Sydney Harbour Bridge

The iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge is a vital part of Sydney's identity, with its steel arches framing the city, connecting vehicles, rails, bicycles and pedestrians each day from Sydney centre to the North Shore. The bridge hosts one highway, two pedestrian walkways and four railway tracks and officially opened in 1932. Made up of over 53,000 tonnes of steel, it's no surprise that this bridge took eight years to build. 

During your visit, watch the silhouette of the stunning Harbour Bridge stand out in the skyline by visiting some of the best vantage points across Sydney. Experience the bridge by water by taking a ferry from Circular Quay. This is a great way to experience Sydney's many icons including views of the Sydney Opera House, Taronga Zoo, Manly and Watsons Bay. Ferries travelling directly under the bridge are those heading to destinations like Barangaroo, Darling Harbour, Parramatta and Cockatoo Island.

Otherwise for an experience dedicated to the harbour, try one of the many harbour cruises taking you out at midday, sunset or in the evening. Many tours provide food on board and are a great way to encounter all of the hotspots in one go.

For the view from above, conquer the bridge yourself with BridgeClimb. Standing 134 metres above the water, take a guided climb and from the top of the summit you'll encounter 360-degree views across Sydney. The office can be found on Cumberland Street for you to pre-book your experience. But if the view from the top isn't quite high enough, why not take a seaplane from Rose Bay or one of the helicopters from Mascot?

Connecting Sydney with its northern suburbs, the bridge stretches out across 500 metres and is considered to be one of the longest steel-arch bridges in the world.

What about the view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge from land? While of course, as mentioned there are many vessels and excursions you can take to experience the Sydney Harbour Bridge on water, yet there are also several walking tracks for you to get the perfect photo opportunity on foot.

Take a walk through the Royal Botanical Gardens at sunset and set up a picnic at Mrs Macquarie Chair, showcasing views across the harbour featuring both the Opera House and Harbour Bridge too. Another great vantage point is from Taronga Zoo. On your day trip to the incredible sanctuary, you can take a cable car across the zoo and experience the sweeping views of the Harbour Bridge. Or for cycling enthusiasts access the cycling track from the Sydney Observatory on the western side of the bridge.

Whether you experience the Sydney Harbour Bridge by climbing it, jump on a ferry to experience from water, drive across it or view it from the land, each perspective showcases its dramatic structure and intricate work. Watch the stunning Sydney Harbour Bridge stand tall in the sunlight or glisten as the sun goes down at one of the many different vantage points across Sydney city.