- Duration
- 4.5 km on foot, ~4 h (≈ 3 h 45 min: moving and stop time only)
- Who it suits
- Everyone
- Transport
- walk
- Start
- Mrs Macquarie's Chair
- Finish
- The Rocks
- Pace
- relaxed pace
- Best time
- morning, year-round
- Budget per adult
- freePrices as of: July 2026; transport and zoo prices October 2026
Getting there
Train or ferry to Circular Quay, then on foot. Pay with a bank card.
Stops in order
The text version of the route: stops, time at each and the legs between them. Times are estimates, without queues, traffic or swims.
1. Mrs Macquarie's Chair~20 min at the stop
A bench convicts carved into the sandstone in the 1810s for the governor's wife. The one spot where the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge line up in a single frame.
Tip: Come at sunrise. The sun rises behind you and lights up the Opera House sails.
Open on the map ↗↓ walk · 15 min · 1.1 km
2. Royal Botanic Garden~1 h at the stop
Australia's oldest botanic garden (1816): 30 harbourside hectares, free entry. The Farm Cove seawall path delivers you straight to the Opera House.
Worth knowing: The garden was founded in 1816 and is the oldest scientific institution in Australia.
Tip: The daily 10:30 guided walk is by donation.
Open on the map ↗↓ walk · 15 min · 1.2 km
3. Sydney Opera House~45 min at the stop
UNESCO-listed since 2007. Circling the sails on the podium is free; the one-hour interior tour is A$50 online (more at the door).
Worth knowing: Jørn Utzon's building opened on 20 October 1973. The Opera House has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2007.
Tip: Book the tour online ahead. You save A$5 and skip the queue. Eat at Opera Bar on the lower concourse: Sunday to Thursday from 11:00 until late, Friday and Saturday 11:00 to midnight. They do not take bookings.
Open on the map ↗↓ walk · 10 min · 0.8 km
4. The Rocks~1 h at the stop
The city's oldest quarter: 1800s cobbled lanes, storied pubs and the bridge looming overhead. End the route with lunch or a pint here.
Tip: The Rocks Markets run Friday 10am to 3pm and Saturday and Sunday 10am to 5pm (Jack Mundey Place and Playfair Street, plus George Street on weekends). No market on Good Friday, and it is sometimes called off in high winds.
Open on the map ↗
Before you go
- Route times are estimates: walking, driving and a sensible pause at each stop. Add queues, traffic and swims yourself.
- Prices, timetables and trail status change. Check the venue's official site and the state transport app before you go.
- On beaches, swim only between the red and yellow flags. Use sun protection even when it is cloudy.