Geographical location
According to abbreviationfinder, Sydney is located in the southeast of Australia and is the capital of the state of New South Wales. According to the latest calculations, around 4.6 million people live in the urban area, making Sydney the largest city in the country, ahead of Melbourne, Brisbane and Cairns.
Sydney is located directly on the Pacific Ocean and with Port Jackson (also called Sydney Harbor) has the largest natural harbor in the world, on which the world-famous Sydney Opera House is located next to the Harbor Bridge. The entire metropolitan area of Sydney extends over 12,000 square kilometers (for comparison: Berlin has around 900 km²) and is divided into 40 local government districts.
The city stretches from southern Botany Bay to the Hawkesbury River in the north, from the Pacific to the edge of the Blue Mountains in the west. The Hornsby hill plateau north of Sydney Harbor is striking, while the landscape in the south is rather flat. The parks and beaches near the city center are exceptional, especially the popular surfers’ beach Bondi Beach.
From Germany you can reach Sydney with at least one stopover, for example in Dubai, Hong Kong, Tokyo or Bangkok. The travel time is therefore usually at least 20 hours. From Frankfurt, Sydney is 16,510 kilometers away.
Climate in Sydney
The weather in Sydney is determined by distinct seasons that are exactly the opposite of Europe. So the Australian summer is in the European winter months and vice versa. Sydney has a subtropical climate, but due to its close proximity to the Pacific Ocean, it is more temperate and therefore mostly bearable even in midsummer.
The months after the turn of the year are particularly warm, January and February usually have daytime temperatures between 26 and 28 degrees in the shade, while around 20 ° C is common even at night. In July winter reaches its peak in Sydney, but during the day average values of around 13 degrees are still achieved. Frost is an absolutely exceptional phenomenon and is only possible at high altitudes.
The historic lowest temperature in Sydney is 2 ° C, and the thermometer rarely drops below 5 degrees in winter. However, the region is quite humid with over 1200 mm of rain during the year. Most precipitation falls between April and June, the driest time is in September. There is seldom snow in Sydney, because of the temperatures it doesn’t stay there anyway.
When to go to Sydney
Due to the pleasant climate, the high temperatures and a water temperature between 21 and 25 ° C, the vacation months November to mid-April are recommended as the best time to travel to Sydney. Especially from Christmas to the end of January, many locals are out and about on the surrounding beaches such as Bondi Beach, Palm Beach or Manly Beach. It is a busy, but always friendly and warm atmosphere. There is a barbecue in the parks, tanned bodies now present themselves under the Australian sun and the metropolis shows itself from its most beautiful side.
But the rest of the year is also quite suitable as a travel time, especially autumn from mid- March to the end of May is still mild and the humidity is now comfortably low. At this time of the year, the national parks are particularly popular, and the conditions for hiking are ideal. A visit to the Sydney Mardi Gras or the colorful Sydney Festival in March are also highlights.
The best travel time for whale watching on the coast off Sydney is from May to November, i.e. during the Australian winter. Tours start right in the harbor on Circular Quay, and the National Rugby League (NRL) is now in full swing in Australia and provides plenty of entertainment. With around 340 days of sunshine, Sydney is one of the sunniest cities in the world and is wonderful to travel to even in winter.
Temperatures, precipitation, sunshine
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Daytime temperature | 27 ° C | 27 ° C | 25 ° C | 23 ° C | 21 ° C | 18 ° C | 17 ° C | 19 ° C | 21 ° C | 23 ° C | 24 ° C | 26 ° C |
| Night temperature | 20 ° C | 20 ° C | 18 ° C | 15 ° C | 13 ° C | 10 ° C | 9 ° C | 10 ° C | 12 ° C | 14 ° C | 16 ° C | 18 ° C |
| Water temperature | 23 ° C | 24 ° C | 23 ° C | 23 ° C | 21 ° C | 19 ° C | 19 ° C | 19 ° C | 19 ° C | 19 ° C | 21 ° C | 22 ° C |
| Precipitation in mm | 96 | 137 | 109 | 137 | 118 | 118 | 81 | 92 | 69 | 82 | 105 | 79 |
| Rainy days | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 8 |
| Hours of sunshine | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Sunrise | 6:00 | 6:30 | 6:55 | 6:15 | 6:40 | 7:00 | 7:00 | 6:35 | 5:55 | 6:15 | 5:45 | 5:40 |
| Sunset | 20:10 | 19:50 | 19:15 | 17:35 | 17:05 | 16:55 | 17:05 | 17:25 | 17:45 | 19:10 | 19:35 | 20:00 |
Temperatures
The annual average temperature is 18.5 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is January (23.1 ° C), coldest month of July with averages of 13.1 ° C. The maximum water temperature is 24 ° C. Comfortable bathing is possible at these temperatures. All months have a water temperature of at least 17 ° C. Bathing is then possible to a limited extent. The months of January, February, March, April, May, November and December have a water temperature of at least 21 ° C and are therefore suitable for a beach holiday.
Precipitation
The annual precipitation is 1222 mm on 100 days with precipitation. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. There is no rainy season, i.e. months with more than 175 mm of precipitation. Snowfall is generally not expected in any month.
Sunshine
As our climate table shows, November is the sunniest month with an average of 8.2 hours of sunshine per day. In the annual mean, the sun shines an average of 7.1 hours per day. For comparison: In Munich and Berlin, the sun shines an average of 4.7 hours per day throughout the year.
Cities nearby
The following major towns are nearby and have a similar climate: Wollongong.
Highlights and attractions
World famous and at the same time one of the absolute Sydney highlights is the Sydney Opera House. The building, designed by the Danish architect Jorn Utzon, has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2007. The 495 meter long Harbor Bridge creates a transport link across the city’s harbor. It is run over by more than 150,000 cars every day. Several providers have guided tours over the steel arches of the bridge in their program – an experience with a real adrenaline rush!
The Australian Museum is Australia’s largest natural history museum, here, among other things, the history of the Aborigines is exhibited. Other attractions in Sydney include the cozy beach town of Manly, the Royal Botanic Gardens, the stalls at Paddy’s Market and a trip to the neighboring Blue Mountains. Those who want to turn night into day will find numerous party hotspots in the Kings Cross nightlife district.
