The 21 Most Instagrammable Places In Sydney

Sydney is an iconic Australian city for a reason. A cosmopolitan hub meets breathtaking wonders of nature and endlessly crashing waves. The Opera House and the graceful curve of the Harbour Bridge dominate Sydney Harbour, but there’s just as much joy in exploring the smaller bays and sun-kissed beaches. When we think of Sydney, we think of coastal trails, golden sand beaches, harbour and skyline views.

If you’re looking for an unconventional Sydney itinerary that focuses on amazing natural and quirky urban attractions, this post is for you. We collected the most instagrammable places in Sydney – places that are not only perfect for the gram, but will make you appreciate the unique beauty of Australia’s most picturesque city.

The most iconic Sydney photography spots

There are Sydney Instagram spots that no one wants to miss. Let’s see where to go to get the best view of Sydney’s iconic landmarks and beaches:

Best Sydney Opera House photo spots

The Sydney Opera House is one of the world’s most photographed buildings. You find several different places within the harbour that offer great views and different angles of this icon. The best ones?

view from the Sydney Harbour Bridge

• The Opera Bar: the place for the best close shot. The downside? It’s a very busy spot, and you’ll unlikely to be alone there, unless you go there very (very-very) early.
• Hickson Road Reserve: it’s right opposite of The Opera House, and you have a good chance of taking pictures undisturbed and without a ton of people in it, because the water is behind you.
• Royal Botanic Gardens: from the waterfront walkway in the Royal Botanic Gardens, you get some nice views of the Opera House, framed by the Harbour Bridge.
• The Harbour Bridge: it’s one of the prime Instagram spots in Sydney, offering views of The Opera House, Sydney Harbour and the CBD skyline.
• Milsons Point: on the other side of Harbour Bridge, Milsons Point offers nice views from underneath the bridge and also from next to it. You can experiment with different angles here, and it’s great for sunset and night landscapes, too.

Sydney Opera House view from Milsons Point

Best Sydney Harbour Bridge photo spots

Some of the best photography spots in Sydney are those that treat you with views of both The Opera House, the Harbour and the Harbour Bridge. Like Hickson Road Reserve, Milsons Point Wharf or…

looking at the Sydney skyline from Milsons Point Wharf

Mrs Macquarie’s Point

Mrs Macquarie’s Point is among the most popular Sydney photo locations as it has beautiful views of The Harbour Bridge and The Opera House together in one shot.

However, be mindful of your timing. This place is great for early morning pictures and perfect for sunset (not only to photograph, but also to watch the sunset). But from midday until late afternoon, you’ll face the sun directly if you look in the direction of The Opera House, and it’ll burn out all the colors from your pictures.

Best Sydney skyline views from the ferry

ferry from Pyrmont Bay to Circular Quay

Are you looking for another spot to photograph Sydney and its Opera House from the water? Take one of the public ferries.

The ferry lines from Circular Quay to Manly, Cremorne Point or Watsons Bay treat you with spectacular views of the Opera House and the skyline from different angles. Other ferry lines which take you further into Sydney Harbour have fantastic views of the Harbour Bridge and the CBD, like the ferry that goes to Pyrmont Bay, Cockatoo Island or Parramatta (you don’t need to go all the way to Parramatta, though Sydney ferry rides are undoubtedly scenic).

Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk photo spots

One of the best coastal walks in Sydney is the Bondi to Coogee walk, and the most popular photo locations are:

Bondi Icebergs

Sydney is known for its outdoor ocean pools (also called baths or rock pools), and Bondi Icebergs is among the oldest ones. While most pools are free to enter, this one charges an entrance fee.

However, you don’t actually need to enter to take the best picture of the Bondi Icebergs. Just walk to the end of Notts Avenue where the official trail for the coastal walk is, and it overlooks the pool, set against the sapphire ocean.

Read this, too: Coogee To Bondi Beach Walk

Bondi Beach

Bondi Beach is the most well-known beach in Sydney, and also one of the most popular Sydney photo spots. Fortunately, there’s space to spread out, but you’re unlikely to have a picture on this beach alone, no matter the season.

Waverley Cemetery

One of the strangest cemeteries we’ve ever seen is along the Bondi to Coogee Walk: Waverley Cemetery. It’s a historical cemetery, with wonderful ocean views and palm trees swaying among the tombs. It’s between Clovelly Bay and Bronte Beach, and it’s open to the public, so you can enter and wander around, looking for tombs of famous Australian politicians and writers.

Bronte Beach

Bronte Beach is the prettiest to photograph when you have your first glimpses of it from above as you walk around the headland (from north to south).

Famous Bronte Bath, a free ocean rock pool, is also great for taking pictures of typical Sydney beach life (well, and enjoying the beach life, too!).

Hyde Park and St Mary’s Cathedral

St Mary’s Cathedral and Hyde Park offer you a classical English scene. St Mary’s Cathedral is a large Gothic building, with intricate stained glass windows and soaring spirals.

