Sydney is Australia's most exciting city. The history of Australia begins here. In 1788, Captain Arthur Phillips arrived in Sydney with 11 ships and 1,024 passengers (including 770 prisoners) from Britain. Today there are 2.5 million people in Sydney. It is the biggest city in Australia, and one of the most beautiful cities in the world. There are over 20 fine beaches close to Sydney. Its warm summer climate and cool winter have made it a favorite city for immigrants (移民) from overseas. There are three things that made Sydney famous-its beautiful harbor, the Sydney Harbor Bridge,and the Sydney Opera House. But there are many more interesting things in Sydney: beautiful shops and restaurants, for example, rows of interesting old houses built everywhere in the 19th century. Summer or winter, day or night, Sydney is an outdoor city. Some Americans think it is very British. Some British visitors think it is like America. There is some truth in both these opinions, because Sydney takes from both the Old World-Europe, and the New World-America, and makes it into something that is neither British nor American but truly Australian.