Sydney Opera House

One of the greatest buildings of the 20th century and a World Heritage Site, with white shell-like sails designed by Jørn Utzon. Visitors can join a tour, catch a performance, or watch the sunset from the steps by the harbor.

The Sydney Opera House stands on Bennelong Point, which juts into the harbor on the east side of Circular Quay. It was designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon. Construction began in 1959, and it was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1973. Its troubled history of severe delays and budget overruns is legendary in itself. The building was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2007, one of the youngest to receive the designation. It consists of 14 sets of precast concrete shells. Its surfaces are clad in 1.05 million white and cream tiles made in Sweden, which shimmer like pearls under different lights. Inside are seven performance venues, including the Concert Hall (whose acoustics were renovated in 2022 at a cost of A$150 million), the Joan Sutherland Theatre for opera and the Drama Theatre. Together, they host roughly 1,800 performances a year. There are several ways to experience it. First, the exterior is free to view. Walk around the forecourt and look across from the north steps to the Harbour Bridge. The best photo spots are Mrs Macquarie's Chair (at the east end of the Royal Botanic Garden, where the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge appear together, best at sunrise), the western side of Circular Quay and the Harbour Bridge walkway, and from the water on a ferry. Second, join a one-hour architectural tour (Mandarin-language tours run daily, around A$45 for adults, and include entry to the Concert Hall), or a backstage tour (early in the morning, around A$190). Third, see a performance: opera, symphony, ballet, contemporary music and comedy, with tickets priced between A$40 and A$300. Book in advance on the official website, as some shows offer same-day discounts. Before or after a show, dine at the Opera Bar on the north side, an open-air waterfront bar where you can watch the sunset over the bridge (about A$30 to A$50 per person), or at Bennelong restaurant, located inside the sails, which is upscale. Getting there: take the train, light rail or ferry to Circular Quay Station, then walk for 5 minutes. Notes: seagulls often try to steal food from the forecourt steps. During New Year's Eve and the Vivid light festival, the surrounding area is closed to traffic and visitor numbers are limited. Drones are not permitted over the Opera House. Tours require a security check.

Sydney Opera House

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