Australia · Oceania

Discover Sydney with Rafeek

Sydney is the capital of the state of New South Wales and the largest city in both the state and Australia.

Seeing Sydney without the story is only half the trip

The problem

Group tours run on someone else's clock, printed signs say too little, and searching for context on your phone pulls you out of the moment. Most travellers leave Sydney with photos but no sense of what they actually saw.

How Rafeek fixes it

Rafeek is a personal audio guide in your pocket. Press play at each landmark in Sydney, listen at your own pace, and keep your eyes on the place instead of a screen. Guides work offline, so no roaming or signal worries.

What you'll discover in Sydney

39 landmarks with their own audio guide — tap any one to read what you'll hear.

Art Gallery of New South Wales

The leading art museum in Sydney, located in The Domain. It houses a significant collection of Australian, Aboriginal, European, and Asian art, and hosts various exhibitions including the annual Archibald Prize.

Australian Museum

The oldest museum in Australia, with an international reputation in the fields of natural history and anthropology. It features extensive collections of zoology, mineralogy, palaeontology, and anthropology, showcasing both Australian and international exhibits.

Australian National Maritime Museum

Australia's national centre for maritime collections, exhibitions, research and archaeology, located in Darling Harbour. It features historic vessels, including a submarine and a destroyer, and galleries exploring Australia's deep connection to the sea.

Barangaroo Reserve

A contemporary public park located on the northwestern edge of the Sydney CBD. The park was re-created to reflect the original pre-colonial headland and features over 75,000 native Australian trees and shrubs, walking paths, and stunning harbour views.

Bondi Beach

One of Australia's most famous beaches, known for its golden sands, reliable waves for surfing, and vibrant atmosphere. The beach is also home to the Bondi Icebergs swimming club and the scenic Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk.

Bronte Beach

A small but popular recreational beach in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, nestled between Bondi and Coogee. It is known for its beautiful parklands, strong surf, and a famous ocean-fed lap pool built into the cliffs.

Cadmans Cottage

The oldest surviving residential building in the city of Sydney, located in The Rocks. Built in 1816 for the government coxswain, it has served various purposes and is a rare example of early colonial architecture.

Carriageworks

A large multi-arts center located in the old Eveleigh Railway Workshops in Redfern. It is a major cultural hub, presenting a contemporary program that spans visual arts, performance, music, and food events.

Centennial Park

A large public park in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, comprising 189 hectares of open space. The park features formal gardens, ponds, grand avenues, and extensive cycling and horse riding tracks, making it a popular recreational area.

Chinese Garden of Friendship

A tranquil garden located at the southern end of Darling Harbour, designed by Sydney's Chinese sister city, Guangzhou. It offers a glimpse into traditional Chinese heritage and culture with its waterfalls, lakes, exotic plants, and hidden pathways.

Cockatoo Island

A UNESCO World Heritage-listed island at the junction of the Parramatta and Lane Cove rivers in Sydney Harbour. It has a rich history as a former convict penal establishment and a major naval shipyard, and now serves as a cultural venue and campground.

Coogee Beach

A popular beach and suburb in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, known for its calm swimming conditions and family-friendly atmosphere. It marks the end of the famous Bondi to Coogee coastal walk and is surrounded by parks, cafes, and historic buildings.

Darling Harbour

A large recreational and pedestrian precinct situated on the western outskirts of the Sydney central business district. It is home to numerous attractions, including the SEA LIFE Aquarium, WILD LIFE Zoo, Madame Tussauds, and the Australian National Maritime Museum.

Fort Denison

A former penal site and defensive facility occupying a small island in the middle of Sydney Harbour. Now a historic landmark, it offers guided tours that explore its military history and provides unique 360-degree views of the harbour.

Government House Sydney

The official residence of the Governor of New South Wales, located adjacent to the Royal Botanic Garden. This magnificent Gothic Revival castle is set in beautiful gardens and offers public tours of its stately interiors.

Hyde Park

The oldest public parkland in Australia, located in the central business district of Sydney. It is known for the Archibald Fountain, the Anzac Memorial, and its beautiful avenues of fig trees, providing a green oasis in the city center.

Hyde Park Barracks Museum

A UNESCO World Heritage-listed site, this historic building originally housed convicts in the 19th century. Now a museum, it tells the stories of convict life and the development of colonial Sydney through immersive exhibits.

Justice and Police Museum

A heritage-listed former police station and courthouse located at Circular Quay. The museum provides a chilling insight into Sydney's criminal past with its collection of mug shots, weapons, and recreated courtrooms.

Luna Park Sydney

A heritage-listed amusement park located at Milsons Point, on the northern shore of Sydney Harbour. Its iconic smiling face entrance and traditional rides offer a nostalgic entertainment experience with stunning views of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House.

