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“I’m Free” Walking Tour of Sydney Review

I’ve always been told nothing in life is free. And that is still technically true for the “I’m Free” tours. However, it is a pretty neat concept, in my opinion. The way it works is there is no set price, you just show up at the time the tour starts, and it lasts for about 3 hours. At the end of the tour, you decide how much it was worth and then pay your tour guide accordingly. Pretty neat, right?

Our friends from Poland had suggested we do it, and they also said they had done tours similar to this in Europe. (As far as I know, there isn’t anything like this in the U.S., though.) So, on your next trip, try searching for this type of tour – it’s a great idea!

QVB BUILDING
Queen Victoria Building a.k.a. QVB

The tour we did took us through the Central Business District of Sydney. There’s also a tour of The Rocks (historic area) in Sydney that I would like to do as well. This is something I wish we would’ve done the second we arrived in Sydney. It’s a great way to get yourself familiar with the city and figure out how things like public transport work and what events are going on and where the cool restaurants/bars are. (There were people who had just arrived in Sydney that morning who were taking this tour.)

By the time we took this tour, we had already pretty much figured out most of the basics. So, we had been hoping to get a little history lesson from it. And we did find some cool things we were unaware of along the way too…like the art installation below.

Spots We Saw on the I’m Free Walking Tour of Sydney
angel place

This is Angel Place, which is just off Martin Place, an area I’ve walked past a ton of times…but I never knew this installation was right there! It’s called “Forgotten Songs” and is made of 50 bird cages that play the songs of the birds that were forced out of the city after it was settled. You can also see their names on the ground as you walk through.

forgotten songs

As I’ve been finding with many of the tours I’ve taken lately, when it comes to history, take it with a grain of salt. A good portion of the stories shared were lovely stories and rumors, not cold hard historical facts. So, it made for an interesting tour…but I’m not sure how many things I had been told were actually true.

war memorial

For example, The Sydney Cenotaph is a memorial dedicated to Australian sailors and soldiers who lost their lives in World War I. However, when we visited it on the tour, we had only really been told a story about how Australian and Turkish soldiers supposedly shared food in the trenches together during World War I and that this is also the spot where soldiers went to enlist in World War I…but we never really covered the sobering significance of what this memorial actually was. (It was rather glossed over…)

sydney

So, moral of the story, as I’m finding out lately in Sydney, save your history lessons for reading at a later date…but if you’re looking for some fun, anecdotal stories the tours are a good time! Such as, it’s totally A-OK to eat the national animal and bird of Australia! (The red kangaroo & the emu.) Haha. Whereas, let’s not talk about what would happen if you ate a bald eagle in America…

sydney

And this is what was once the tallest building in Sydney (the church) and what is now the tallest building in Sydney (The Sydney Tower from my previous post). Pretty cool!

rum hospital boar statue

Oh, and if you rub this erm, lovely boar’s snout outside of Sydney Hospital… it will bring you good luck! So many people have rubbed its snout it’s starting to turn white. And curiously enough…there’s also a, um, less appropriate part on the boar that has apparently been getting rubbed for good luck too. Can you spot it? Haha. 😉

waiting statue sydney
“Waiting” a statue by John Seward Johnson the II

This statue called “Waiting” in Sydney’s Central Business District is by John Seward Johnson the II. This was really cool for me to see all the way in Sydney, as I had lived near a ton of John Seward Johnson’s sculptures in New Jersey! He is the artist who created the huge Marilyn Monroe sculpture that I had seen at Grounds for Sculpture…among many others. (You can click here to see more photos of his sculptures in a previous post I did.)

I also enjoyed that the tour ended at an awesome viewing tower in Circular Quay that I had no idea existed! (It’s next to the cruise ship terminal FYI.)

Bottom Line – Do I Recommend This Tour?

I liked the concept of the I’m Free Walking Tour of Sydney, and our tour guide was very kind and entertaining! She was very patient and willing to answer questions too. I mentioned my negative feelings about the tour (however, this isn’t something that is unique to this tour by any means… this has been a negative for most tours I’ve taken lately), but if you’re aware of that and are just going to hear fun stories and get yourself acquainted with the city – you’ll have a great time! I, again, really wish we would’ve found this tour when we first arrived! It would have made life so much simpler, as she went over in great detail how public transit works, different streets and how to get to different beaches, sights, etc.

Click here to check out the “I’m Free” tour website.

