Exploring Sydney during New Year’s Eve’s Eve

Intro

I was arriving to Sydney, Australia, for the firs time in like a decade, as part of my Round The World Trip 2025-2026, and the main goal was not only to see this beautiful city again, but also do something that had been in my bucket list for a long time: see the fireworks at the New Years Eve celebration, and be in one of the first cities that receive the new year 2026.

I was well underway on my trip, and my first stop in Australia, Cairns, was a little bit underwhelming due to the weather. I was really hoping that spending the New Year’s Eve in Sydney would result in what I was imagining.

Day 14: Arriving to Sydney

This Virgin flight was actually really good and calm, and the view of Sydney coming from Cairns could not be more perfect. This really was way better than the little I could do in Cairns. The Sydney Opera House brings me so many memories of this beautiful metropolis.

It was December 30th, and who would have thought that one day later this whole harbor would be full of people, excitement and fireworks.

Also, so many new buildings in this skyline. Definitely I had to explore and see all the new additions to this city in the last 10 years since I came for the last time.

Look at how big is Sydney, the largest city in Australia with a population of over 5.3 million people as of 2026. This bustling metropolis accounts for roughly 20% of Australia’s total population, and while it recently faced a close race with Melbourne for the title of “largest city,” Greater Sydney remains the primary economic and cultural gateway for the nation.

Booking a hotel for New Years in Sydney was one of the hardest tasks of my planning of the RTW. Everything was so expensive, so I chose to stay only for a couple of nights. I would come back another time for more in detail visit, but for now I just needed a place to stay. But I would have never imagined to stay so far from the center of the city. I usually stay close to the tourist attractions in any city I visit, but this time I had to stay in Lakeside Hotel & Conference Centre, 54 minutes away from the Opera House. The hotel was amazing, and I got to do a very necessary laundry after all these days. Last time was in Berlin lol.

The hotel was walking distance from Macquarie University Metro Station on the Line M1, which goes straight into the city. It also had free laundry, and free coffee (of all styles) 24/7. The room was spacious, and they even serve breakfast some days.

Walking around the Sydney Opera House

The Sydney Opera House is a world-renowned architectural masterpiece located on Bennelong Point in Sydney Harbour. Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon and opened in 1973, it is celebrated for its iconic “sails”, a series of interlocking vaulted shells covered in over a million white and cream ceramic tiles.

Even from NYE Eve, the security around this area had increased, but I literally had no idea how difficult it was going to be to even stand here tomorrow.

Walking around here felt surreal. Last time I was so deep in the Southern Hemisphere was when I went to the End of the World: Ushuaia in Argentina. Now, I was in the middle of the Summer here, and it felt amazing. Everybody was feeling the joy that was all around. The anticipation of one of the biggest NYE celebration in the world.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of Australia’s most recognizable landmarks, affectionately known by locals as “The Coathanger” due to its distinct arch design. Completed in 1932, it serves as a vital transport link connecting the Sydney central business district with the North Shore while standing as a triumph of early 20th-century engineering.

I kept walking around and since the sunset was not until after 8 PM, I decided to do something else…

A ferry ride to Kirribilli

…and that was taking the ferry. I cannot express enough how important is to get on the ferry. Very easy to get on, just by tapping your phone or credit card, like on the subway, and checking the screens. Google Maps show the timetables too. Yes, regular locals use this as a way of transportation, given the geography of the city and the harbour.

I was going to Kirribilli since I had read that the view from there was amazing, I wanted to see the sunset from there, the penultimate one of the big 2025. The ferry was approaching to the wharf. Be careful in locating the right wharf since there are many at least in Circular Quay, the closest one to the Sydney Opera House.

And here we go! The breeze felt amazing, and the views were even more spectacular. The sunset seemed to be lasting forever too.

The famous sails were even more visible from the ferry.

Skyline + Opera House + Harbour Bridge + Sunset. Sydney was giving everything to impress me and I was in love with this city.

Slowly but surely we were approaching the north side of the harbour, where Kirribilli is located.

Some people were kayaking on this bay. Reminded me of all the times I have seen people doing it in the East River in NYC lmao. I would not do that.

Kirribilli Lookout

The ferry drop you off on the opposite side of the lookout, so to reach it, you have to go up a lot of staircases, and then back down into the bay. This area is very hilly, just like the rest of Sydney. But once you reach the lookout point, the views are mesmerizing.

It was so beautiful that a couple was getting engaged there as I was walking into the park. The sunset over the bridge, and the view of the skyline and the Opera House, made this an unforgettable experience.

Just one day till New Years Eve, and completing one of my bucket list items! Time to go enjoy the night.

Day 15: Exploring Sydney

The next day I woke up a little bit late after a night out, and got al my provisions to spend the day and night outside. My goal was to find a nice spot to see the fireworks, but also explore a little bit before. So I walked to the metro station to go on the way into the city.

To be honest, the ride into the city does not feel that long. Nothing different to what a regular commute in New York feels like. But once I got off, I started exploring the city, around Central and Belmore Park.

From there I walked to Chinatown, a vibrant urban enclave in Haymarket, located between Central Station and Darling Harbour. Originally established in the late 19th century near The Rocks before moving to its current location in the 1920s, it has evolved from a community refuge into a pan-Asian cultural hub. Today, the area is characterized by a mix of heritage landmarks, neon-lit streets, and modern developments like Darling Square.

Of course I had to try amazing food in this area, so I got myself some dumplings, although the service was not the best lol. The dumplings were very fresh and original, you could not ask for better. The perfect meal before getting myself together and start thinking about where to spend the New Years Eve.

With my stomach full, I went to the closest ferry station, and the goal was to see a little bit of the city before the craziness started. By doing so, I got myself to the Promenade, a nice walking path by the Barangaroo Wharf on the Sydney Harbour. The view of the Crown Towers was amazing over here.

This was definitely a new addition to this city, Crown Towers Sydney is a landmark luxury hotel and residential skyscraper located in the Barangaroo precinct. Standing at 271 meters (over 890 feet) with 75 floors, it is the tallest building in Sydney and is defined by its striking “three petals” architectural design that twists toward the sky.

A ferry ride to Circular Quay

It was 1 PM on December 31st, and I really needed to start worrying about the spot I was going to occupy and where I would spend the New Years Eve to see the fireworks. Millions of people would do exactly the same, so I needed to act right now. At Barangaroo I took the ferry on the way to Circular Quay, to then walk to the Royal Botanic Garden, and pick a spot for the fireworks. Or at least that was the plan. Now on the ferry, I started seeing the beautiful skyline.

Barangaroo Reserve was looking good from the ferry, and the bridge was just hiding on the back.

Turning towards the Sydney Opera House, the view that was leaving behind was amazing. The Crown Towers were definitely mesmerizing. The sky was not as clear as the day before, but being in the sun was not really my priority. As long as it did not rain, I was ok.

I was not expecting to see ultra-luxury apartments on the wharf, but here I was wishing to live in one of those lol.

But as I was approaching to Circular Quay I started to get worried. Would I end up in a nice spot to see the fireworks? Do not miss the next installment of this blog series, where I would say goodbye to 2025!