The imposing ranges inland from the city may seem a long way from landmarks like the Opera House or the Harbour Bridge, but the Blue Mountains are equally enthralling and even more mysterious. Perpetually veiled in the eucalyptus-blue haze that gives them their name, they are a tranquil oasis and a fantastic way to experience the spectacle of Sydney's surrounds.

The Blue Mountains offer Australia's most accessible wilderness experience, and if you think this is just a catchy phrase, consider that some of the range's most impressive canyons were only discovered 30 years ago. Whether you come for an underground adventure in the limestone caves of Jenolan or to take Devonshire tea in Leura Village, every trip is imbued with a sense of exploration.

Although not quite like that of the first European explorers in 1813, or the convicts who made the road through the ranges shortly afterwards. Think of them while you walk through rainforest gorges in the Megalong Valley, ride high above the trees on the Skyway at the Three Sisters (the triple pinnacles of rock near Katoomba) and marvel at the way Lithgow's historic Zigzag Railway switchbacks over the mountains. Less than an hour from the city, The Blue Mountains deserves its 2000 listing as a World Heritage Area. This unique ecosystem was fashioned over millennia (even local lyrebirds each move more than 60 tonnes of soil a year) and remains a precious and pristine wonderland right on Sydney's doorstep.