Sydney: Strategies: When to Go

The country’s subtropical climate, characterized by warm summers and mild winters, makes it pleasant to visit year-round, though summer is the best time. And as Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere, summer is from December to February and winter from June to August; January is typically the warmest month, with temperatures averaging 78 degrees, and July is the coldest, with an average temperature of 60 degrees. Sydney doesn’t suffer the extremes of heat that other Aussie cities tend to, and the social scene here is particularly lively in the warmer months. The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, a flamboyant street parade that galvanizes the inner city once a year, takes place in February; and several outdoor theaters show a range of art-house and big-budget films under the stars throughout the summer.