Top Sydney Cultural Tours

Uncover the secrets of Sydney’s heritage as you explore The Rocks on this guided walking tour of the historic precinct. Offering amazing views over the Sydney Harbour and the Campbells Cove Wharves, your guide will lead you along shady laneways and cobbled courtyards where you’ll discover some of Sydney’s earliest buildings, including Cadman’s Cottage, built in 1816 and the Garrison Church, which dates back to the 1840s.

This comprehensive tour of Sydney is perfect for first-time visitors or those short on time. Spend a half-day immersed in the history and culture of Sydney, learning through stops at landmarks such as Chinatown, Darling Harbour, and Australia’s largest urban development, Barangaroo. Your guide will follow a curated itinerary centered on the history of Sydney from 1788 to modern day, adding commentary to illuminate the details.

Make the most of your time in Sydney on a morning or afternoon sightseeing tour that crams all the city’s best bits into just a few hours. Snap photos of Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge; visit the glamorous Bondi Beach; travel through The Rocks and Paddington; and take in the views from Mrs. Macquarie’s Point.

Spend an afternoon visiting Palm Beach, aka Summer Bay from the famous Australian TV show ‘Home and Away.’ Your expert guide shares the inside scoop on the people and places from the hit TV series, and you can snap photos at outdoor filming locations from the show. You may even get meet some of the cast and watch the filming in action. Visit the seaside town of Manly and see other renowned surfing beaches. Choose from four different tour options to suit your schedule and budget.

Be touched by the most ancient human culture on earth in a 90-minute leisurely walkabout with an Aboriginal guide in The Rocks Sydney, and journey into DreamTime, the culture of Aboriginal People. illi-Langi The Rocks Aboriginal Dreaming Tour is 100 per cent Aboriginal-owned and was developed by Aboriginal Elder, Margret Campbell, a Dunghutti – Jerrinjah woman. It is led by Aboriginal guides who have her permission to share her cultural knowledge. The tour gives you the opportunity to discover how the ancient Aboriginal DreamTime is still alive within the modern Sydney landscape and how the billion-year-old harbour, marine environment, sandstone strata, waterways, flora and fauna continue to influence how Aboriginal people live today.

Go behind the scenes at the Sydney Opera House for a fascinating look at this Sydney icon. Your knowledgeable guide leads you through the World Heritage–listed building on a walking tour, sharing entertaining stories about the revered performance center's history and providing access to off-limits parts of the house.

Cruise the ocean waters off of Sydney to look for humpback and southern right whales as they migrate between Antarctica and the Great Barrier Reef from May to November. Your whale-watching experience starts out of Sydney Harbour and heads to the open ocean on a custom-built catamaran with large viewing windows and spacious decks that provide excellent sightlines. Often, dolphins, sea birds and other marine animals make an appearance during the nearly 2.5-hour whale-watching tour.

The world’s most beautiful harbour deserves the very best cruise to experience it. Choose from two spectacular options, the Harbour Experience aboard our premier sightseeing fleet or, enhance your cruise with the Premium Harbour Experience to enjoy a house beverage of your choice and a Cheese & Charcuterie board to share, as you cruise by the majestic Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Fort Denison and other top sights on this 1.5 hour cruise. Listen to commentary straight from your smartphone, relax into your seat or choose to venture up to the upper open-air deck as you marvel at the beauty of Sydney Harbour.

Join a hop-on hop-off sightseeing tour by double-decker bus to discover the highlights of Sydney and Bondi Beach. Enjoy unobstructed views and recorded onboard commentary as you travel along two routes to top destinations like Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House, Darling Harbour, and Bondi Beach. Go in-depth at any given place by simply hopping off the bus to explore. You can experience Sydney and Bondi's most noteworthy attractions at your own pace with your choice of ticket, valid for either 24 or 48 hours.

Soak in 360-degree views as you dine on a delicious buffet lunch or dinner at the Sydney Tower Restaurant's revolving restaurant. From your vantage point high above the streets of Sydney, the views change as the restaurant slowly revolves during your meal. Large picture windows frame iconic sights like the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Darling Harbour, Circular Quay and, in the distance, the Blue Mountains. Enjoy a lunch, dinner or even a degustation tasting a range of tasty dishes that is sure to please everyone in your party.

Enjoy sweeping views of Sydney Harbour and beyond during a scenic helicopter flight over Sydney. Take to the skies for a quick flight that provides stunning panoramic views of Sydney’s eastern coastline including Coogee Beach, Bondi Beach, Manly Cove, Sydney’s spectacular Harbor and city skyline, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and Sydney Opera House. Learn about the city’s history from your knowledgeable pilot as you fly along the coast of the Pacific Ocean before your pilot whirs over Sydney Head marking the harbor’s entrance.

