What it is like to visit Sydney now

For a formerly bustling neighbourhood that has resembled a ghost town for much of the past two years, it was a welcome sight for many in the city’s main tourism district — made possible by Australia’s decision, in late February, to throw off the shackles of “Fortress Australia” and reopen international tourism.

Throughout the pandemic, Australia maintained some of the tightest restrictions in the world on both tourism and daily life, limiting interstate travel, the ability for citizens to return home amid the crisis and more.

At times, even singing and dancing were ruled out. That level of caution makes it especially notable that now, anyone can visit the country, regardless of where they are coming from. The only requirements are that they be fully vaccinated and have a negative Covid-19 test within three days of arrival, rules that are expected to be relaxed further in mid-April.

Visitors to Sydney today will find a city where few Covid-19 protocols remain, other than masks being required on public transport. Restaurants, bars, nightclubs, theatres and sporting events are open to all. With international tourists adding to cooped-up Sydneysiders, it makes sense to book as early as possible.

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For anyone looking for a clear sign the city is getting back to normal, look no further than the return of Vivid Sydney from May 27 to June 18. In 2019, the three-week festival of lights, concerts and ideas attracted 2.4 million visitors.

For this edition, dazzling light installations will illuminate the Opera House with Indigenous art, and 48 jet cannons will blast streams of water 80m into the air, while an 8km light walk will snake around the harbour. A bumper programme of concerts and talks will be headlined by pop sensation Troye Sivan and American playwright and The West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin, respectively.

There is still some trepidation, with daily cases hovering around 20,000. Although down from the peak of around 35,000 daily cases in early January — which ruined summer holiday plans — the tally has ticked up from the 5,000 to 7,000 a day posted in late February.

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But with one of the world’s highest vaccination rates — 95% of people age 16 or over in New South Wales are fully vaccinated — the state government has made it clear it is not going to reimpose restrictions. As Sydney’s municipal government puts it: “Your city’s waiting for you.” Here is what visitors can find.

The dining scene

The pandemic brought the closure of several notable institutions, including Chinatown stalwarts Golden Century and Marigold, but most of Sydney’s restaurateurs weathered two years of lockdowns and in-person dining restrictions by pivoting to takeaway and home delivery, sometimes ferrying the food themselves.

Now with all curbs lifted, the city’s dining scene is bouncing back. Among the slew of high-profile openings is the no-table Oncore by Clare Smyth (pictured above), where the award-winning chef uses native ingredients to add a local twist to the British comfort food of her three-Michelin-starred London restaurant. Set aside at least three hours for the seven-course degustation, going for A$300 ($301), where the humble potato stars in the signature dish: Slow-cooked for 91⁄2 hours, topped with smoked trout and herring roe, and served with a rich kombu butter.

Near the Circular Quay ferry terminus, ageing office blocks have been revitalised and hidden laneways uncovered to create a new dining and retail district called Quay Quarter. Twelve-seater Besuto (pictured above) serves an 18-course Japanese omakase menu, Londres 126 takes Mexican upmarket and cult favourite Marrickville Pork Roll pumps out fully loaded Vietnamese banh mi rolls to hungry office workers.

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In the Central Business District (CBD), the dated 1970s Menzies Hotel has been transformed into the luxe bar and restaurant complex Shell House. Drop in for cocktails and shared plates–oysters with yuzu and pepper mignonette (A$8 each) or yellowtail crudo with cucumber, smoked pil pil, wasabi and caviar (A$26) — at the ground floor Menzies Bar.

For a blow-out dinner, hit the Dining Room & Terrace. Start with a dozen Sydney rock oysters with finger lime and verjus mignonette (A$78) followed by the 500-gram dry-aged sirloin (A$105) from the Rangers Valley in the New South Wales northern tablelands. Finish with a nightcap at the art deco Clocktower Bar, housed inside the restored and fully operating 400-tonne clock-tower, or the open-air Sky Bar.

At subterranean Restaurant Hubert in the heart of the CBD, live jazz is back for lunch and dinner — it is one of the only restaurants in Sydney with a stage for performers, making it locally beloved among diners and its rotating cast of musicians. The menu of French bistro classics includes escargots in XO butter (A$29) and whole chicken with bread sauce (A$89). There’s also a 60-seat cinema for Magnums & Movie nights, which are held every other Monday and include canapés, a buffet dinner and unlimited wine for A$165.