Archibald Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park, with the cathedral in the background is one of the best photo spots. Another great place to experiment with lights and colors is the ANZAC War Memorial and Reflection Pool. They’re both on your way as you stroll through Hyde Park, anyway, and you can sit on the benches to have a snack, or simply soak in the vibe under the giant fig trees.

Royal Botanic Garden

The Royal Botanic Gardens are among the most popular Instagram worthy places in Sydney. This large, 30 hectares garden is free to visit and is located between the Sydney Opera House and Mrs Macquarie’s Point.

It offers some nice views of the skyline, the bay and the Opera House, but the plants you find there are just as impressive. Lots of giant, old trees from different parts of the world – with a strong focus on Australia and the South Pacific -, different kinds of gardens, like the Pioneer Memorial Garden, the Succulent Garden, the Palace Rose Garden or the Herb Garden.

Government House

Residence of the governor of New South Wales, the Government House is located inside the Royal Botanic Garden and overlooks Sydney Harbour. It was built in 1847 in the Gothic revival style. It’s worth walking around it, see the formal gardens, and you can even visit it on select days.

Don’t miss the enormous fig tree planted next to it:

Taronga Zoo

Taronga Zoo is not only one of the best instagrammable spots in Sydney, but also a favorite destination of local and visiting families. It’s a large zoo that’s home to over 350 species, including a variety of Australian animals. Located on the shores of Sydney Harbour, opposite the CBD and the Opera House, it offers amazing views of them. And you’ll have the chance to photograph giraffes with the Sydney skyline.

And the best way to get to the zoo? Take the ferry from Circular Quay. It’s a short, but very scenic ride, and the Taronga Zoo Wharf itself is a fabulous viewpoint:

The lesser-known instagrammable places in Sydney

Now that we have the popular places out of the way, let’s dig up some lesser-known Sydney spots. Hunting for these gems is my never-ending delight, so I’ll secretly keep adding to this list whenever I find new ones.

George Street

Okay, it’s not a secret, but it’s not that obvious to visitors either. And commuters, do you look up from your phones? George Street, the main street of the Sydney CBD, is surrounded by giant skyscrapers, but you’ll also find some pieces of the classical architecture styles.

The Strand Arcade is a shopping center that’s located in a heritage-listed Victorian-style building:

The 19^th-century Queen Victoria Building is home to another shopping mall. The style matches with Sydney Town Hall and St. Andrew’s Cathedral just opposite it.

Angel Place

Angel Place is a narrow laneway, just off George Street, and it looks like it’s made to be photographed:

The bird cages you can see here are the Forgotten Songs, and they commemorate the songs of birds once heard in central Sydney – or more precisely, the place which was not yet central Sydney -, before they were forced out by the growing city. The bird songs change as day shifts to night.

Pyrmont Bridge in Darling Harbour

view from Pyrmont Bridge

Pyrmont Bridge is one of the loveliest bridges in Sydney, spanning 369 meters. It’s one of the oldest surviving electrically-operated wingspan bridges in the world (originally opened in 1902), functioning as a pedestrian bridge today. It offers wonderful views over Cockle Bay, Port Jackson and the CBD.

You’ll find it hard to take your camera down when strolling Pyrmont Bridge. I still find it hard, even though I did it more times than I can count. But the tones and colors are so different in the different times of the day, or in different weather. The worst weather for taking pictures is – as usual – the middle of a bright, cloudless summer day, because colors will fade in the harsh sunlight. On the other hand, winter sunsets are my favorites to photograph.

Read this, too: 12 Best Things To Do In Darling Harbour, Sydney

Cahill Walkway

It’s not one spot, but one of the most beautiful urban walks in Sydney. It connects The Royal Botanic Garden with Milsons Point, including the Sydney Harbour Bridge walk which is the northern portion of the Cahill Walk. Most people know this part, but then the path continues along the Cahill Expressway on a fenced pedestrian walkway, offering close views of the skyline and the best views over Circular Quay.

You can access the Cahill Expressway just outside the Northern Depot Gate of the Royal Botanic Gardens, from the eastern side of Circular Quay (via elevator), and also from the end of Gloucester Street in the Rocks (via an accessible ramp).

Cremorne Point

Cremorne Point is a neighborhood and a peninsula that sits on Sydney Harbour between Shell Cove and Mosman Bay. The Cremorne Point Wharf is only a 10 minute (very scenic) ferry ride from Circular Quay, and then the Cremorne Point Walk treats you with even more great views of the Sydney skyline, Mosman Bay and the serene cove.

The Cremorne Point Walk is a 3 km foreshore circuit trail. It’s very easy, and I’m proof that you can even walk around when pushing a stroller (though there are a few steps on the way where you need to carry it, so I wouldn’t call it exactly stroller-friendly). Maccallum pool is on the way, and it’s one excellent free ocean pool, with perfect skyline views. Give it a try on a hot summer day.

