Sydney Walking Tour: Uncover Australian History with Expert Guide
5.0
112 Ratings
Sydney
Uncover the rich history of Sydney on a small-group walking tour led by an expert guide. Explore iconic attractions, learn about Australian history and culture, and enjoy a drink with stunning views.
Duration:
3 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Customs House - We start at Customs House where you’ll see a scale model of all of Sydney and where we will walk (approx 4km / 2.5 miles). You’ll also learn some Aboriginal place names for parts of Sydney and explore the new precinct immediately behind Customs House.
- The Mint - We walk past the “Rum Hospital”, which now consists of NSW Parliament, the Sydney Hospital and the Mint.
- Hyde Park Barracks - We will stop outside Hyde Park Barracks as you hear the story of its construction and infamous architect. We do not enter the Barracks.
- Royal Botanic Garden Sydney - We will briefly enter the Royal Botanic Gardens to see the location of the former Garden Palace and Governor Phillip Fountain.
- Queen Victoria Building (QVB) - We will briefly enter the Queen Victoria Building, but mainly just to see it and for any guests to use the bathrooms.
- St. Mary’s Cathedral - We stop in Hyde Park where you will get a great view of St Mary’s Cathedral. We do not enter the cathedral or go up close to it (approximately 50 metres from the building).
- General Post Office (GPO) Sydney - We will stop in Martin Place and Pitt St to look at the General Post Office and hear the story of its controversial construction and design.
- Martin Place - We will stop in Martin Place to hear about the ANZAC Cenotaph and Australia’s involvement in World War 1.
- The Rocks - We will walk through part of The Rocks towards the end of the tour, visiting the Nurses Walk, Jack Mundey Place and lower George St.
- Sydney Opera House - We will see the Opera House from where we finish the tour and at Campbell’s Cove. We do not enter the Opera House but you will hear the story of its construction.
- Sydney Harbour Bridge - We will see the Sydney Harbour Bridge from where the tour finishes. We do not get up on the bridge as part of the tour, but it is a short walk from the end point.
What's Included
- Group photos
- 1 small glass of craft beer (or soft drink or juice) Served for 18 years old and above.
- Map with recommendations
- Snacks
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
Additional Information
Discover the story of Sydney on this expert-led small-group walking tour, while hitting all of the city’s main attractions.
Perfect for those who have just arrived, as well as locals and those who want to go deeper in learning about Australian history, culture, society & First Nations people.
Starting from Customs House, you’ll hear about Sydney’s colonisation by the British
Your guide will provide you with a range of perspectives on Sydney’s development, introducing Aboriginal people, British governors, convicts & entrepreneurs, and other multicultural migrants.
You’ll finish with a beer at a popular brewery with views of the Bridge, the Opera House and Sydney Harbour. Over a drink, your host will give you further tips and recommendations to make your time in Sydney special
Walk the streets in a small group so you’re not fighting to see & hear your guide or stay on the footpath.
- Must be able to comfortably walk 4km over 3 hours
- Tour not recommended for children under 12 years of age as it involves 3 hours of stories and significant walking (4km)
- Not recommended for travels uncomfortable walking 4km
Location
31 Alfred St
Alfred Street
We meet in front of Customs House, beside the steps and access ramp (on the right hand side as you face Customs House).
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(112 Ratings)
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Candidtravelers
Apr 21, 2024
Highly recommend this tour! - This tour was the perfect way to start the few days we had in Sydney after disembarking from our cruise ship. Justin is an enthusiastic Sydney expert and the route and his narration gave us a very good sense of Sydney (past and present), as well as orienting us for further exploration on our own. Our tour started near the ferry terminal (near our hotel) and ended (brilliant!) at a brewery/bar. We highly recommend Justin and Local Sauce Tours.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sams6516
Apr 16, 2024
Knowledgeable guide - Perfect to get to know Sydney. Michael did a great job bringing to a wide range of interesting places, explaining them all with fun nuggets of information along the way.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dmshackley
Apr 15, 2024
Great Tour - Really enjoyable and informative tour, Michael was very knowledgeable and accommodating to everyone in the group.
This was our second visit to Sydney and although we’d seen some of the points of interest before it was good to learn about them and understand their significance.
Would definitely recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Barbarae940
Apr 13, 2024
Great Way to Start Your Holiday in Sydney. - Justin and Daniel were very personable, fun and informative. The confirmation included all the information I needed and Justin was very helpful in answering any other questions I had afterwards via email. The ANZAC cookies and beverage at the end were the icing on the cake! I've never been on a tour that ended in such a friendly manner - sitting together, sharing a drink and a chat. Thanks, guys, for a great experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jerrywc8737hb
Apr 13, 2024
Three Hours Well Spent - We spent 3+ hours walking the streets of Sydney with Justin. He was extremely knowledgeable and had a comfortable way of communicating his knowledge of the sights and history of Sydney. During our tour he offered suggestions for places we might want to spend more time and where we might find good food and drink. A final touch of the tour was a local beverage at a harbor restaurant and bar.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Relax28507
Apr 13, 2024
Andrew make the history walking tour enjoyable! - History walking tour is never my thing but Andrew make it fun and we enjoy enjoy this trip… we end up having a beet at the harbor and Andrew gave us some suggestion about the afternoon activity and it’s easy to follow.. highly recommended this tour with Andrew!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jaynes2013
Apr 9, 2024
Super interesting tour - An excellent tour of Sydney. Lots of historical information was shared plus interesting stories about the streets and buildings. Justin and Dan answered lots of questions and it felt like a persondd as listed tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bluescotch
Apr 7, 2024
Outstanding Tour of Historical Sites in Sydney - I’ve done walking tours in many cities around the world and I have to say the tour I took with Justin and Local Sauce was absolutely one of the best of any city. Highly informative, I learned a lot about Australian history and culture. It also was very well organized, following an easy to understand chronological set of stories while walking from site to site. Just the right mix of walking and stories. It covered a lot of ground in the three hours, wrapping up on the waterfront in the Rocks. I highly recommend this tour, it was one of the true highlights of my trip to Sydney!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chasjill66
Apr 7, 2024
Excellent walking tour! - Fantastic tour by Justin! Thank you Justin for a delightful afternoon! You were a wonderful guide! And, so knowledgeable! We throughly enjoyed it & highly recommend people to book this tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maria_m
Apr 6, 2024
Great tour of Sydney highlights! - Justin was an incredible tour guide! Very knowledgeable about the history & culture of the city. He made it very interesting & we learned a lot. It is 3 hours of walking, so be prepared. We were not rushed but there isn’t a lot of time to stop & take leisurely photos. It’s a great tour if you have a limited amount of time, as we did. It’s also a great initial tour for a visit since Justin highlights many places to go back to & spend more time. Highly recommend this tour!
Review provided by Viator
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