Just a few short years ago in 2019, Time Out’s global survey of the coolest cities in the world had some bad news for Sydney. Due to the impact of the lockout laws and the reputational damage they caused, Sydney only managed to rank as the 39th best city in the world, out of 48 in total, and worse still, the city’s nightlife was ranked the worst in the world. Dead last. The bottom of the barrel. And true enough, if you’d asked back then, most Sydneysiders would probably have agreed. But times have changed, my friend.
As of March 8, the last of the lockouts have finally been lifted on Kings Cross, and the NSW government recently appointed a new 24-hour Economy Commissioner to oversee the renaissance of Sydney’s nightlife. No more will Sydney’s after-dark spirit be stifled by alcohol-fuelled violence or fun-limiting rules. Sydney is ready to be a party town again – you only need to take a look at our recent rundown of the 57 best bars in Sydney to see that our late-night scene is on the up and up.
So isn’t it about time the rest of the world knew? You can play your part by casting your vote in the 2021 Time Out Index, a survey that takes in all aspects of metropolitan life, from how easy it is to express yourself to where the most underrated ‘hoods are, and of course, how vibrant the city is at night. Let’s show Sydney some love and make sure the world knows that it’s one of the best goddamn places in the world.