Our most recommended things to do in Darlinghurst, Sydney

Sydney: Half-Day City Tour

1. Sydney: Half-Day City Tour

Explore the highlights of Sydney on a 4-hour tour that can be the perfect kick-start to your time in the city. See the hot spots and tourist icons with an expert guide who will provide you with all the information you need as a first time visitor. Learn where the best beaches are located and how to discover the nicest walks in the city and surrounding area. Hear about some of Sydney’s finest restaurants and atmospheric pubs, and get updates on cultural happenings at venues such as The Basement and Sydney Opera House. Discover where to shop for authentic and/or cheap souvenirs. Get so many ideas that you'll want to extend your stay in the world's most beautiful city! Choose from a morning (08:00) or afternoon (13:00) departure and get ready to see the following attractions: • The Rocks (the oldest part of Sydney where the First Fleet landed) • Millers Point (the oldest pubs and hotels in the city) • Mrs Macquarie’s Chair (best look-out onto Sydney Harbour, the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge) • Woolloomooloo (site of the iconic pie cart of Harry's Cafe de Wheels and the longest timber-piled wharf in the world at Finger Wharf) • Potts Point (eclectic architecture galore) • Kings Cross (the infamous Red Light District) • Rushcutters Bay (start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race) • Darling Point (first of a series of posh harborside suburbs) • Double Bay (site of an exclusive shopping center) • Point Piper (home to the most expensive real estate in the world) • Rose Bay (site of Australia’s first international airport for ‘flying ships”) • Vaucluse (early 19th-century mansions) • Shark Beach (a hotspot for local swimmers and bull sharks) • Watson’s Bay (heritage trails and nudie beaches) • Camp Cove (the location of Captain Philip’s first footprint) • The Gap (where the harbor spills out into the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean) • Dover Heights (for spectacular views of the city and ocean) • North Bondi (golf, whales and sea-eagles) • Bondi Beach (birthplace of free-style swimming and professional lifesaving) • Tamarama Beach (also known as "Glamarama") • Bronte Beach (home of the Bronte Gully and popular for barbecues and dog walking) • Centennial Park (Sydney's largest city park) • Woollahra (home to consulates, mansions and art traders) • Paddington (full of Victorian terraces, boutiques and fashion stores) • Darlinghurst (popular as the gay and lesbian entertainment district) • Surry Hills (trendy and multicultural) • China Town (home to the large and popular Paddy’s Markets) • Darling Harbour (a modern, purpose-built entertainment center)

Sydney: Secret Bar Guided Tour with Complimentary Drink

2. Sydney: Secret Bar Guided Tour with Complimentary Drink

Perfect for solos, friends, and locals of all ages who want a fun night out exploring Sydney’s best small bars. Over 4 hours, you'll visit 3 – 4 different bars including well-hidden ones and some of Sydney’s top-rated bars. We include the first drink (beer or wine) and some share food, then leave it up to you to choose how you want to enjoy the night. On Tuesday nights, explore some of Sydney’s best bars in the CBD, with a focus on the “Bermuda’s Triangle” of small bars spread across York, Clarence and Kent (YCK) street precinct. On Thursday nights, hit up Circular Quay and The Rocks, where a bunch of fantastic new cocktail bars have opened up. And on Saturday nights, head to our favourite stomping grounds of Surry Hills and Darlinghurst, so you can party on the weekend! After the crawl, you'll get a map with all the bars visited throughout the night, plus some extra spots to check out. This is your ticket to the best night out in Sydney.

iVenture Sydney Attractions Flexi Pass

3. iVenture Sydney Attractions Flexi Pass

Treat yourself to a memorable stay in Sydney, admiring its glittering attractions and natural wonders with a convenient Flexi Attractions Pass. Check out 3, 5, or 7 sightseeing destinations during the course of 3 months. Your Sydney Flexi Attractions Pass allows you to save up to 50 percent on many of Sydney’s top museums, tours, and exhibits. Once your pass is activated, you are in no rush to visit your 3, 5, or 7 attractions. Indulge in enthralling sightseeing tours, cruises, watersports, and wildlife encounters with 3 full months of flexibility. Included Attractions: • Sydney Opera House • Australian National Maritime Museum • Manly Bike Tours • Blue Mountains Explorer Bus • Bygone Beautys • Chinese Garden of Friendship • Featherdale Wildlife Park • Oz Jet Boating Jet Boat Ride • Whale Watching Cruise (Seasonal) • Escape Hunt Sydney • Virtual Room Sydney • VR Kingdom • Entermission Sydney • Calmsley Hill City Farm • Adventure Clues - Unlock the Rocks • Adventure Clues - Secret Sydney • Adventure Clues - Bloomin' Botanic Gardens • Sydney's True Crime Tour • Haunted Sydney Ghost Tour • Surf Ski Paddle by Sydney Harbour • Sydney Archery at Bondi • Adventure Clues - Bondi Beauty • Adventure Clues - X-Fierce Nights & Neon Lights • Bonza Bike Tours - Half Day Bike Hire

