Circular Quay and the Rocks
It’s all bustle and buzz down at Circular Quay, one of the great crossroads of the city. Ferries, trains, buses and light rail bring people from all over Sydney to work and play. This is Sydney’s dress circle, with the Sydney Opera House, Royal Botanic Garden and Sydney Harbour Bridge framing that iconic harbour view. Around the water’s edge are cafes, restaurants and cocktail bars as well as luxury hotels and the striking Museum of Contemporary Art.
Circular Quay
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia
Tucked behind the western edge of Circular Quay you’ll find the maze of cobblestone laneways, century-old terraces and cosy pubs that make up Sydney’s oldest precinct, The Rocks. Think of this as the place where the city of Sydney was born and the soul of that early colony still lives beneath the stones. This is where early settlers put up some of the new colony's first homes and businesses, and you can still find bricks hand-hewn by convicts more than 200 years ago. In among this living history is a thoroughly modern crop of stylish cafes, lively bars, quirky art galleries and chic boutiques.
Circular Quay and The Rocks are always the stars of Vivid Sydney. See the city's most iconic sites, like the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Customs House and the Museum of Contemporary Art illuminated by spectacular light displays. Inside these world-famous venues, Vivid Music and Vivid Ideas will inspire with creativity and innovation. Follow the Light Walk along the waterfront and connect with individual bespoke pieces that tell the story of Vivid Sydney. See the harbour itself become a canvas for the world’s greatest light show.
How to get there: Trains, buses and light rail services from all over the city will take you right into the heart of Circular Quay. You can also catch a ferry from Manly, Taronga Zoo and Luna Park in the north, or along the Parramatta River stopping at Balmain and Barangaroo. The Rocks is just a short and picturesque walk around the waterfront.
