December 26, Saturday (Public Holiday)

Initially, we were supposed to do the Bondi to Bronte beach walk but the weather app said it would rain that day, so we ended up changing our plans. Instead, we opted to stay in the city and do some exploring – including a Free City Walking tour, a yummy seafood spread lunch at the Sydney Fish Market, and a nice stroll along Paddy Market and the Darling Harbor

Free City Walking Tour @ 10:30am

Meet up at the Town Hall

I’d definitely recommend this tour to budget travelers who’re willing to walk a bit. Tour lasts two hours but you get a better idea and flavor of the city you’re in afterwards. In fact, I’d recommend that you do this as early on in your trip as you can, as it then gives you a better idea of what you want to come back and explore further later on

I first discovered free walking tours when I was an exchange student in Europe (short on cash but rich in time). And since then, I’ve never looked back – it’s definitely far more enjoyable compared to paid tours (or even Hop On Hop Off buses) as you get to travel the city on foot and hear the tour guide expound further on quirky spots along the way. It provides a richer, more meaningful experience while allowing you to see and learn about non-traditional tourist spots. At the end, just don’t forget to tip the tour guide as this is their main source of livelihood – and you do want to show how much you appreciated their tour!

PRO TIP: Don’t forget to grab the Walking Tour map as well, as it’s the best one I’ve seen of Sydney so far – with its detailed roads, and mapped out transport options to out-of-town scenic spots (with fares listed!)

Sydney Fish Market

Pyrmont area (7:00am to 4:00pm)

Sydney Fish Market is quite far from Circular Quay, which is where we ended the Free City Walking Tour. So from there, we ended up taking a train to Town Hall, then walking to the Fish Market. Took us around ~45 minutes in total, as we took the scenic route by passing through Darling Harbor first, and taking photos of the many Santas lying around (including the brick Santa)

We got to the Fish Market around 2:15pm, and boy were there a lot of people! We scouted the area for a bit, and ended up buying at Peter’s – simply because that was where we found available seating

Seafood was extremely fresh and delicious – you can buy a variety of seafood there and request them to cook it a certain way. However, as we were in a bit of rush (we wanted to be at Paddy’s Market by 4:00pm), we opted to go for food that was easier to prepare and eat, e.g., sashimi (salmon, tuna, kingfish), fresh oysters, baked oysters, baked scallops, baked lobster tail, and grilled salmon. All in all, an extremely satisfying meal – and definitely worth the long walk!

Paddy’s Market

Haymarket (10am to 6:00pm, Wed to Sun)

Go here if you’re looking for cheap souvenirs, but at decent quality!

I swear, my family spent so much at this market because everything was pretty cheap – from tops to pants to caps to tea towels to magnets to boomerangs to keychains. Most of everything you wanted could be found here! Plus we compared the prices of Paddy’s Market to other souvenir shops we came across in the following days, and Paddy’s Market was at least 50% cheaper (even though they were the same manufacturer and design)

Prices across the market are pretty much the same, but avoid the ones by the entrance as they tend to be pricier. I don’t think haggling will get you anywhere, but there do give discounts for bulk purchases. NOTE: credit cards are accepted in the market as well

Darling Harbor and Harborside Mall

Until 9:00pm

After Paddy’s Market, we decided to walk back to Darling Harbor to explore it further. Place was really nice and peaceful, and there are a couple of things to do there. Examples: Australian Maritime Museum and the Sea Life Aquarium. My mom’s not fond of museums though, so we opted to just walk around and take lots of photos instead

Afterwards, we dropped by the Harborside Mall so mom could get some shopping time in. I think it’s great to shop for basics here in Sydney during or after the Boxing Day sale, as prices are dirt cheap (cheaper than the Philippines!!). By basics, I’m referring to plain tops, shorts, slippers.

I found the discounts pretty generous across the board, but I wasn’t terribly interested in shopping for other items so didn’t bother checking those prices. Our tour guides and hotel concierge said the Boxing Day sale isn’t that great however

Afterwards, we capped off our night with the fireworks display at 9:00pm (which occurs every weekend). The Pyrmont bridge will give you a great vantage view, so might be good to watch it from there in case you’re in the area

Midnight snack at Oz Turks Kebab

Along George Street, near The George

Our walking tour guide introduced this tiny restaurant to me and it’s good! Make sure to try their kangaroo kebab! I love it – it’s the only food I don’t have a photo of as I gobbled it up quickly

To be fair, kangaroo tastes just like beef except a bit tougher as it’s lean meat. So, the reason why I love it might be because I love kebabs in general – but still try it – it’s an Australian delicacy! The store is open 24 hours, and accepts credit cards (with a AUD 1 additional charge)

For more details, feel free to click the links below to read specific parts of our 6-day Sydney journey:

• Tips and tricks to enjoy a family trip to Sydney
• Day 1: Airport + Hotel and supermarket + The Rocks Tour
• Day 2: Taronga Zoo + Manly Beach + Golden Century dinner
• Day 3: City Tour + Fish Market + Paddy’s Market + Darling Harbor
• Day 4: Blue Mountain + Leura Village
• Day 5: Opera House + Rocks Market + Australian Heritage Hotel
• Day 6: Bronte to Bondi Coastal Walk + Watson’s Bay + Harbor Bridge + Luna Park

OTHER SYDNEY BLOGS

• Eating my way through Sydney – top picks!
• Best nature trails and areas in Sydney – my top picks!
• Events to catch in Sydney – my top picks!
• My experience skydiving with Sydney Skydivers

MELBOURNE BLOGS

• What to see and do when in Melbourne
• Eating my way through Melbourne – top picks!
• Day trips from Melbourne (Great Ocean Road, Brighton Houses, St Kilda)
• Great Ocean Road Tour experience