Circular Quay is by far the most highly-recommended place to visit if you’re in Sydney. It’s the part of Sydney that you see on TV and in magazines. The magnificence of this place originates from two of Australia’s most famous landmarks: The Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House. I vividly remember staring at them and being astounded by both the sheer size of the Harbour Bridge and the intricate pattern of tiles on the Opera House’s façade when I visited them for the very first time.

Getting to Circular Quay is easy via train, and I stayed close to Central Station. All you need to do is to hop on the Circular Quay line and the train sends you there directly if you’re staying near Central.

The touristy “ooohs” and “wows” began when the train pulled into Circular Quay station. If you’ve never seen the Harbour Bridge in real life, this is most definitely the moment when you feel as though you’re ticking off a major to-do item from your bucket list. Visitors who were marveling at the bridge (including me) didn’t exit the platform quite immediately; being on that elevated position on the platform was a great spot to view the harbour. In fact, the Harbour Bridge looks much, much larger in real life than in pictures! Friendly passengers onboard the ferries were smiling and waving at us enthusiastically, while everyone on the station’s platform were mesmerised by the amazing view.

Just when I though that the view was already phenomenal and postcard-worthy, I soon realised that it was only a preview of the experience, especially when the Opera House came into sight. Chic restaurants are located in Circular Quay as well, hence being a treat of the eyes and taste buds. I passed the delightful al fresco dining areas while walking towards the Opera House, with the Harbour Bridge still in sight.

Visiting the Sydney Opera House was absolutely marvellous. Although I didn’t enter the place, it was already fantastic to just be at there. I ascended the stairs toward the arches and peeked into the Opera House through the glass panels. Admiring the intricately-tiled pattern on this incredible UNESCO World Heritage site, and gazing at the azure harbour glistening in the sun with the Sydney Harbour Bridge as its backdrop had successfully tempted me into spending more time to capture as many photos as possible of the unforgettable moment.

A trip to Sydney is incomplete without visiting these local icons!