For a more casual night out, head to the inner-city suburb of Newtown and its range of pubs, small bars, craft breweries, cutting-edge food and vibrant lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) scene.

Sydney’s reopening has seen Newtown restaurateurs flex their tattooed muscles with uber-cool venues that are fast earning the approval of the area’s resident hipsters. Odd Culture, which opens at 7am for a boozy brunch, exudes an oh-so-casual vibe but dishes up a refined selection of French-Japanese fusion. Think hiramasa kingfish with smoked chicken fat mayo and saltbush (A$26), or bavette steak with burnt garlic and egg yolk sauce (A$48). The hefty wine and beer list celebrates natural fermentation methods, and the location is just a short stroll (about five to eight minutes) from long-time live music hangout the Vanguard, where you can catch a burlesque show or the city’s hottest indie bands.

Culture and sporting make a comeback
Sydney is simultaneously a dense metropolis and an outdoorsy paradise, offering options for everyone — regardless of their current level of cautiousness. If you are still Covid-19 wary: Sydney is renowned for its natural beauty, and there is no better way to enjoy that than from aboard a harbour ferry.

Take a ride past the Opera House and historic Fort Denison to Taronga Zoo (pictured above). There is plenty of room to remain socially distanced while roaming the enclosures that house more than 4,000 animals, including endangered Sumatran Tigers and unique native wildlife such as the platypus and kangaroos.

For the full experience, stay the night at the 62-room Wildlife Retreat in the middle of the zoo (rates from A$555 per night). Packages include a three-course dinner overlooking the shimmering lights of the city skyline and the chance to get up close and personal with wallabies and koalas in the surrounding bushland sanctuary. If you need a gentle re-entry: Sleep under the stars in the middle of Sydney Harbour.

Cockatoo Island — known as “Wareamah” in the Dharug language of the Eora people, who are the Indigenous owners of the surrounding area — is rich in history. It was used as a penal establishment during the early years of British settlement, when convicts were sentenced to backbreaking manual labour at a time the snake-infested outcrop had no water supply. It became a major Pacific naval base during World War II.

But the grim conditions prisoners endured in the 19th century are a far cry from the Unesco World Heritage site’s modern offerings. Today, the 18-hectare island hosts ghost tours for those keen to learn about its dark past and convict legacy, as well as art exhibitions and pop-up bars.

After a day spent exploring, watch the sunset over the harbour, then bed down for the night at the island’s camp ground, where options range from bring your own (BYO) tent to deluxe waterfront glamping.

If you want to pretend the pandemic never happened: After playing in front of mostly empty stadiums or being forced to go on the road for much of last year, Sydney’s two main football codes are back in front of fans.

Catch the Sydney Swans and their superstar forward Buddy Franklin in the fast-paced, 18-aside Australian Rules football at the iconic 48,000-seat Sydney Cricket Ground. In the National Rugby League, multiple games are played weekly at the cavernous 80,000-seat Accor Stadium or at suburban grounds, where you can stand with die-hard fans knocking back beers and meat pies.

Later this year, Georges Bizet’s Carmen will be performed in the island’s old industrial area, but opera lovers can also moor their boat and watch the performance projected onto a big screen.

Live theatre is also back in full swing. Highlights include the Sydney Theatre Company’s acclaimed one-woman show The Picture of Dorian Gray at the Roslyn Packer Theatre from March 28 to May 7. There is also the Dolly Parton-inspired musical 9 To 5 at the Capitol Theatre until May 8, starring Australian Idol winner Casey Donovan and Eddie Perfect, the songwriter behind Broadway musicals King Kong and Beetlejuice.

The lingering Covid-19 etiquette

Masks are still mandatory on public transport, including taxis and ride-share services, as well as on planes and at airports. The biggest hassle is the regular breakdowns and service disruptions that plague the city’s creaking train network, so it is always safe to build in some extra time. And though capacity caps have been removed, people still are not back in the habit of sitting next to strangers, so spread out.

Although almost all restrictions have been lifted, some remnants of pandemic behaviour have stuck. Masks continue to be commonplace in shops and malls, as are hand-sanitiser dispensers. Coughing in public can still attract dirty looks, and people remain respectful of private space when possible, so do not stand too close. Other than that, Sydney is ready to get down like it is 2019. — Bloomberg