The natural setting of the harbour in Sydney Australia is outstanding. I may be bias but I think that it is almost as nice as Vancouver's natural setting. Of course, other people would argue the opposite.

The key highlights to the harbour are the water, bridge and opera house. They are truly larger than life in person and even the most stunning photos don't do them justice.

Behind the harbour lies a modern, sprawling metropolis. It is very cosmopolitan and contains all of the amenities of every world class capital city. It is well worth a visit.

If you get tired of the concrete jungle, sandy beaches are well within reach of a ferry trip as are a number of places to hike and work up an appetite.

This is how the harbour lays out from the opposite side. The main commercial area, bridge and opera house are within walking distance of each other. We walked across the bridge to this photo location and then caught a ferry back to the terminal near the opera house.

No, this image isn't misplaced. Oddly enough, Sydney has a gothic style cathedral complete with flying buttresses!

Hiking around Sydney Harbour near Manly Beach. A lot of the harbour's natural beauty has been preserved.