Sydney Private Half Day Tour, Opera House, Bridge, Bondi

4. Sydney Private Half Day Tour, Opera House, Bridge, Bondi

Discover all the highlights of Sydney on this four-hour, half day private tour. See the iconic Sydney Opera House, bustling Kings Cross, the famous Bondi Beach and the renowned Sydney Harbour Bridge. Learn the history and culture of this beautiful city, with your expert local guide. Visit the best vantage point on the harbour to capture that perfect snapshot! HISTORIC ROCKS DISTRICT Start your journey with a pickup directly from your hotel and travel by private vehicle with your own personal guide through downtown Sydney. Learn about Sydney’s first settlement by British convicts as you travel through the historic Rocks precinct. SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE Get up close to the iconic Sydney Opera House and don’t miss the opportunity for a once in a lifetime photo with one of the wonders of the modern world. MRS MACQUARIE’S CHAIR Pass by the State Parliament House and the pristine Royal Botanic Gardens as you make your way to Mrs Macquarie’s Chair for a postcard-perfect view of the Sydney Opera House framed by the Sydney Harbour bridge. KINGS CROSS Pass through some of the most vibrant suburbs in Sydney. From the gentrified Woolloomooloo to the bustling activity of Kings Cross, home of Sydney’s notorious Red Light district. WATSONS BAY Travel through the stunning waterfront eastern suburbs of Double Bay and Rose Bay. Have your cameras ready for dramatic views of the ocean and coastline as you arrive at the entrance to Sydney Harbour at The Gap and Watson’s Bay. BONDI BEACH Continue your Sydney highlights tour to the famous Bondi Beach for a stroll along the white sand and watch the surfers in action. Make like a local and dip your toes in the refreshing salt water, or go for a coffee at one of the myriad of cafes along the promenade. EASTERN SUBURBS Travel through stylish Paddington and trendy Darlinghurst before returning to your hotel.

Sydney: Story of the City Small-Group Half-Day Boutique Tour

5. Sydney: Story of the City Small-Group Half-Day Boutique Tour

Get to grips with the history and contemporary culture of Sydney in just 1 day. See some of the famous and not so famous sites from bustling shopping precincts to fabulous beaches. Your professional tour guide will begin the tour in Australia’s oldest suburb, the Rocks. Sit on Mrs Macquarie’s chair and as you gaze out over the harbor. Hear about how Lachland Macquarie transformed Sidney from a convict dumping ground to a proud city. Travel through the infamous Kings Cross and note the contrast to the luxury suburbs next door. Take a small 15-minute bush walk as you look out over the Pacific ocean and Sydney Harbor. Then it’s on to Bondi Beach to see how the locals live. Enjoy panoramic views of the coastline of Australia’s internationally renowned beach. Drive along the Bondi to Bronte coastal path soaking up the atmosphere of Woolahra and Paddington’s leafy streets. See Darlinghurst, a landscape transformed from a hill of windmills to the world-famous home of the Mardi Gras, and witness the vibrant street culture of Chinatown and Darling Harbor. This is a fun and informative tour with professional guide services and deluxe round-trip-transportation included.

Mosaic Lamp Making Workshop in Sydney

6. Mosaic Lamp Making Workshop in Sydney

Unleash your artistic potential at Art Masterclass in Sydney! Experience the fusion of traditional craftsmanship and modern art as we introduce the captivating art of Turkish mosaic lamps to Australia for the first time. In just 2.5 hours, learn the ancient techniques of this 500-year-old craft. Lay tiles with precision, create mesmerizing geometric patterns, and craft your very own Turkish mosaic lamp. Our expert instructors will guide you every step of the way. Indulge your senses with our delightful Turkish tea service, accompanied by delicious treats and homemade Turkish shortbread cookies. Private functions, corporate events, and special welfare occasions can be accommodated with customized workshops. Gift vouchers are also available, making them the perfect present for loved ones. Join us at Art Masterclass, either alone or with friends, and leave with a creative masterpiece. Discover your artistic flair under the guidance of our skilled experts. It's time to unlock your imagination and tap into the world of art.

