and under the Bridge while tucking into dinner with a view. It’s the ultimate way to turn the harbour into your dining room. Want to head out into the water at a low price? Hop on the Manly Ferry instead for the world’s prettiest commute.

Opera House Show: Ballet, theatre, or symphony. To many visitors, it doesn’t even matter: the Sydney Opera House makes any show feel like a world premiere. Come early, catch the last light over the Botanic Gardens nearby, and claim a cocktail before the curtain.

Free things to do in Sydney

Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk: Six kilometres of pure Sydney coastline. Clifftops, ocean pools, beaches you’ll want to dive straight into, and way too many coffee stops. Sometimes, the city’s best views don’t come with a price tag.

Darling Harbour: By day, it’s all playgrounds and promenades. By night, the skyline flips the switch. Saturday fireworks in season, Vivid light shows in winter. All free, all with you in the front row.

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Where to eat in Sydney

Sydney takes its food as seriously as its views. Think Asian fusion in Surry Hills, waterfront seafood on Circular Quay, and breakfasts that turn into brunch, all because you can’t stop ordering. Whatever the vibe, this city knows how to plate it up.

Breakfast

Bills Surry Hills: The ricotta hotcakes with banana, honeycomb butter, and maple syrup are legendary, the scrambled eggs silky. This is Sydney breakfast culture in one perfect plate.

Paramount Coffee Project: Surrey Hills joint known for inventive brunch plates and seriously good coffee. The fried chicken waffle is a cult favourite, but even the avo toast feels dialled-up here.

Lunch

Mr Wong: A sprawling Cantonese diner with dim sum that keeps locals lining up. The roast duck is a non-negotiable.

Opera Bar: Harbour views with your plate of Sydney rock oysters. Perfect pit stop between sightseeing and sunset.

Dinner

Quay: Sydney’s fine-dining crown jewel. Expect tasting menus that weave native ingredients into dishes as dazzling as the harbour view.

Icebergs Dining Room: Right over Bondi Beach. Italian flavours, ocean views, and martinis worth lingering over. Order the hand-cut spaghetti with Moreton Bay Crab… you can thank us later.

Ready to book your trip to Sydney? Flights, hotels, harbour cruises, even your BridgeClimb. You can lock it all in with Traveloka.