50 Reasons Why Sydney is the World's Greatest City

Sydney the best ever? Keen grasp of the obvious, right? Maybe, but read on for a few things you might not know about the best place on the planet to call home

50. No worries mate, she'll be right
Nothing is too much hassle for locals (“No worries”), while outcomes are epitomized by stoicism ("She’ll be right").

Vertigo is yours for a mere $65.
49. Wobbliest tower
Sydney Tower -- naming rights sold to the highest bidder, in an interesting metaphor for what makes Sydney tick -- is filled with water to stabilize its sway. That means the most dramatic panoramic viewing of the world's biggest harbor might come during that cyclone we’ve all been waiting for.

In better conditions, the tower's 268-meter-high (880 feet) outdoor skywalk (adult $65, children $45) provides sufficient thrills. Indoor types can stay safe in the observation deck (adult $22.50, children $13.50) or revolving restaurant.

Sydney Tower is located in the new Westfield Shopping Centre at 100 Market St., rising above the corner of Pitt Street and Market Street. Head to Level 5 and look for the signs from the food court; tel. +61 (0)2 9333 9222

48. Coffee that's actually drinkable
If it isn’t gourmet, it isn’t Sydney coffee. You only realize how good our coffee is when you drink imitation lattes overseas.

With the rise of super-chains such as Starbucks, many vendors have now begun roasting coffee beans in-house. The highly competitive cafe scene in and around the city ensures café lattes come with their barista’s signature swirl.

Find the perfect ratio of beans, barista and machine at Campos Coffee. In Newtown, the shop draws on more than 10 blends of coffee from Africa to the Americas. 193 Missenden Road, Newton; tel. +61 (0)2 9516 3361, Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

New Year's Eve 2011: a technical success.
47. World's most technically advanced sky
While 700,000 show up in London and a million in New York, the New Year's Fireworks display in Sydney attracts 1.5 million who crowd the harbor foreshore's 130 vantage points. A thousand personnel -- and a dozen computers -- drive the world's most technically advanced show, one that includes 4,500 kilos of fireworks.

46. Even the dogs are cosmopolitan
Kids have had fun for years rolling into cafes with their parents and ordering babycinos before hitting the playground. Sydney takes spoiling little ones a step further with dog cafes. At places such as Café Bones and Chew Chew, dogs can stroll in and, with help from their human slaves, order a lactose-free Pupaccino before smelling bums and getting down to the business of marking turf in the leash-free playground.

45. Accents you want to take to bed
Sydney has the world’s best accent, a global take on the Irish convict, isolated English accent, that turns inner-city-fast-talking into sexy-speak.

World's easiest commute.
44. Ferries that make work a cruise
Ride on the deck of a Sydney Ferry on your way to work, let the wind blow through your hair and realize that life (or your boss) isn’t so bad after all.

The Manly Ferry fleet that runs past Sydney Heads is named after northern beaches (where it ends up) while other ferries are named after female Olympic runners (such as Marjorie Jackson) and swimmers (such as Dawn Fraser) because they’re fast.

NSW Transport Sydney Ferries

43. Legal 'ecstacy'
Walking into a shop and buying pills that can get you high usually attracts the attention of the local constabulary -- but in Sydney it's legal. Buzz, Cherry Pop, X NRG, Empathy and Ignite are all herbal concoctions that dogs don't sniff and don't complicate airline travel. Bright and cheery Happy High Herbs stores are in Bondi and Newtown.

Happy High Herbs, 26a Cambell Parade, Bondi Beach; 347 King St., Newtown; tel. +61 (0)2 9300 8055

42. Wash shampoo out of your hair in nature
A ferry ride through from Pittwater takes you to Refuge Bay, where you can stand under a waterfall that's strong enough to wash shampoo out of your hair. Not only will it impress your hairdresser, it will save water, as the water's running anyway.

41. Dance in a morgue
For half a century, Kinselas was the residence of Charles Kinsela, Undertaker. He ran the city's busiest morgue. But Sydneysiders prefer life to death and dancing to resting. The place is now a nightspot with high art deco ceilings, and a function room called "The Chapel." If all the bodies inside make you feel stuffy, go to the veranda and look over Taylor Square.

Kinselas, 383 Bourke St., Taylor Square, Darlinghurst; tel. +61 (0)2 9331 3100

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