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Sydney, one of the world’s best-loved and well-reputed cities, offers an enviable range of entertainments and attractions to the visitor, reflecting the dynamism and broad cultural life of Australia’s only true metropolis.

Before visiting Sydney, simply because there is so much to do and see, a realistic time schedule should be made, giving allowance for travelling times between sights, so as not to miss out on getting the best you can from the city; by getting lost or realising that you surrendered to the temptation to spend the whole day in Taronga zoo, for example, you may kick yourself for missing out on watching the sunset from Darling harbour.

On arrival, it is worth going directly to the centre, where information centres and tourism kiosks can help the visitor.

From central Sydney one can see the city's iconic bay in the setting of the circular quay, as there are ferry rides around the harbour every day. The ride gives a perfect view of Sydney Harbour Bridge and the iconic, world-famous Royal Opera House- perfect for photographs. The trip only takes half an hour but, if you would like to spend a little more time exploring the area, there are harbour cruises available with the added advantage of commentary throughout the ride, granting an insight into the dramatic history of the area. Although the cruises may cost a little more, they are perfect for people who don't know the area very well, or for Sydneysiders who want to see their city in a new context.

Away from the central city, one can visit Sydney’s most prized, and popular, natural resource: its world-class beaches.

 Sydney has several to choose from: Shelly Beach, for example, is just a short walk from Manly wharf, not far from the harbour and is filled with rock art, diving zones, free barbeque and picnic areas, and a set of cliff tops
which offer picturesque views out to sea. Its waves make it a popular destination for young surfers, as does its warm water and its daily fill of scantily-clad men and women.

Elsewhere, Bondi beach is the most internationally famous beach in Sydney. Regularly frequented and often crowded, it is the venue of shows, plays, and a shop-filled pavilion. Bondi beach has a local reputation for being popular with the ‘muso’ and ‘alternative’ crowd of the city, and for fans of this, it represents a colourful location full of character and interest.

 Another beach to visit in Sydney is Palm Beach located at the end of the peninsular. The beach offers an array of activities and attractions to visit. One can hire boats, go on a trek up to the Palm Beach Lighthouse, take a sea plane over Sydney harbour with a thrilling water landing back at the beach, and enjoy the views of the neighbouring Whale beach.

Neighbouring Bigola beach is near Palm Beach, and is another great find. Surrounded by bush, it is much quieter than a lot of commercial beaches, and has an ocean pools if the waves become a bit too strong for those with families.

Away from the ocean, for people with children, or just those drawn to Australia for its kaleidoscopic range of local fauna and flora, Sydney’s animal parks and Zoos are guaranteed to delight. The most famous, Taronga Zoo, just a short ferry ride from the wharf at Circular Quay, is justly-regarded as one of the best zoos in the world.  It has hundreds of animals all in one place, ranging from birds to beasts, tapirs to tarantulas; and a special Children’s Zoo filled with farm-yard animals that can be fed and petted.

 Sydney also has a number of national parks, wild life reserves, and sanctuaries, where you can see native birds, kangaroos, and koalas. Most of them include picnic areas, so you can enjoy your lunch while viewing and listening to the timeless, primal song of the wildlife of Australia's bush. Those considered the best are: Brents basin state conservation area, Excelsior Reserve, Oceanworld Manly, Centennial Parklands and Koala Park Sanctuary, amongst dozens of others.

Fully worthy of a visit also is Sydney's underwater counterpart to Taronga, the Sydney Aquarium: one of the largest aquariums in the world, and a world-class sea-life destination.  A startling array of animals are to be seen everywhere as you walk through glass tunnels and exhibits, including  fish from the great barrier reef, rays, platypus, penguins, and great white  sharks. With a range of options to view the animals, including a behind the scenes tour, you can explore the enviable sea life of Australia in as much depth as you desire. It is a good family venue, with children’s needs especially well looked after by staff and is an excellent way to encourage curiosity about our underwater cousins with whom we share the planet.

Returning to world of modern Homo sapiens, Sydney’s well-known Open Air Cinema is another must. The Open Air Cinema, close to Mrs Macquarie’s Chair in the Royal Botanic Gardens, is the most expensive, prestigious and popular outdoor cinemas in Sydney. With a drink in hand, big screen with the Sydney City Skyline, Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge as a backdrop it is hard to beat. If the movie is getting dull just watch the fruit bats fly off to feed or admire Sydney at its best – at night. Sadly, the Open Air Cinema is only open during the summer.

For the thrill-seeking, red-blooded visitor there is the Sydney Tower. Suspended over Sydney Tower's edge you will experience sensational 360 degree views of Sydney. At a height of 260 metres above street level, Sydney Tower is the same height as the Eiffel Tower. Being twice as high as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, this is one of the best views in town.

