Sydney

Teaming sophistication with surf, Sydney offers a taste of all things Australia with a touch from all corners of the globe, in true cosmopolitan form.  With 4.2 million people and an almost unmatched international presence, Sydney is the biggest and baddest of Oz, notoriously drawing thousands from all over the world to live, work, learn, and play. 

While the Sydney Opera house is an obvious icon in the world of live performance, there is more live music, theatre, dance, and you-name-it entertainment at your fingertips, west (or south) of the water, than those billowing sails could ever hold.  Indeed, artistry thrives in all forms in this cultural epicenter, from providing a home base to many of Australia’s top designers and fashionistas to making Sydney a shopping dreamland, playing host to some of Australia’s most important museums and events.

Sydney’s cultural background alone is something to behold – aboriginal descent, paired with its famed run as a penal colony in the 1700s, has culminated in a deeply varied historical structure entangled with roots from the world over. Although, architecture and artifacts aren’t the only insight to Sydney’s colorful past.  The tradition of multi-culturalism thrives in present day in Sydney’s food and dining options.  Italy holds strong in East Sydney, while Thailand nestles into unsuspecting corners of the city next to ever-ubiquitous English pubs.  And while on the subject of pubs, nightlife in Sydney works on much of the same global scale, with clubs, lounges, beach bars, and all night ragers to suit all your late night needs around the clock.

City-life not your style?  No worries, mate – not only do you have the Pacific Ocean slapping you in the face, daring you to hop on a surfboard at one of the many beaches (there are over 60!), but the Royal National Park is just south of the city, and a mere 50 km out are the great Blue Mountains, geared up for anything from hiking to canyon swinging.
  
This isn’t to say that the city center isn’t a jungle in itself—take a stroll through the Royal Botanical Gardens and you’ll be traipsing through native bush and dodging giants bats no time. The laundry list of sports & activities is endless, and luckily, accommodations are just as broad (when you finally fit it in your schedule to crash). But before then, order up some fish and chips, grab a seat by the water, and pat yourself of the back - you're officially down under.