Once the Contest was finished in Narrabeen Sierra and I decided to take a couple of days to go enjoy the city of Sydney. I've spent a tiny bit of time in Sydney, but I was especially excited to adventure the city with Sierra on her first time in Australia. Narrabeen is out on the northern beaches of Sydney and it's only a short trip into the heart of the city. We drove over to Manly, parked our car, and walked over to the ferry terminal there. In my opinion, this is the most enjoyable and easiest way to get into Sydney from the northern beaches area. The ferry ride over is super beautiful and a great way to see the city from the water. The views of the Opera House, Bridge, and city are incredible. Once at the terminal in the city, it's a short uber or taxi ride to just about anywhere in the city you want to go.
The view from just near the ferry terminal as you get to the city!
The harbor is so cool. It's nestled right up against the skyscrapers, the opera house, and the Sydney bridge. Every time I pull in on the ferry I can't help but be in awe of the set up of the city.
From the Harbor we took a quick Uber over to the QT hotel where we stayed. It's a boutique hotel in the CBD area of Sydney. It has a very unique vibe embracing Art Deco and theatre in their design and feel. From the hotel we could walk just about anywhere we wanted.
The room at the QT. Super cool!!
Our first stop from the QT was a highly recommended Italian food place called Ragazzi. We called ahead and made a booking for a late lunch, which was the only time we could get. When we walked in we were greeted by a small bustling restaurant and an array of amazing smells that reminded me of Italy. We enjoyed a dirty martini with beef tartare and tuna crudo to start, all of which was fantastic. Next up we shared three INSANE pasta dishes. All of the noodles were homemade and cooked to perfection and the sauces were super creative and tasty. The favorite was a bow tie type pasta that was served in a green sauce with fresh crab meat. It was so yummy. I washed down the pastas with a couple of glasses of a Vermentino (my favorite Italian white wine). The wine list was extensive and filled with wines from all over Italy. Our experience at Ragazzi was epic and led to a fun slightly buzzed afternoon of wandering the streets of the CBD district.
Two dirty martinis to start an epic meal at Ragazzi.
AMAZING ravioli with a very light mushroom sauce. The homemade pasta and creative sauces were delicious.
After popping in and out of shops in the CBD district we made it back to the QT hotel just in time for a quick shower before a dinner reservation at Gowings Bistro in the QT. Gowings had a very American bistro vibe to it and the food was super tasty. The favorite was definitely Ragazzi though!
Our Next day we enjoyed wondering around the Rocks area. The Rocks area is filled with traditional buildings and is one of Sydney's oldest historical areas. The streets are small and meander through cafes, restaurants, and pubs. We enjoyed a good breakfast and coffee before stumbling on a really cool outdoor market where locals were selling mostly handmade goods. We met some really nice people and bought a few goodies including some jewelry, a few crystals, and a birthday present for my dad.
All in all we had an amazing time in Sydney. It was a short two night stay, but it was so fun to unplug from the beach for a few days and get some city life! What I love most about Sydney is how easy it is to get around the city. Everything is super close together, the city is really clean, and the people are friendly. I look forward to coming back sometime soon!!!!
Riding the Ferry back and enjoying the view of the Iconic Opera House.