Australia pairs ancient landscapes with inventive cities. Sydney brims with maritime history, legendary architecture, and surf culture, while Cairns opens the door to the World Heritage–listed Great Barrier Reef and tropical rainforests. In one week, you’ll sample both: glittering harbour views and coastal walks down south, then coral gardens and island time up north.

Indigenous Australians have lived on this continent for at least 60,000 years; Sydney sits on Gadigal land of the Eora Nation, and Cairns on Gimuy Walubara Yidinji Country. Today’s must-sees include the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, the Blue Mountains’ eucalyptus haze, and the reef’s kaleidoscopic fish and coral. Expect outstanding coffee, fresh seafood, and an outdoor lifestyle that moves with the sun.

Practical notes: Australia runs on tap-and-go payments and excellent public transport in major cities (get an Opal card in Sydney). Sunscreen, hats, and refillable water bottles are essential. Reef tours are weather dependent; seas can be choppy in trade-wind seasons, so plan accordingly and take motion-sickness tablets if needed.

Sydney

Australia’s oldest city is a grand amphitheatre around a drowned river valley—better known as Sydney Harbour. Ferries glide past Fort Denison, kayakers skim secluded coves, and a white-sailed Opera House crowns it all. By day, stroll sandstone streets in The Rocks and swim at Bondi; by night, chase small bars and waterfront sunsets.

Top sights span the Harbour Bridge Pylon Lookout, Royal Botanic Garden, Art Gallery of NSW, and the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk. Food-wise, Sydney excels at mod Asian, Italian with wood-fired flair, and a coffee culture that borders on obsession.

• Where to stay (Sydney): Splurge on harbourfront views at Park Hyatt Sydney or go midrange at Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour. Budget travelers love heritage views at Sydney Harbour YHA or social vibes at Wake Up! Sydney. Compare more stays: VRBO Sydney | Hotels.com Sydney.
• Getting there: Fly into SYD using Trip.com flights or Kiwi.com. The Airport Link train reaches the CBD in ~13 minutes; taxis/ride-shares take ~25–35 minutes depending on traffic.
• Featured Sydney activities (Viator):

Sydney Opera House Official Guided Walking Tour — step backstage stories and architectural secrets.

Sydney Harbour Sunset Dinner Cruise — dining with postcard views as the city lights glow.

Blue Mountains Small-Group Tour with Scenic World, Zoo & Ferry — award-winning day trip with lookouts, wildlife, and river return.

Sydney Harbour Scenic Helicopter Flight — a 20-minute cinematic flyover of bridge, beaches, and bays.

Day 1: Arrival, Circular Quay & Opera House

Afternoon: Land in Sydney and ride the Airport Link to Circular Quay. Drop bags and stretch your legs around the Royal Botanic Garden, where Mrs Macquarie’s Chair frames the Opera House and Harbour Bridge in one perfect photo.

Evening: Join the Opera House Guided Walking Tour to hear how Jorn Utzon’s radical design nearly never happened. Dine nearby: try Cantonese banquets and dim sum at Mr. Wong (duck is legendary) or wood-fired pizza and pasta at Via Napoli in Lane Cove (bookings recommended). For a nightcap, sip martinis at Maybe Sammy, voted among the world’s best bars.

Day 2: Historic Rocks, Harbour Views & Bondi to Coogee

Morning: Coffee at Single O (Surry Hills) for fruit-forward espresso, then wander The Rocks’ sandstone lanes and weekend markets (Sat–Sun). Climb the Harbour Bridge Pylon Lookout for a crowd-free skyline panorama.

Afternoon: Ride to Bondi and tackle the Bondi-to-Coogee Coastal Walk: sandstone cliffs, ocean pools, and resident water dragons. Lunch at Bondi Icebergs Club bistro (without the white tablecloth prices) or Hall St’s Fishbowl for a lighter poke bowl. Grab gelato at Messina Bondi.

Evening: Board the Sydney Harbour Sunset Dinner Cruise from Darling Harbour. Before sailing, pre-dinner oysters at the Darling Quarter precinct; after, wander the Barangaroo foreshore for late drinks at Barangaroo House.

Day 3: Blue Mountains Day Trip (Full Day)

Join the award-winning Blue Mountains Small-Group Tour with Scenic World, Zoo & Ferry. Expect a Featherdale/Sydney Zoo stop for close-up koalas and kangaroos, Echo Point views of the Three Sisters, and Scenic World’s glass-bottomed skyway and steep railway. A Parramatta River ferry glides you back to the city by golden hour. Pre-tour breakfast at Bourke Street Bakery (Surry Hills) — get the lamb and harissa sausage roll. Back in town, feast on Malaysian roti and satay at Mamak in Chinatown or northern Chinese noodles at Xi’an Biang Biang.

Day 4: Art, Ferries & Beaches (Optional Helicopter)

Morning: Start with pour-overs at Edition Roasters (Haymarket) and see the reimagined Art Gallery of NSW with its light-filled contemporary wing. Stroll the Domain to Mrs Macquarie’s Road for harbour views.

Afternoon: Take the public ferry to Manly — a mini cruise past Kirribilli and Middle Head. Swim at Manly Beach or the sheltered Shelly Beach; lunch at The Boathouse Shelly Beach for grilled fish and crisp salads.

Evening: Splurge on the Sydney Harbour Scenic Helicopter Flight at golden hour. Prefer ground level? Try yakitori and sake at Chaco Bar, then classic whisky at The Baxter Inn.

