One of the best parts of Circular Quay is enjoying the Sydney Harbour view with a glass of bubbles.
Circular Quay is one of the hotspots and central locations where you can easily travel around to other parts of Sydney. It’s also a great place to spend the day to do some sightseeing or to enjoy some good food!
Getting to Circular Quay
Circular Quay is in a fantastic location where it is easy to get to via public transport from trains to light rails, buses, and ferries. There are heaps of different train lines, light rails, bus numbers, and ferries that stop in Circular Quay, making it simple for travellers.
Attractions nearby
Circular Quay is around some of Sydney’s biggest attractions! There is so much to see that’s nearby, so here are the main highlights to check out.
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Sydney Opera House
Arguably the Sydney Opera House is one of the biggest landmarks to see in Australia. The iconic venue holds over 40 shows a week from theatre, concerts, and more. Come down and see the Opera House up close and take a photo while standing on the steps leading up to the famous building.
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Royal Botanic Garden Sydney
Royal Botanic Garden Sydney is the oldest botanic garden in Australia! There are 30 hectares of land to walk through seeing the huge range of different plants and flowers from across Australia and the world.
Plan your visit by looking into the different walks, tours, and events that may take place the day you visit. You may also want to dine or do some shopping while visiting the Royal Botanic Garden with a selection of shops, cafes, and restaurants.
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Sydney Harbour Bridge
The Sydney Harbour Bridge was built to allow people to travel north across the harbour. While the Harbour Bridge is still used for this purpose, the bridge is an iconic part of the harbour now. To see breathtaking views across the harbour and city, you can do a bridge climb across the Harbour Bridge.
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Museum of Contemporary Art
Spend a few hours walking through the Museum of Contemporary Art and exploring the different exhibits. There is also a rooftop cafe with stunning views if you’re feeling a bit peckish or if you want a coffee.
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Explore further out on a ferry
If you have the time, you can catch a ferry from Circular Quay and go to Manly or spend a few hours at Taronga Zoo or even Luna Park. Better yet, go on a ferry that takes you under the Harbour Bridge and get fantastic views of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House!
Where to eat
Circular Quay has a lot of different restaurants and cafes to pop into for food with a view of the harbour.
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The East Chinese Restaurant
The East Chinese Restaurant to close to the Opera House and serves authentic Chinese dishes. You can select a meal from the chef’s suggestions or go with the steamed coral trout in ginger shallot or honey pepper steak.
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Guylian Belgian Chocolate Café
Indulge in one of the world famous cakes and desserts at Guylian Belgian Chocolate Café. Enjoy an alcoholic beverage along with one of the delicious desserts, or even a baguette.
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Searock Grill
There is no better way than sitting by the harbour in the evening and enjoying the delicious seafood or steak with your beverage. Searock Grill has a modern menu with different cuts of beef for your char grilled steaks, or seafood like fish, oysters, or even a seafood platter.
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Quay
Quay has the best views of the harbour and the Opera House to enjoy your evening dining experience. Each dish is thoughtfully made with ingredients from farmers, fishermen, and artisans who the chef works with.
Pick between the six course or eight course menus for lunch or dinner. There is even a four course menu for lunch over the weekends. Now, it’s time to decide on a wine from the curated wine list while taking in your views for the night.
Where to stay
Are you visiting Sydney for the first time? Circular Quay is probably one of the best areas to stay during your Sydney trip! You’ll be close to public transport that takes you out to all parts of Sydney. You will also close to the main highlights and with heaps of restaurants and cafes all within reach.
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Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour
Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour is in a great central location. There are eight different apartments with a garden or harbour view that have either one or two king beds. You can also request an extra bed for an adult and a child. Each spacious room comes with a kitchen and a TV. Most of the rooms will have laundry facilities and a balcony to enjoy the view.
As a guest, you will have access to the 24 hour reception, secure parking, the pool, the spa, and the gym. There is also a bar where they serve some signature cocktails at Hyde Hacienda, or enjoy a delicious season cuisine meal at Q Dining.
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Park Hyatt Sydney
Park Hyatt Sydney is a luxurious hotel with first class views of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour. Park Hyatt has a lot of options of spacious rooms and suites with a harbour view, Opera House view, city view, or garden view. The rooms and suites have a large TV, heating and air conditioning, minibar, and much more!
Take advantage of the room service or check out the rooftop pool and terrace. For lunch or dinner, go to the signature restaurant, The Dining Room by James Viles, or The Living Room which has coastal Australian meals. For any beverages, check out The Bar for a large selection of drinks and even Australian and international wines.
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Sir Stamford at Circular Quay
Sir Stamford at Circular Quay has luxurious and spacious hotel style rooms and suites. All rooms and suites have access to free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee making facilities, and a king bed. The Superior Room and the Deluxe Room can also have two double beds instead of a king bed.
Start the day with a breakfast buffet in The Dining Room! The Stamford High Tea has all you can imagine for an indulging high tea experience.
Then for snacks, a light meal or for some drinks, go to the Highlander which is a traditional whisky bar. There is an extensive whisky list to choose from along with other beverages.