Sydney is known for its spectacular scenery dominated by Jørn Utzon’s Opera House and the great beaches that surround the Sydney Harbour. They alone are worth the long flight over. I encourage you to go beyond the scenery. You will find lots more to enjoy.

FINDING CONTEMPORARY ART IN SYDNEY

Contemporary art lovers should make their first stop at the Museum of Contemporary Art, right in the Rocks area. Its compact collection is fun to explore, the rooftop café offers spectacular view of the Harbour Bridge and Circular Quay, and the entrance staircase seems to have been made for those who live for their ‘gram. I loved the Aboriginal art collection.

The National Gallery of New South Wales should be your next stop. I chose to walk there from the Circular Quay and my walk took me past most of the Sydney highlights, from the Opera House and through the Botanical Gardens. It has a good mix of the classics and the new. I saw more Australian contemporary art that was spectacular!

THE ONE AND ONLY – SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

A visit to Sydney would not be complete without a stop at the one and only Sydney Opera House, one of the 20th century's most famous and distinctive buildings. Designed by Jørn Utzon, the building dominates the Sydney Harbour and comprises multiple performance halls that host over 1.2 million people every year. As one of the most popular visitor attractions in Australia, the Opera House became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007. What surprised me is that its tiles are ivory colored rather than the stark white that one would expect from the many pictures. Everything else is just as impressive as you might think.

COMBINING ART AND NATURE AT THEIR BEST

When I was planning my trip to Sydney, a lot of friends recommended to do the Bronte-to-Bondi cliff walk. I did and absolutely loved it. To this day, it remains one of my favorite spots in Sydney. It’s beautiful in its own right, but if you are lucky and pick the right time of the year, the walk turns into an even more impressive art show during the “Sculptures by the Sea” festival. Dozens of contemporary art works sprout along the way, combining art and nature at their best.

A FEW OTHER SYDNEY “MUSTS”

Try as one might (and I usually do) to focus on contemporary design and art, you still find yourself drawn to the spectacular scenery that this city is all about. It would not be fair to leave a few of the other Sydney “musts” out.

First stop: Harbour Bridge. Another unmissable structure in the city, the bridge, opened in 1932, is the sixth longest spanning arch bridge in the world and the tallest steel arch bridge. And if you’re brave enough and don’t fear heights, offers a pretty great view of the city.

For a taste of historic Sydney, head over to The Rocks. Not far from the bridge, this is an early settlement former convict area, picturesque with its old balconied homes and cobble-stone paved streets that today house boutiques, pubs and new restaurants. Take a stroll through before heading across the water to see the Taronga Zoo and the Lunapark.

Finally, explore the beaches. Bondi, Manly, one of the smaller ones… you can’t go wrong. After all, the scenery is what makes Sydney one of the greatest, most livable places in the world.