Christmas Vacation in Sydney, Australia
If you plan a Christmas holiday in Sydney there are a great many things you can expect. The locals are friendly, helpful and extraordinarily welcoming. Sydney is a clean, sunny and delightful city that is very decidedly laid back, yet it teems with excitement and seems vibrant and alive. You may find that there is nowhere on earth quite like this magnificent city.
Sydney has an efficient public transportation system. You can reach many places on foot quite easily. They have a taxi and a water ferry system to take you to places not reachable on foot. The fares are reasonable and the drivers and operators are among the friendliest in the world.
A Place to Stay
The Medina Grand Sydney (phone 61 2 9274 0000) is located very close to Darling Harbour on the corner of Kent Street and Bathhurst Street. The rooms here are reasonably priced, clean and pleasant. The rooms feature a kitchenette that includes a sink, microwave, refrigerator and a coffee maker. The hotel is close to ferry service that will take you around Circular Quay. From here you can view the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. This hotel is also within walking distance of the Sydney Entertainment Centre and great retail shopping.
Great Food
There is a small cafÃ?© in the Glebe section of the city called Mikalina’s CafÃ?© (phone 02 9571 8100). The cafÃ?© is located at 198 St. John’s Road. Mikalina’s CafÃ?© is brimming with charm and the staff is exceptionally friendly and accommodating. They offer a variety of great coffees and a menu that includes deli type sandwiches and daily specials. The lasagna there is highly recommended. The kitchen is in plain view of the cafÃ?© and the dÃ?©cor is a unique mix of Mexican and Greek artworks and artifacts. They also have family pictures through the cafÃ?© giving it a family friendly feeling.
The Beach
Though Bondi Beach is perhaps one of the most well known of Sydney’s beaches, you may want to instead head to Manly Beach. Manly is less crowded and a bit less touristy. Manly is known mostly as a surfer’s beach but is also a great place for families. If you walk to the far side of Manly Beach you will find a cove that features calmer waters and even less people. The waters off of this beach are clean and crystal clear with breathtaking views all around.
Holiday Spirit
Though there are carols throughout the city, perhaps the best known are the “Carols in the Domain”. This event takes place before Christmas each year at the Royal Botanical Gardens. Many of Australia’s top entertainers gather each year to sing Christmas carols and are backed by the Sydney Youth Orchestra. Each year up to 100,000 people attend. If you are adverse to large crowds you can go the night before and watch the rehearsals.
If you head to Darling Harbour on Christmas Eve you can catch the “Carols on the Bay”. They take place on Darling Harbour’s Aquashell. The Aquashell floats out in the water and guests sit on Cockle Bay Wharf to enjoy the show. During the 2004 event Santa and his elves arrived via jet skis! You can get event information by calling Darling Harbour’s event line at 1 902 260 568.
Nightlife
If you are looking to enjoy some live music while in Sydney, the John Field Band turned out to be a great choice. This band features a male and a female singer as well as an eight-piece backing band and a three-piece brass section. This band plays are variety of jazz, blues and rock tunes that are both covers and originals. The most striking thing about this band is that they are energetic and talented musicians. They take great care to make their show feel like one big party. They are very involved with the crowd and make each and every person feel as if they are a part of the show. They can be found quite regularly playing at Unity Hall in Balmain (phone 02 9810 1331).