Madame Tussauds Sydney

A wax museum located in Darling Harbour, part of the famous Madame Tussauds chain. It features lifelike wax figures of international celebrities, historical icons, sports stars, and political leaders.

Manly Beach

A famous beach situated in the Northern Beaches region of Sydney, accessible by a scenic ferry ride from Circular Quay. It is known for its long stretch of sand, Norfolk Island pines, and excellent conditions for both surfing and swimming.

Museum of Sydney

A museum built on the site of Australia's first Government House, exploring the history of Sydney from its origins to the present. It uses contemporary exhibitions and installations to tell the stories of the city's people and events.

Paddy's Markets

A large market in Haymarket, near Chinatown, that has been a Sydney institution for over 150 years. It offers a wide variety of goods, including fresh produce, clothing, souvenirs, and gadgets, in a bustling, vibrant atmosphere.

Powerhouse Museum

A major museum in Sydney focusing on science, technology, design, decorative arts, and social history. Its diverse collection includes objects related to engineering, transport, computing, and space exploration.

Queen Victoria Building (QVB)

A late nineteenth-century building designed by the architect George McRae in the Romanesque Revival style. Originally a marketplace, it now houses a prestigious shopping centre renowned for its intricate architecture, stained glass windows, and grand central dome.

Royal Botanic Garden Sydney

A major botanical garden located in the heart of Sydney, wrapping around Farm Cove. It is the oldest scientific institution in Australia and offers stunning harbour views, themed gardens, and a rich collection of native and exotic plants.

SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium

A public aquarium located in Darling Harbour that contains a large variety of Australian aquatic life. It displays more than 700 species comprising more than 13,000 individual fish and other sea and water creatures from most of Australia's water habitats.

St. Andrew's Cathedral

The cathedral church of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney, located near Sydney Town Hall. It is a fine example of Gothic Revival architecture and is the oldest cathedral in Australia, known for its beautiful interior and musical tradition.

St. Mary's Cathedral

The cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney and the seat of the Archbishop of Sydney. This grand, Gothic Revival style building is constructed of local sandstone and is known for its beautiful stained glass windows and imposing twin spires.

Susannah Place Museum

A historic house museum in The Rocks consisting of a terrace of four houses built by Irish immigrants in 1844. It offers a rare glimpse into the domestic lives of working-class families from the 1840s to the 1970s.

Sydney Fish Market

The largest market of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, located in Pyrmont. It offers a huge variety of fresh seafood, features multiple restaurants and cafes, and runs a popular seafood cooking school.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

A steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic. Nicknamed 'The Coathanger,' visitors can climb the bridge for panoramic views of the city and harbour.

Sydney Opera House

A multi-venue performing arts centre at Sydney Harbour, it is one of the 20th century's most famous and distinctive buildings. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, its unique shell-like design is an icon of both Sydney and Australia.

Sydney Tower Eye

The tallest structure in Sydney and the second tallest observation tower in the Southern Hemisphere. It offers 360-degree panoramic views of the city, harbour, and surrounding landscape from its observation deck and SKYWALK.

Taronga Zoo

A large zoo located on the shores of Sydney Harbour in the suburb of Mosman. It is home to over 4,000 animals from various exotic and native species, and offers spectacular views of the Sydney skyline.

The Gap

An ocean cliff on the South Head peninsula in eastern Sydney, located in Watsons Bay. It is a famous visitor destination known for its spectacular, rugged scenery and panoramic views of the Tasman Sea.

The Rocks

A historic neighbourhood of cobblestone laneways, located on the southern shore of Sydney Harbour. It features some of Sydney's oldest pubs, upscale restaurants, galleries, and weekend markets, all set against a backdrop of beautifully preserved colonial architecture.

Watsons Bay

A harbourside, eastern suburb of Sydney, known for its scenic views, walking trails, and famous seafood restaurants. It is home to The Gap, a dramatic ocean cliff with stunning views, and several sheltered beaches like Camp Cove.

WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo

A wildlife park in the heart of the city at Darling Harbour, featuring a wide range of Australian animals. Visitors can get up close with kangaroos, koalas, wombats, and a massive saltwater crocodile in authentically themed habitats.

How Rafeek works in Sydney

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Get the app on iOS or Android and pick your destination.

Choose a guide

Browse the landmarks nearby and choose the ones you want.

Press play and walk

Listen as you go, at your own pace, online or offline.

About Sydney

Sydney is the capital of the state of New South Wales and the largest city in both the state and Australia. The metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about 80 kilometres (50 mi) from the Pacific Ocean in the east to the Blue Mountains in the west, and about 80 kilometres (50 mi) from Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and the Hawkesbury River in the north and north-west, to the Royal National Park and Macarthur in the south and south-west. Greater Sydney consists of 658 suburbs, spread across 33 local government areas. Residents of the city are colloquially known as "Sydneysiders". The estimated population in June 2025 was 5,638,830, which is about 66% of the state's population.