Hotels near Circular Quay and the Harbour Foreshore

Circular Quay is the transport and sightseeing hub of Sydney, sitting in the curved inlet between the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. Ferries depart from here to Manly, Taronga Zoo, Watsons Bay, and Parramatta. The train station sits directly behind the wharves, making it the most connected point in the city. The quay's foreshore promenade is lined with buskers, restaurants, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA) at the western end - the MCA has free permanent exhibitions and an excellent rooftop cafe.

Walking the full semicircular foreshore from the Opera House to the MCA takes about 15 minutes and is the quintessential Sydney experience. First Fleet Park, in the middle of the quay, has interpretive panels about the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788. Customs House (free entry) at the southern end has a scale model of the Sydney CBD built into the floor and a public library upstairs.

Pro Tip: The MCA rooftop cafe has one of the best free views in Sydney - Opera House on one side, Harbour Bridge on the other. Order a flat white and sit outside. No museum ticket needed for the cafe.