Scandic Tours · Jacksons on George, The Rocks
A two-hour guided walk from the convict lanes of The Rocks along Circular Quay to the Opera House, then on through the Royal Botanic Garden to Hyde Park. It's the cheapest guided trip on this site, and it gives you the story of the city the sails were built for.
Scandic Tours meets outside the Jacksons on George pub in The Rocks, where European settlers landed in 1788 and the convict colony began. The first stretch covers that history, with some stairs at the start, and stops at Cadmans Cottage, one of Sydney's oldest surviving buildings, with the Harbour Bridge overhead. Then it's down to Circular Quay and round to the Opera House, where the guide explains Utzon's design from the Forecourt.
From Bennelong Point the walk goes through the Royal Botanic Garden, past the State Library of NSW and NSW Parliament on Macquarie Street, and finishes in Hyde Park by St Mary's Cathedral. That's a good spine of central Sydney in two hours, and it runs in all weather.
Be clear about what you're buying. The listing calls it a free walking tour, but it is a paid ticket, currently $20 against a usual $39. You don't go inside the Opera House at any point. The listing has only a handful of reviews so far, and it says the route is not suitable for wheelchair users. For the inside of the building, book the official guided tour separately; doing it after this walk works well, since Hyde Park is about 20 minutes on foot from the Welcome Centre.
Outside the pub on George Street in The Rocks.
Convict-era lanes, some stairs, Cadmans Cottage and the Harbour Bridge above.
Along the quay to Bennelong Point and the story of the sails, from outside.
Through the garden and up to Macquarie Street, past the State Library and Parliament.
The walk ends in Hyde Park near St Mary's Cathedral, by Museum and St James stations.
★★★★★Fabulous! Juliette was friendly and well-informed! We had a really interesting and inspiring tour!
★★★★★It was great that the guided tour took place even though it was raining and everyone else canceled.
★★★★★Tim was a very nice guide. Views are breathtaking.
Read next:
No. You see it from outside, and the guide explains the design on the Forecourt. For the inside, book the official one-hour tour.
It starts outside the Jacksons on George pub in The Rocks and finishes in Hyde Park, near St Mary's Cathedral.
No, even though the listing uses the phrase. It's a paid ticket from $20, discounted from $39.
Easy to moderate: two hours on foot, with some stairs at the start in The Rocks. It's not suitable for wheelchair users.
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A two-hour walk from the convict Rocks past the Opera House and the Botanic Garden to Hyde Park.
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