Welcome to the vibrant  and cosmopolitan city of Sydney. The Sydney International is a large modern airport with fast and convenient connections downtown. The Sydney Harbor waterfront is the place to stay to be in the center of all the action. The central business district sits directly behind this area.

There are several fine city hotels to choose from around Circular Quay, a main public transportation hub for ferries, buses and trains. My favorite hotel is the Sydney Inter-Continental with the historic former treasury building as its foundation. This is a stylish boutique-style hotel with contemporary and classic design elements. I’ve enjoyed having morning breakfast or evening cocktails with friends in the rooftop club lounge and deck with a panoramic view of  the Harbor Bridge, Opera House and Royal Botanic Gardens all at the same time.

The bustling and energetic harbor waterfront houses all types of businesses from coffee bars to fine seafood restaurants; souvenir shops to elegant boutiques;  plus museums and galleries to keep you entertained.

Tonight, let’s walk around the harbor to The Rocks area. I know a friendly  aussie pub where we can chat with locals and visitors over some “fish and chips and a pint”. Tomorrow, we’ll return for a guided walking tour of this historic neighborhood with its colonial era buildings and learn about the arrival of the first Europeans and their impact on the local aboriginal population.