Accommodation

The first place to look is the summary (focused on longer-term stays) provided by Sydney Uni, which includes a list of options for off-campus housing.

Short-term accommodation in Sydney

Especially off-season, many of the residential colleges often have spare rooms that visitors can use. Try emailing the accommodation team, or emailing specific colleges directly, e.g., from this list of current Sydney University colleges.

Nearby:

Cheaper options (including flat shares):

Sydney in a day

My favorite day starts from Town Hall (or even better for coffee lovers is to start earlier from Gumption), then you walk through Hyde Park, past the Domain to the NSW Art Gallery (have a look around in there if you like art), then walk through the Royal Botanic Gardens to Lady Macquarie’s chair (where you can look out onto the harbor/opera house), walk over to Circular Quay for a ferry bound for Manly (Terminal 3). Get a good spot on an outer deck and enjoy the ride over. From the terminal, walk towards Manly beach, grabbing fish and chips and eating on the beach. Have a swim, a couple beers at a beachside brewery, then ferry back for a drink at Circular Quay: Opera Bar for the views of the harbor, or a cocktail at Bulletin Place for cosy vibes. While around Circular Quay, you can also slot in some time at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), Circular Quay, which for the cost of a coffee on the top floor, you can get some of the best elevated views of the harbor. If you’re near Wynyard, I always enjoy a whiskey and apple at Uncle Ming’s :)

Classic walks

The classic harborside walks are those between Bondi, Bronte, and Coogee beaches. This coastal walk is one of the top things to do in Sydney. It’s really easy and well maintained but also really unique and beautiful.

The following are a bit more adventurous (but all public transport-able!):