Sydney Cruise Port Guide

for industry and business and a major world port, it boasts 3.5 million inhabitants. Spreading over some 670 square miles, the city seems to stretch as far as the eye can see to the west, north and south. Where Sydney's metropolitan area End, the wide open bush of New South Wales begins.

Sydney is located roughly the same distance from the equator as San Diego, California, and enjoys an equally superb sunny climate. Its beautiful harbor is studded with bays and inlets and crowned by the billowing sails of the incomparable Opera House.

In 1770, Captain James Cook sailed the Endeavor into Botany Bay, claiming the east coast of the island continent for England and naming it New South Wales. The timing was perfect as England was seeking a suitable venue for a penal colony. On May 13, 1787, Captain Arthur Phillip was dispatched to this new destination with some 1,000 convicts.

Today this international metropolis has long outgrown the stigma of its convict origins. Its harbor is undoubtedly the key to Sydney's splendor. It gives the city a pronounced maritime character and immense vitality. The city is divided into Sydney proper on one side of the harbor and North Sydney on the other; the famous Harbour Bridge spans the bay linking these two metropolitan areas.

Like many of the world's major cities, Sydney is a contrast of old and new.

Soaring glass and steel skyscrapers and the dramatic Opera House are offset by interesting historical buildings. Where Captain Arthur Phillip and his convicts set foot on the shores of Sydney Cove in 1788, there is now a beautifully restored area, called The Rocks. Within minutes you can walk from the quay to the Opera House and Harbour Bridge and to one of Sydney's best viewing spots, the 48-story Australia Square Tower, where you can survey the entire city in a convenient orientation course.

Please Note: Exciting Silversea Land Programs are available for guests beginning or ending their cruise in Sydney. Please see details at the end of this book. At the Silversea Pre- and Post-Cruise hotel in Sydney, staff at the Hospitality Desk will provide our guests with information on sightseeing, dining and shopping during their stay in Sydney.