Enjoy a deluxe sunset cruise on Sydney Harbour accompanied by a delicious three-course dinner. From the water, admire iconic sights such as Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House, Fort Denison, Luna Park and more. Snap photos as the sky shimmers at sunset and the city skyline lights up for the night as you cruise through Sydney in the evening.

Take a thrilling ride across Sydney’s iconic Harbour Bridge on a trike or Harley Davidson. Cruise past Luna Park, Blues Point Reserve, the Opera House, stunning homes in the Eastern Suburbs, Bondi Beach, and more. Your local guide will provide live commentary by headset to enrich your trip. This tour includes helmet, jacket, gloves, and round-trip transport from CBD hotels.

Cram all of Sydney’s most memorable landmarks into one tour! Enjoy a 4-hour sightseeing tour, jam-packed with photo opportunities and iconic sights, and pick up insider tips from your knowledgeable local guide. Take in the views from Mrs Macquarie's Chair and The Gap; marvel over Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera house; and visit bustling Chinatown. After strolling neighborhoods like The Rocks, Paddington and Woolloomooloo, head to the coast to discover Bondi Beach, Rose Bay and Shark Beach.

On the 'DISCOVER THE ROCKS' tour we will visit the picturesque historic district The rocks on foot. This is the birthplace of modern Australia, and any tour of the country should start here. We are going to know together, in a very dynamic and close way, how the first convicts got here and the interests that the British crown had to create a penal colony on the other side of the world. We will walk through its streets and our hair will stand on end when we know the living conditions of this first settlement. We have tons of fun anecdotes and we will analyze the two great projects that have put Sydney on the map, the Harbor Bridge and The Opera House. This tour was born from the head of a couple of friends; an official guide and an architect, with a passion for storytelling. We feel that Sydney is our home and we want you to join us in discovering it. We assure you that this tour is the best thing that will happen to you in Australia for not knowing English.

Get familiar with Sydney with the help of a local guide on this half-day tour that is tailored to your interests. You can select the neighborhood and sights that you want to explore, then set out with your guide. Find out how to navigate the city on foot or with public transportation, and get tips about great places to visit on your own later.

Ditch the guidebook and explore Australia’s most populous city with a local host. Craft an itinerary that suits your interests and hit the streets with an insider, visiting landmarks like the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, as well as authentic local institutions and hot spots. Benefit from a resident’s perspective on this beautiful, diverse metropolis and enjoy a cocktail and a delicious bite.

If you've ever wondered how pearls are made and where they come from, this tour is for you. From the comfort of a catamaran you'll admire the nature of the Central Coast, maybe even spotting pelicans, turtles, and stingrays. Visit a pearl farm, where you'll have a chance to chat with the farmers, learn about Australia's pearl farming history, and see examples of beautiful Broken Bay pearls.

Discover Sydney’s most infamous crime scenes and learn about its chilling past on this leisurely walking tour. The saying “Truth is stranger than fiction” plays out as you hear Sydney’s most terrifying tales, walk through its neighborhoods, and visit the sites of its true crimes. Your guide provides fascinating facts about the city’s dark history.

Discover a side to Sydney's history that the guide books don't tell you about. This walking tour takes you on a deep dive into a time of a war, when the infamous razor gangs dominated the crime scene. You'll explore the gangs' territories, the old streets and alleyways that they stalked, and learn about the speakeasies and the most-feared personalities of the 1920s and 30s.

Explore Sydney on a private full-day tour with a guide who shows you around by car and on foot. Highlights include the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and Mrs Macquarie’s Chair. Next, head to the eastern suburbs and see places that most visitors miss. Continue on to view the Pacific Ocean through The Gap and stop at Bondi Beach for lunch (own expense).

Escape the city and explore the Kiama Coast region, its bushland, forests, farmlands and coastal beaches on this full-day adventure. Travel from Sydney taking in panoramic views along the route including clifftop lookouts and multiple viewpoints. Look out for indigenous wildlife, walk across secluded beaches and discover aboriginal engravings before indulging in a freshly prepared BBQ lunch outdoors. Enjoy a more personal experience on this small-group tour led by a local guide.

Discover three of Sydney’s most fascinating inner-city neighborhoods—Pyrmont, Ultimo, and Glebe—on this small-group guided walking tour. You’ll learn about the area’s Aboriginal and colonial history, pick up some Aussie slang, and find out why there are so many pubs in these parts. Stop for coffee at a local café midway through the walk, then finish with a glass of craft beer at one of Sydney’s most unique pubs.

Learn more about the history of Sydney and the people who used to live here at the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Hyde Park Barracks. Explore one of Australia’s most significant archeological collections at this living history museum, which shows visitors what life was like in early colonial-era Australia. This ticket includes the use of an audio-guide so you can tour at your own pace.