Thousands of people will gather on and around Sydney Harbour to welcome the Pope to Sydney on Thursday 17 July. Festivities will include a civic reception, a welcome to land from local indigenous leaders, and a colourful reception with flags from all over the world.

From 2.45pm, the Pope will be joined by hundreds of young people on Captain Cook Cruises - Sydney 2000 vessel, accompanied by a 13 vessel 'boat-a-cade' along Sydney Harbour. This will enable thousands of people to welcome him from both spectator craft and from harbourside vantage points. The best vantage points for the general public includes Bradley's Head, Pyrmont Park, Blues Point, Mrs Macquarie's Chair and Circular Quay.

At 3.30pm, the Pope will disembark at Barangaroo where he will address a crowd of over 100,000 pilgrims. This ceremony can be watched by the general public at on big screens at Darling Harbour, Farm Cove and the Sydney Opera House.

Following this, the Pope will travel in the 'Pope mobile' through the streets of Sydney. People can watch this in the northern part of the CBD, at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Circular Qay, George Street, Bridge Street, Dawes Point and Macquarie Street.