For the more conservative tourist two other great destinations are worthy of note. The first, The Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney is a beautiful park on the foreshore of the Harbour that showcases 30 hectares of varied Australian flora in a central setting.

A walk through the Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens at dusk is a particularly recommended experience, as the resident flying foxes (estimated at some 20,000 plus) hunt and screech overhead.

Not far is the famous Sydney Opera house, in circular quay. Australia’s single most iconic building, built in 1973, and photographed endlessly ever since. Its prominent setting on Bennelong Point makes it a highly visible landmark.  To fully appreciate the UNESCO world heritage site, one can a guided tour, or book an opera or symphony, or see any of the many arts events available at the complex all throughout the year.

Not far, Sydney’s Harbour Bridge is the world's largest, but not the longest, steel arch bridge. The Length of arch span is 503 metres, while the total length is 1149 metres. Worth viewing from Circular Quay, but far less worthy of a pedestrian visit (for obvious reasons), it gracefully frames the seaward view from the opera house, and looks spectacular at night.

Sydney, like so many other world megacities contains an embarrassment of riches: it is almost impossible to enumerate all worthwhile tourist spots in full, and those mentioned in this article are only to most standout destinations. There are so many more, both well-known and quietly recognised across the length and breadth of this great metropolis; having visited its more widely-known jewels the best way to experience Sydney’s other offerings is through first-hand, on-the-ground exploration.

This is a guest post by Shane Arden who writes about travelling for clients such as Etihad Airways who offer flights to Sydney.

Holiday makers and travellers will be able to enjoy another extra long bank holiday weekend in 2012 due to another Royal party. This year we got the extra long double bank holiday because of the Royal Wedding and now next year it looks like the same will be happening again!

The Whitsunday bank holiday has been moved back by one week and an extra day has been added to create a four-day weekend.So book early for any holidays you plan to take int he first week of June!

It is one of Canada’s most funky, hip, and multicultural cities. Rock concerts, street festivals, exhibitions, and big-ticket sports events fill the city with excitement, which is calmed by the peaceful greenery of the leafy ravines in this “city within a park”.

Wondering what to do during a visit to the big T.O.? Here are some great ideas of what’s hot in Toronto:

·        Taste An Exotic Dish

Toronto’s diverse atmosphere comes from the harmonious blend of different cultures that have come here from far and wide. One of out every two Torontonians was born outside of Canada, and the city has many settled communities from China, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Jamaica, Poland and more. You can eat your way around the world at the many ethnic restaurants, no matter what you are craving.

·        Laugh Your Face off

Many would argue that Canada’s two most significant cultural exports are hockey and comedy. Toronto holds many opportunities to sample the second one, with comedy venues all over the city. Check out the famous Second City, the oldest in Toronto. Also, catch a show at the Bad Dog Theatre, which specializes in improvisational comedy and was an early venue for famous Canadian funny men Mike Myers and Colin Mochrie.

·        Get Your Party On

Toronto is home to one of the most concentrated party scenes in the world, the Entertainment District. You will find yourself among over 30,000 clubbers on any given Saturday night, dancing in the sparkling lights of Republik or sipping champagne at C Lounge. There is a club for every taste in Toronto, and you are guaranteed to have a night to remember.

·        Get Naked on the Beach

If you want to avoid tan lines when enjoying the heat of a Toronto summer, take the Toronto Island Ferry over to Hanlan’s Point Beach, where you are allowed to sunbathe in the nude. Even if you are not in the mood to strip down, the Toronto Islands are not to be missed, with a lovely view of the skyline and great trails for cycling and even an amusement park.

·        Explore the City on Foot

Toronto is one of the cities where you can set off from your hotel and simply walk in a random direction and discover something fun and fascinating. There are so many different eclectic neighbourhoods to explore. If you want to stroll in the fresh air and leafy green shade of a park, check out the Edwards Gardens and the Toronto Botanical Gardens. There are also several companies who offer walking tours, such as Toronto Urban Adventures who have a “Beer Makes History Better” tour which will take you through the history of Toronto’s brewery industry.

·        Rock Out at the Rogers Centre

A fun thing to do while you are in Toronto is to watch a live concert, football game, baseball game, or other event at this massive stadium. The Rogers Centre, formerly known as the Skydome, is a Toronto landmark and one of the first buildings of its kind to have a fully-retractable roof and a 348 room hotel attached to it with 70 rooms overlooking the field. It holds many exciting events throughout the year, such as conventions, funfairs and monster truck shows.

To find more local events and festivals, check out the local newspaper and magazines or simply ask a friendly Torontonian. It’s not hard to find something to do in the city of Toronto, because this hip metropolis is always buzzing with fascinating activities.

It is also quite easy to get into and around Toronto. You can fly there and land at Toronto Pearson International Airport with companies like Etihad Airways and once you have arrived in the city you can get around on the public transit system, which is the third biggest system in North America after New York City and Mexico City.