Mosman Bay

Instead of getting off at Cremorne Point, you can take the ferry all the way to Mosman Bay. Either way, the Cremorne Point to Mosman Bay Walk is a picturesque, easy harbourside walk, with unforgettable views of tranquil Mosman Bay, the Sydney skyline and the harbour.

Hornby Lighthouse

The attraction is not only the lighthouse here, but also the scenic walk from Watsons Bay to Hornby Lighthouse which is about 2.8 km.

Hornby Lighthouse is part of Sydney Harbour National Park and was built in 1858, being the third oldest lighthouse in New South Wales. With red-white stripes it looks like a giant candy, and it stands proud at South Head, offering amazing views of Sydney Harbour to the west, Middle Head and North Head to the north, and the endless Pacific Ocean to the east. If you visit at the right time of the year (between May and October), you can spot migrating whales.

Barrenjoey Lighthouse Walk, Northern Beaches

Barrenjoey Lighthouse is a nice excuse to hike up to Barrenjoey Head, where you can enjoy some of the best coastal panoramas in Sydney. Barrenjoey Head is at the northernmost tip of the Northern Beaches, and the trail leading up there offers breathtaking vistas.

It’s short and steep, and the best views are about halfway up the Smugglers Track, from several rock platforms just off to the side. But the lighthouse and the top of the headland offer lovely views, too. You can make the hike a loop by returning on the wider and more gentle Access Trail.

The views of Palm Beach to the left, Broken Bay to the right and the tiny, green peninsula in between are iconic, making Barrenjoey Head one of the most photographed viewpoints in Sydney. It’s a good whale-watching viewpoint (in season), as well, and we often saw playful dolphins down in the bay.

UTS Business School along The Goods Line

The Goods Line is one of the not so well-known cool places in Sydney. It’s an abandoned train track turned into a nice walkway and attractive outdoor space. It connects Central Station and Darling Harbour, and offers lovely urban views.

But the most impressive sight? The Business School of the University of Technology Sydney, designed by Frank Gehry. It looks like a giant squashed brown paper bag – how could you not find it amazing?! I’m certainly obsessed with these kinds of quirky, modern buildings.

Wendy’s Secret Garden in Lavender Bay

A lush green, pretty and somewhat hidden public garden is Wendy’s Secret Garden in Lavender Bay. It was created by Wendy Whiteley after the loss of her husband, and it offers wonderful views of the harbour, and lots of peaceful spots to sit and soak in the vibe of this enchanted garden.

Berrys Bay Lookout, Berrys Bay

Now here’s a viewpoint where you rarely find other tourists, but locals like walking there, taking a book with them on a sunny day. The short trail to Berrys Bay Lookout starts in Carradah Park. It’s a well-established pathway, with several lookout platforms that have great views over Sydney and the harbour. They’re amazing at any time of the day or night.

It’s about a 10 minutes walk from the Waverton train station. The closest ferry wharf is at McMahons Point, and you find another spectacular, barely known park while walking there…

Sawmillers Reserve, Balls Head Bay

The Sawmillers Reverse was once home to a timber mill, and you can still see some relics from those days. I found the wrecked Maritime Services board hopper barge the most exciting, especially with the Sydney skyline as a backdrop.

Blues Point Reserve

Blues Point Reserve is a few steps away from McMahons Point, featuring spectacular views of the Sydney skyline, the harbour and the Harbour Bridge. The walkway is short, but beautiful, and you find picnic benches and a maritime-themed playground. Or you can simply put down a blanket in the grass, lie down and read a book, glancing at your impressive surroundings from time to time.

Stop to admire the giant Moreton Bay fig trees. And get there on a scenic ferry ride from either Circular Quay or Darling Harbour.

Fairy Bower Rock Pool, Manly

Sydney has more rock pools than you can count, but the Fairy Bower Rock Pool is a particularly pretty one. Though it’s small, it has a rectangular shape and is set along the scenic walk from Manly Beach to Shelly Beach.

Narrabeen Head Lookout, Northern Beaches

The Northern Beaches have quite a few picturesque lookouts from the headlands between the beaches. None will disappoint, but the Narrabeen Head Lookout is especially memorable, because it has a view of the long Narrabeen-Collaroy Beach and the Narrabeen Lagoon.

Sydney photography tips

Finally, some general tips for the best photos:

• The most famous instagrammable spots in Sydney can get very, very busy. So try to arrive early to take pictures undisturbed.
• The sun in Australia is brutal! No matter what you do, your pictures are guaranteed to be ruined by the harsh light in the middle of the day, especially in the summer. If you’d like to get nice, soft photos, aim for early morning or late afternoon.
• Having a winter visit? You’re in luck. I noticed a shocking difference in my pictures taken in winter vs in summer. Winter days are shorter and lights are softer – and it results in beautiful colors and lights in the pictures. Winter sunsets can also be much more colorful.