Cairns

Welcome to Tropical North Queensland, gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and ancient rainforests. Cairns hums along a palm-lined esplanade with evening markets, sea breezes, and a free lagoon pool; offshore lie coral cays and sea turtles, and inland, waterfalls and platypus streams.

It’s compact, casual, and outdoorsy. Days begin with strong espresso and end with seafood by the marina. The reef is the headline act, but don’t overlook Green Island’s clear shallows or the rainforest village of Kuranda, reached by historic rail and a forest-skimming gondola.

• Where to stay (Cairns): Marina access and sunrise views at Shangri-La The Marina, Cairns. Social, central and budget-friendly at Gilligan's Backpacker Hotel & Resort. Family-friendly cabins and pools at Cairns Coconut Holiday Resort. More options: VRBO Cairns | Hotels.com Cairns.
• Getting from Sydney to Cairns: Fly SYD→CNS (~3 hrs) from ~US$120–250 one-way; search on Trip.com or Kiwi.com. Cairns Airport is ~10–15 minutes from the CBD by taxi/shuttle (about A$25–35).
• Featured Cairns activities (Viator):

Great Barrier Reef Snorkeling and Diving Cruise (Osprey) — fast superyacht, multiple outer reef sites, and 5+ hours in the water.

Green Island Snorkel or Glass-Bottom Boat — flexible half-day option with lifeguard-patrolled beaches and clear shallows.

Day 5: Fly to Cairns, Esplanade & Night Markets

Morning: Fly Sydney to Cairns (~3 hours) using Trip.com or Kiwi.com. Check into your hotel and cool off in the free Cairns Esplanade Lagoon.

Afternoon: Coffee at Caffiend (laneway spot known for house-made almond milk) and browse tropical produce at Rusty’s Markets (Fri–Sun) — try fresh mango, finger limes, and sugarcane juice. If you’ve energy, the Cairns Aquarium offers a great primer on reef species.

Evening: Dinner on the water at Prawn Star (trawlers serving buckets of chilled prawns and bugs) or modern native ingredients at Ochre (crocodile spring rolls, kangaroo sirloin, Davidson plum desserts). Drinks at Hemingway’s Brewery on the marina boardwalk.

Day 6: Great Barrier Reef Cruise (Full Day)

Spend the day on the outer reef with the Great Barrier Reef Snorkeling and Diving Cruise. You’ll visit two or three sites, enjoy guided snorkel tours, and have the option to try an introductory dive (conditions permitting). Expect clear bommies, parrotfish, and maybe a turtle or reef shark. Pack reef-safe sunscreen, a rashie, and motion-sickness tablets if you’re prone.

Day 7: Green Island Morning & Departure

Morning: Take the early boat to Green Island with the half-day snorkel or glass-bottom tour. It’s perfect if your flight departs mid- to late afternoon — shallow coral gardens, calm water, and lifeguards. Rent snorkel gear or ride the glass-bottom boat for a relaxed view of the coral.

Afternoon: Quick lunch on the marina (Waterbar & Grill for steaks or Perrotta’s for salads and pastas), pick up last-minute gifts at the Night Markets (open from midday), then head to the airport.

Evening: Fly onward with a phone full of reef blues and harbour sunsets.

Where to eat and drink (quick picks)

• Sydney coffee/breakfast: Single O (Surry Hills) for filter flights; The Grounds of the City for old-world café vibes; Devon Cafe for Japanese-inspired brunch (try the “Devon’s Hotcakes”).
• Sydney lunch: Spice Alley (budget Asian hawker stalls), Mary’s (Newtown) for cult burgers, Iggy’s Bread (Bronte) for takeaway sandwiches en route to the beach.
• Sydney dinner: Mr. Wong (Cantonese), Totti’s (Bondi; wood-fired bread, antipasti), Hubert (French bistro and live jazz downstairs).
• Cairns coffee/breakfast: Caffiend (house-made nut milks), Bang & Grind (robust espresso and eggs), Sipping Duck (local roastery).
• Cairns lunch: Rusty’s Markets bites (Fri–Sun), Salt House (marina views, seafood), Sushi Train (casual, fast, fresh).
• Cairns dinner: Ochre (native ingredients), Prawn Star (boat-fresh seafood), Iyara (riverside Thai classics).

Logistics & tips

• Intercity travel: SYD→CNS morning flight (~3 hrs). Expect A$120–A$250 one-way in economy; check Trip.com and Kiwi.com for sales.
• Weather/what to pack: Sydney is temperate; bring a light layer for nights. Cairns is tropical: breathable clothing, hat, reef-safe sunscreen, and insect repellent.
• Safety & etiquette: Swim between flags at patrolled beaches; sun is intense even on cloudy days. Respect Country — many landmarks have deep cultural significance.

Alternative/extra day ideas (if you extend): swap Day 7’s Green Island for the full-day Grand Kuranda including Skyrail and Kuranda Scenic Railway, or in Sydney add a Hop-on Hop-off Bus loop for easy beach access.

In one week you’ve traced a classic Australia route: Sydney’s sandstone coves and ocean pools, towering cliffs in the Blue Mountains, and an immersion in the Great Barrier Reef from tropical Cairns. It’s a highlights reel designed for first-timers — with enough local flavour to feel like you’ve truly arrived.