Royal Botanic Gardens

The Royal Botanic Gardens are just a short walk around the water's edge from the Sydney Opera House and is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful settings you will see anywhere, with gardens filling an area of land between the harbour and the eastern part of the central business district. The harbour views from up on the hill are superb  and the gardens sit on the side of an undulating piece of land.

A walkway skirts around the harbourfront at the lower part of the gardens and is popular for lunchtime walks or jogs. There are large trees with a wonderful shade canvas and this makes the best spot imaginable to stop and have lunch - sitting on the grass and taking in the harbour views. The gardens have more than one million specimens and there is even a hop-on hop-off "train" for those who are feeling lazy. The gardens are an excellent place to escape the noise of the city and are situated quite close to some of the major city hotels around Hyde Park.

Entry to the gardens is free.

There are paths that crisscross one another like the lines on one’s hand — leading, variously, to two sets of ponds, a visitors centre and gardens shop, restaurants and kiosks, garden sculptures, and a number of horticultural areas. If you choose to join them, there are guided walks every day, except on public holidays, at 10.30am. A Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney scenic tour by trackless train is available for a small charge.

Government House, once the exclusive residence of the New South Wales Governor, lies within the perimeters of Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. It sits on a knoll overlooking the Opera House and Farm Cove and is open to the public for tours of its architecture, artefacts and displays. Of the horticultural areas, there are the Sydney Tropical Centre (entry is chargeable); rose, herb and succulent gardens; the First Farm; Sydney Fernery; and Palm Grove.