tomatogal

I am trying to decide if I want to do Fodor's "A Good Walk" Sydney City Center tour on Sunday or Monday. It would be more convenient on Sunday, but would shops in the QVB be open? Also, do Catholic churches in AU typically have Saturday evening services?

Bokhara

Hi Tomatogal,
Yes, QVB and most other shops are open on Sundays in Sydney. Usually 10 - 4 (some 9 - 5).

Here's the link for St. Mary's Cathedral: http://www.sydney.catholic.org.au/Cathedral/times.shtml

There's a 6pm Saturday vigil at St. Mary's. You could probably find out about the church nearest you by Googling "Catholic Church & the Suburb"

viking

The trinket shops may remain open Sunday, but I suspect the heart of the scene (for me) would be mostly closed - the endless casual lunch stands and their colorful customers. The eating is soooo good; you must graze here and there because it would be a shame to commit to just one.

On a workday it will be crowded esp at the peak lunch hour (eat before or after) but be aware of the many basement passageways. The whole downtown area from Martin Place to QVB to Town Hall (and Darling area?) is connected by passageways with shops, so that only one traffic street needs to be crossed. I would be afraid they block some of these Sunday and maybe even Sat. A wonderful time is also Thursday evening when the shops stay open late...

Bokhara

Viking, all the shops in the QVB are open on Sundays - it's just a normal trading day, only a couple of hours shorter.

viking

Yes, but aren't the food sellers mostly shut down, and even gates drawn shut across some of the basement passageways? To me taking a city walking tour would be sterile and soulless on such a day without the thronging, well-dressed crowds being vied for by countless creative healthy-food vendors.

Otherwise the downtown on a shutdown day seems rather dead and architecturally ugly, apart from QVB and the shoreline as I recall. Sure, you can buy useless overpriced objects and sit in dull overpriced restaurants then, but why?

I may be biased by being an experience and food person, not a shopper (often return with zero purchases after a month's travel), but the original post was not only about shops but city center walks. So I just suggest that Sydney downtown is likely more enjoyable Monday, when running on all cylinders. Of course, the shoreline areas are still attractive on weekends.