*If you liked this post and would like to take your own walking tour of Sydney. Click here to download my “I’m Free Walking Tour of Sydney” available on GPSmyCITY!

Have you ever heard of or been on a tour similar to the “I’m Free” tours? Let me know in the comments!


Feel free to click on the photos below to make them full-sized and some have captions.

I’m Free Walking Tour of Sydney

I’m Free Walking Tour of Sydney
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19 Comments

  1. Just came across your post Lindsey! We run a small-group walking tour of Sydney which goes a little deeper and also addresses some of those complaints you had about the free tours (eg we will definitely talk about the more sobering aspects of the Anzac Cenotaph). Would love to host you if ever make it back to Sydney, look up “Local Sauce Tours” and the “Ultimate Sydney Walking Tour”. Cheers, Justin

  2. jasonlikestotravel says:

    This was the first walking tour I ever did and really enjoyed it. The Rocks tour was good too. I’ve done many in Europe since, best to do then at the start of a trip as it can help get your bearings in a new city.

    Great read 🙂

    1. haveclotheswilltravel says:

      I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the tour too! Thank you so much for reading.

  3. I really like the concept of these tours. You atlease got some fun things.
    Loved the “Forgotten Songs”. The boar sounds like the charging bull in front of NYSE building 😀
    Richa | Fancier’s World

    1. haveclotheswilltravel says:

      Yay! Glad you enjoyed it too, Richa! And it’s funny, I’ve been to NYC quite a few times, but I have yet to see the bull in front of the NYSE building!

  4. Lauren-Blair says:

    I hope you make it BIG as a travel blogger/writer because you seriously have the most interesting and insightful posts about exploring new places!! XO
    Lauren-Blair
    www.gracerock-kellyroll.com

    1. haveclotheswilltravel says:

      Oh my gosh, thank you, Lauren! You are far too kind! And this comment seriously made my day!

  5. I have to visit Sydney soon ! Your photos are so beautiful! Thank you for sharing your experience with us, Lindsey! I will try this I am free tour as well.

    Hugs,
    Miri

    http://currentlywearing.com

    1. haveclotheswilltravel says:

      Thank you so much, Miri! I’m so glad you enjoyed the post! Enjoy your time in Sydney! 🙂

  6. denisesplanet says:

    I am loving knowing more about Sydney here, dear Lindsey! I have heard of “I’m free tours” just once, and not with details like you gave, so yours informed much more now! I loooved Angel Place, what for a nice installation, although for a sad reason. And The sculpture was really nice – in the future, who will know newspapers… just tablets 🙂 I knew about eating kangaroos, but as I am vegetarian, I’d pass that 🙂 Will you eat? (No problem if you say yes, I am not on a crusade for transforming people into vegetarians, no way!) Hope you have a lovely Sunday!
    DenisesPlanet.com

    1. haveclotheswilltravel says:

      Thank you so much, Denise! So glad you enjoyed the post! And I will have to try kangaroo at least once while I’m here. 🙂 Hope you’re having a lovely week!

  7. Such a gorgeous architecture! I have never been in Sydney but I hope I will visit it in future:) Thanks for taking us in virtual tour – beautiful pictures!

    Have a nice weekend:)

    jointyicroissanty

    1. haveclotheswilltravel says:

      Thank you so much! I hope you get to visit one day soon! Hope you’re having a great week too. 🙂

  8. Carlyn Brody says:

    I haven’t been on that kind of tour before. I usually take tours in museums and other public buildings if I happen to be there at the right time. Otherwise I just wander around on my own.

    1. haveclotheswilltravel says:

      That’s usually what I do too…but this seemed like an interesting one to try. 🙂

  9. Laurie Duncan says:

    Sounds like it was fun! I think tours are also great when you only have a short time to see things. But I like how they told you how to use the local transportation!

    1. haveclotheswilltravel says:

      I thought that was great too! And it was a good way to get out a see some stuff it might have taken me a while to find otherwise. 🙂

  10. Amanda Brezovsky says:

    I’ve never heard of the Im Free tours, but I like the concept! I would also want/wish they provided some hard facts too though being a history nerd and all haha. Loved all of the pictures! Its always great to see the landmarks and scenery. Looks like it was a gorgeous day too. Hope you have a great weekend Lindsey!

    enchantingelegance.net

    1. haveclotheswilltravel says:

      Haha, history nerds unite! And thank you so much, Amanda! The weather was very nice that day! I hope you have a great weekend too! 🙂

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