Christmas Day 2026 falls on a Friday, and in Sydney it is a summer public holiday: a swim in the morning, a long lunch and an evening walk along the harbour in daylight until after 8 pm. This guide covers what is open on 25 December, the Bondi Beach Christmas tradition, lunch and transport, and how to spend the day from Marco Polo Motor Inn Sydney in Summer Hill, where every booking includes free secured parking and rooms start from $140.
What Christmas Day in Sydney looks like
Sydney celebrates Christmas at the height of summer. The Bureau of Meteorology's long-term December averages for Observatory Hill are a maximum of about 25 degrees and a minimum of about 18, with roughly seven and a half hours of sunshine a day. The sun rises before 6 am and sets a little after 8 pm, so a beach, a lunch and a harbour stroll all fit into one day.
Christmas Day is a restricted trading day in New South Wales, so department stores, shopping centres and supermarkets are closed and the city centre is at its quietest of the year, while the beaches, the harbour and the parks stay open.
What is open on 25 December
Attractions confirm their Christmas hours each December, so check the venue's website the week before.
- Beaches and ocean baths: open as always, with lifeguards on the main patrolled beaches through summer
- Royal Botanic Garden Sydney: open daily, 7 am to sunset, free entry, beside Circular Quay and the Opera House
- Taronga Zoo: open every day of the year including Christmas Day, by ferry from Circular Quay
- Sydney Harbour: ferries run to a public holiday timetable, and Christmas lunch cruises depart from Circular Quay and Darling Harbour
- Sydney Opera House: performances, tours and shops close for Christmas Day and reopen on 26 December; the forecourt is open to all
- Shops: closed under the restricted trading rules, with small shops and some convenience stores the exception
Bondi Beach on Christmas Day
Bondi is Sydney's Christmas Day beach. For decades, travellers far from home have gathered on the sand in Santa hats for a swim and a picnic, and the tradition continues every year. Bondi Beach is an alcohol-free zone under Waverley Council rules and glass is not allowed on the sand, so the celebration is a sunny, family-friendly one with lifeguards and council rangers on duty.
Bronte and Coogee, further south along the coastal walk, are quieter choices for a picnic and a calm swim. From the motel, trains reach Central in about 15 minutes; connecting services to the eastern beaches run to the public holiday timetable that Transport for NSW publishes in December.
Christmas lunch, dinner and church services
Sydney's Christmas lunches book out well ahead, so reserve in November or early December. Options range from pub Christmas lunches and festive set menus to harbour lunch cruises that pass the Opera House while the main course is served.
For breakfast, plan a picnic. Cafes and bakeries take the day off, and every room at the motel has a kettle, toaster, microwave and fridge, so shop in Summer Hill on Christmas Eve. St Mary's Cathedral, beside Hyde Park and a short walk from Town Hall or St James stations, celebrates Christmas Eve Masses including Midnight Mass and Masses through Christmas Day morning; the cathedral publishes its Christmas schedule in December.
Getting around on Christmas Day
Trains, ferries and light rail all run on Christmas Day to public holiday timetables; in recent years Sydney Trains has used a modified Saturday timetable on 25 and 26 December. Summer Hill station is a 400 m walk from the motel on the T2 line, with trains to Central in about 15 minutes and to Town Hall, Martin Place, Wynyard and Circular Quay in about 15 to 20 minutes. Circular Quay is the hub for ferries to Manly, Taronga Zoo and Watsons Bay.
Christmas Day roads are the quietest of the year, and your car has its own free secured undercover spot at the motel whenever you return.
Staying at the motel over Christmas
Marco Polo Motor Inn Sydney is an independent 3.5-star motel at 42-44 Parramatta Road, Summer Hill, about 6.5 km west of the city centre. Reception is open 24 hours a day, including Christmas Day, with check-in from 2 pm, check-out by 10 am and keyless 24-hour access. Rooms are air-conditioned with a private ensuite, fridge, microwave, kettle and toaster, in single, queen, deluxe and family configurations sleeping up to five, with free unlimited Wi-Fi and free Purezza premium water refills.
Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day (24, 25 and 26 December 2026) are from $225 a night. Monday 28 December 2026 is an additional public holiday in NSW, so Friday, Saturday, Sunday and public holiday nights are from $200, and Monday to Thursday nights are from $140. New Year's Eve is from $300. There is no restaurant on site; Summer Hill's cafes and restaurants are a short walk away. Booking direct on the website or by phone on 02 8880 8320 gets the best rate with no booking fees.
Why guests choose us
Christmas Day, Sydney style
- Beaches, harbour and botanic garden open all day
- Bondi's Christmas tradition on the sand
- Taronga Zoo open every day of the year
- Trains and ferries on public holiday timetables
- Reception open 24 hours on Christmas Day
- Christmas Eve to Boxing Day from $225 a night
Gallery
A look around & nearby
Photos: AUS Sydney, Randwick, Coogee Beach 001 by -wuppertaler, CC BY 4.0; Martin Place (2049726201) by Phil Whitehouse from London, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0
Coming up over Christmas
- Rise Against1 Dec 2026 · Sydney Opera House - Forecourt
- James Blake2 Dec 2026 · Sydney Opera House - Forecourt
- FORMA pres. SIX60 & SUB-TRIBE - Darling Harbour, Tumbalong Park4 Dec 2026 · Tumbalong Park
- Randwick Twilight Christmas Festival4 Dec 2026 · Royal Randwick Racecourse
- Wolf Alice | Australian Tour 20264 Dec 2026 · Sydney Opera House - Forecourt
- 2026/27 WS Wanderers A League Season (v Perth Glory)5 Dec 2026 · CommBank Stadium
- FORMA pres. Hoodoo Gurus 'Rewind' Tour - Darling Harbour, Tumbalong Park5 Dec 2026 · Tumbalong Park
- Ministry of Sound Summer Dance Festival - Sydney5 Dec 2026 · The Domain
Frequently asked questions
What is open in Sydney on Christmas Day 2026?
The beaches, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney and Taronga Zoo are open, harbour ferries and lunch cruises run, and booked restaurants serve Christmas lunch. Shopping centres and supermarkets are closed under NSW restricted trading rules, and Opera House performances and tours resume on 26 December.
Is Bondi Beach busy on Christmas Day?
Yes, Bondi is the city's traditional Christmas Day beach and fills with swimmers in Santa hats from the morning. It is an alcohol-free zone with lifeguards and rangers on duty.
Do trains run on Christmas Day in Sydney?
Yes. Trains, ferries and light rail run to public holiday timetables on 25 December. Summer Hill station is a 400 m walk from the motel, with the city about 15 to 20 minutes away.
What is the weather like in Sydney on Christmas Day?
Warm and usually sunny. The Bureau of Meteorology's December averages for the city are a maximum of about 25 degrees and a minimum of about 18, with daylight from before 6 am until after 8 pm. Pack a hat, sunscreen and swimmers.
Is the motel open on Christmas Day and what does it cost?
Yes. Reception is open 24 hours every day of the year. Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day 2026 are from $225 a night with one free secured parking spot included, and rooms have a kettle, toaster and fridge for your own breakfast.
Book online here
Spend Christmas Day in Sydney
Rooms from $225 over Christmas with free secured parking, 24-hour reception and trains to the beaches and the harbour.