Sydney: Wine Blending and Tasting Session

7. Sydney: Wine Blending and Tasting Session

Learn what goes into making the perfect glass of well-balanced red wine as you spend 2 hours with an expert winemaker at one of Sydney’s best wineries. Sat amongst wine barrels, you’ll feel as though you’ve been whisked far away from the city and into the vineyards at the heart of rural New South Wales. Enjoy an entertaining and informative blending lesson, and discover the 6 varieties of red wine as you explore the aroma, structure, and palate of each. In your groups, you’ll then be provided with measuring cylinders and an array of wines and given half an hour to create the perfect blend. Your blends are then collected and shared amongst the other groups for a blind taste test. After the fun of the blending session, enjoy some time to relax with your teammates and sample a selection of wines paired with a tasty cheese and charcuterie platter. At the end of the experience, you can purchase a dozen of your wine blend (if you like it), complete with your very own personalized label — delivered to your door the following week. Take home a complimentary bottle of A.Retief wine. Stop by the cellar door for more tastings and to have your personalized blend bottled.

Sydney: Gangsters, Girls and Grog Walking Tour

8. Sydney: Gangsters, Girls and Grog Walking Tour

Explore the seedy side of Sydney’s underworld on a fascinating walking tour through Surry Hills and Darlinghurst. Hear stories of mob bosses, gang rivalry, and criminal empires, as you stroll the streets of the now trendy inner city suburbs. From Central Station, stroll through Surry Hills (note that this suburb’s name makes it clear there are a few slopes to contend with) towards Oxford Street and into Darlinghurst. Meet the colorful collection of working girls, gangsters, drug dealers, hit-men, and mysterious street identities such as ‘Mr. Eternity’ who once plied their hidden trades in the dank corners of ‘Razorhurst’. Your guide will passionately bring to life the most notorious periods of Sydney’s criminal history on the very streets where it once all went down. In the 1920s and 1930s, Sydney was famous for its vicious gang rivalry, streets full of working girls, cocaine addiction, and sly grog (alcohol) scene. From the labyrinth of laneways littering Surry Hills and Darlinghurst, the criminal empires of an emerging underworld began to make their mark in response to a series of local laws that almost seemed to be made to be broken. The most notorious of these criminal empires were ruled by two rival mob bosses with a difference – these bosses were women. Hailed as Queens of vice Tilly Devine and Kate Leigh had crawled their way up from obscure origins over the bodies of men to become the most powerful women in Sydney. Your small group walking tour finishes on Stanley Street in Darlinghurst outside a former Razor Gang hangout. Here you may want to stick around for a post-tour drink opportunity and chat with your fellow explorers and guide.

Sydney: 5-Hour Small-Group Food & Drink Tour

9. Sydney: 5-Hour Small-Group Food & Drink Tour

Discover the tastes of Sydney as you drive from venue to venue during this small-group tour in a comfortable minivan. Discover Sydney's many special neighborhoods and appreciate how they are evolving as the city continues to prosper. See how each precinct visited is a buzz of activity with plenty of delicious food and drink options to devour. Start the tour at 11:30am with pickup from your city center hotel or your preferred location. Board the air-conditioned minivan, meet your guide and the other members of your small group tour. Set off for the first venue, the streets of Barangaroo, a curated dining and shopping precinct where you can take a gentle stroll and a guided tour as you indulge.  Dine in a fully restored 1904 tram that has been converted into an amazing restaurant space.  Enjoy the famous watermelon cake with tea or coffee and finish with a beautifully paired wine and cheese tasting at Sydney's only Urban Winery.

Other Sightseeing Options in Darlinghurst, Sydney

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What people are saying about Darlinghurst, Sydney

Overall rating

4.8 / 5

based on 30 reviews

We thoroughly enjoyed our tour despite terrible weather. Our tour guide Andrew was incredibly friendly, knowledgeable and entertaining and made sure we saw as much as possible. I highly recommend this tour and can assure that it was great value for money.

Jelle did show us a lot of interesting places with fun back stories and was always friendly, courteous and knowledgeable. The tour was very personalized and a lot of fun.

Driver very punctual & knowledgeable. Plenty of photo opportunities & covered most of the Sydney highlights

It was great to be able to see so much in a few hours