Best places to take photos in Sydney

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Wondering where are the best places to take photos in sydney? I got it all covered in this straight to the point Sydney travel guide. No matter where you stay in Sydney, once you get to Circular Quay station, you are right in the heart of the city and then all you have to do is choose which attractions you want to see first. In this case, where to take photos first! With that in mind, let’s begin!

11 Best places to take photos in Sydney

1. Sydney Opera House

The iconic Sydney Opera House is only a 10-minute walk from Circular Quay Station. It offers the best view of the harbor bridge and the skyscrapers in the city making it one of the most sought after places to take photos in Sydney. This stunning venue also hosts opera, dance, theatre and more. Get there early if you want to catch sunsets from the deck downstairs at the Opera bar/ Opera kitchen. You can also attend one of the daily guided tours to learn more about the Sydney Opera House.

2. Royal Botanical Garden

The beautiful botanical garden is behind the Sydney Opera house. If you go straight from the Circular Quay station it should take about 5 minutes to walk. Wander between the pretty flowers, native flora and fauna, birds ( I saw bats up close for the first time here!) and a picnic with the stunning Opera House view! With the stunning view of Sydney Harbour and the city moments’ way, it’s a quick go-to place to relax and unwind.  After that, head to Mrs. Macquire’s chair which is within the botanical garden for the spectacular sunsets!

PS : I run a private Instagram photo tour, so, message me on Instagram for details @annasherchand or email anna@annasherchand.com

3. The Rocks

The old historic site, the rocks is an only 4-minute walk from Circular Quay. This is where Europeans settled in Australia first. Stroll through the laneways, discover the fascinating facts/history, a browse in the shops and a bite to eat in one of the many fine restaurants and bars. Btw, Sydney’s oldest pub Fortune of War is on the rocks too. If you happen to go during the weekend also see the rocks market where you can try a variety of cuisines, shop handicrafts and more.

4. Sydney Harbour Bridge

World-famous Sydney Harbour Bridge is 5 minutes walk from the Circular Quay Station. Outside the station, watch the aboriginals play the didjeridu, listen to the buskers’ cool songs, get an ice cream maybe, and stroll towards the bridge to Cumberland Street. Harbour Bridge climbing could take anywhere from 30mins to 2hour. PRebooking is recommended as they accept walk-in for the bridge climb. Book directly on their website or pop into a visitor center for more information in the circular quay station.

5. Queen Victoria Building

Queen Victoria Building is 20 minutes walk from Circular Quay Station. It is a historic and beautiful building built in the 1890s, and since then as you can imagine heaps of restoration have gone into it. Even nowadays, sometimes there is a scaffolding on parts of it for maintenance or restoration. Either way, it is a beautiful building full of shops, restaurants, and cafes. From the top floor, the view of the old clock hanging from the ceiling is unique! In the basement, you will find the way to the Townhall train station that connects to Circular Quay station.

6. State Library of NSW

This beautiful heritage building is a peaceful library and just a 5-minute walk from Circular Quay Station. Once you step in, you can walk around, browse the books, visit a small museum inside and just have a peaceful break in the library. You can also use the bathroom facilities and FREE WIFI! If you are in the mood for some food, there is a cafe at the back with a nice view of the library.

7. Taronga Zoo

Say you chose the Captain cook hop on and hop off ticket, you can get to Taonga Zoo in 15 minutes from Circular Quay. (There is also yellow local Sydney ferries available that leaves from Wharf 4 in Circular Quay) I hesitated to go to Taronga Zoo for many years than when my mum visited Sydney, I took her there.  I am glad I did that. Otherwise, I would have missed out on picture-perfect photographs like above! The best thing about Taronga Zoo is the panoramic views of Sydney Harbour and a diverse range of Australian wildlife, birds and dolphin show.

8. Sydney Tower Eye

From Circular Quay station, Sydney Tower Eye is 15 minutes walk. It stands 309 meters and is the highest point in the city. Hence gives you the best 360-degree view of Sydney. It can get a bit confusing! So remember the entrance to the Sydney tower eye is from the Westfield Shopping Mall (top floor of course;)) You can buy the entrance tickets at the door.

9. Barangaroo

This chic new development is 17 minutes walk from Circular Quay Station. It boasts waterfront apartments, businesses, but it is also rich with aboriginal significance, and maritime history. The best thing about Barangaroo Reserve is, it is built as Sydney’s newest harbourside park! So you can walk, cycle or picnic on a gem of a location.

10. Waverton

If you have time, I recommend taking a ferry to Waverton and on the way there you will see some of the picturesque Sydney houses by the water, some of the beautiful boats on the water walking. Making it one of the best places to take photos in Sydney.

Alternatively, you can take the big bus Sydney, hop on hop off offers 2 tours – the city tour and the Bondi tour. They run every 15-20 minutes and tickets are valid on both tours and last for 24 -48 hours.

11. Bondi Beach

It would be an incomplete visit without seeing the popular Sydney beach. A bus or train from the city to Bondi beach would take 30-40 minutes. Remember to put on sunscreen and a hat or sunglasses! While you are there, don’t miss the stunning Bondi to Coogee coastal walk finishing off with a fish and chips from the cafe across the road!

I hope this Best places to take photos in sydney helps you. For a more extensive list check the below article.

Camera kits I used to take these photos:

Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II Digital Camera

This has been my favorite Camera so far. I love how my pictures come out crisp and colorful. It also has a screen which is useful when vblogging. You can check out what I meant on my Instagram which is here.

Accessories For Canon GX7 Mark || Check it out here

GoPro HERO4 Silver

This is the good old Go pro that I take with me everywhere. I recommend it because it is small, lightweight and waterproof. I have had made many memories with this trusted item and looking forward to more.

Accessories For Go Pro Hero 4 Check it out here

SanDisk 64 GB Memory Cards

I have been using SanDisk since my first camera which was back in 2009. They build quality memory cards. I recommend getting at least two, just in case something happens to one of them.

All-in-One Memory Card Reader

Do you think it’s a hassle of plugging your camera into your computer? This memory card reader will fit cards of all sizes and make an easy transfer to your computer. The reader supports all popular SD memory card formats, including SD™/SDHC™/SDXC™ memory cards, UHS-I SDHC/SDXC memory cards, and microSDHC™/microSDXC™ memory cards. It is also compatible with the latest UDMA 7-enabled CompactFlash cards.

Let me know in the comments:

• Have you been to any of the best places to take photos in sydney?
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