The history of the Australian city begins in 1778, when the Anglo-Saxon Arthur Phillip founded a prison settlement there. It became a place of detention for a long time and gradually became a landing place for many English and Irish emigrants.
The Sydney area is embraced by the Pacific Ocean to the east and the Blue Mountains to the west but, despite its size, Sydney is a city on a human scale (or rather, for a tourist!); in fact, in addition to being modern and well organized, it is full of attractions and places of interest that arouse much curiosity. The various corners of the city are well connected by underground and buses, so getting around is really easy.
For us Italians, reaching Australia requires several hours of flight, between twenty-one and twenty-two hours, but believe me that, once you land, you will not regret the choice made: in fact, there are many activities and experiences to do only in Sydney! I have lived and worked in the city for a few years now, and I had the opportunity to explore it far and wide but there are always new places to discover.
I have always been convinced that the best way to explore a place is on foot. Don't be intimidated by the distances, in Sydney you will always find a bus or tube station to get you back!
In addition to walks in the city, I highly recommend dedicating some time to exploring the wonderful coast that surrounds the town. The long stretches of sand alternate with green areas and majestic cliffs from which to admire the ocean from a privileged position.
A neighbourhood I like in Sydney is Barangaroo: this corner of Sydney has seen it all and has undergone a change from being a cargo port with cement warehouses during the great depression, to a new project which is making it one of the places to be in town. Barangaroo is facing a new revolution and is becoming the trendiest neighborhood in Sydney because it’s attracting pedestrians and families.
The transformation of Barangaroo is a huge project, which will be finished in 2024, the city of Sydney will gain a 2-kilometre promenade along the bay, new parks and squares, as well as a new casino (in addition to the existing one on the opposite side of Darling Harbour), a number of new flats and offices and scores of new restaurants, cafes and shops. In short, when everything is ready, Barangaroo will truly be Sydney's top neighbourhood.
Another place - a true gem - that not many people know, even locals, is Angel Place Birdcages. It is a secondary street in Sydney made picturesque by an installation with a very profound message.
Once in the street, if you look up and pay attention you can listen to the recreated sound of about fifty species of birds. You will see empty cages with birdsong accompanying your visit. The work takes the name of ‘Forgotten Song’ and explores how Sydney's fauna has evolved and adapted to coexist with increased urbanization, thus losing many bird species that have had to move away from the city to survive. A sad but meaningful message in a country which is experiencing a big loss of animals every year due to wildfires, drought and loss of habitat.
Sydney is one of the best cities I have been to and I think every person should visit it at least once in a lifetime.
PEDESTRIAN AREA IN SYDNEY
