Review: Sydney Opera House Tour
Top Oz Tours offers a great range of Sydney tours and experiences. You can book this tour here.
Even the shortest trip to Sydney wouldn’t be complete without seeing the city’s two most famous landmarks — the Harbour Bridge and Opera House.
The place to get a good view of both is Circular Quay. This bustling waterfront precinct offers epic photo opportunities at every turn, along with access to a range of waterfront restaurants and bars.
Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, the stunning Sydney Opera House opened back in 1973. Every year it welcomes over eight million visitors and stages around 1,800 performances, including opera, theatre, concerts, Indigenous works, cabaret, and comedy.
Watch our video of ten top things to do in Sydney:
10 Top Things to Do in SYDNEY, Australia in 2024 | Ultimate Travel Guide & To-Do List
Support our channel and save on travel by joining our new Top Traveller Club! 😄 Member benefits include a branded travel water bottle delivered to your door, and 10% off day and multi-day tour bookings worldwide!
If your budget won’t stretch to attending a show, the official Sydney Opera House Tour is an affordable way to see inside the building and learn some of its history. This guided 60-minute walk operates several times a day and departs from the Visitor Centre on the Lower Concourse. You’ll get an introduction to the construction of the Opera House, as well as a glimpse of how it functions as a working theatre.
The tour provides a huge amount of information and covers the interior and exterior of the building (including a close look at the distinctive glazed ceramic roof tiles, which were imported from Sweden). Visit the Playhouse Theatre, Concert Hall, Joan Sutherland Theatre, and some areas that are otherwise off-limits to the public. During our visit, we were even able to watch a dress rehearsal in progress. The backstage areas aren’t covered, but they can be explored on a separate tour option.
Each performance space has its own unique features and feel. The Joan Sutherland Theatre — which stages works by Opera Australia — underwent substantial renovations in 2017, and you’ll learn about the many acoustical improvements that were made to this particular venue.
Our tour was led by a dynamic guide, and his passion for the arts and history of the Opera House were clearly evident. We had no trouble hearing his engaging commentary, thanks to the iPod-like devices and headphones provided. He shared a wealth of knowledge about the building — from the international design competition won by Utzon, to the challenges of turning his ambitious vision into reality. Those challenges and resultant disagreements ultimately led to Utzon resigning from the project. In a sad twist, he never returned to Sydney to see the finished structure.
It’s worth mentioning that large bags and backpacks need to be checked into the free cloakroom before the tour. You can take your camera, but photography of rehearsals and theatre sets is not permitted.
All in all, the Sydney Opera House Tour is well worth adding to your to-do list in the New South Wales capital. Enjoy a drink and bite to eat in the atmospheric Opera Bar afterwards.
You can book this tour here or browse our full range of Sydney tours and experiences here. We offer a Best Price Guarantee.
Additional images: Depositphotos and Bigstock
About the writer
Katie Dundas is a freelance writer and travel blogger based in Sydney. Originally from the US, Katie has lived in Australia for about six years and is always searching for the next big adventure. She can often be found hiking, diving, or just enjoying Sydney’s amazing weather. Read about Katie’s travels by heading to her blog.
Travel essentials
You can book many aspects of your holiday on the Top Oz Tours & Travel Ideas website, including flights, hotels, car hire, travel insurance, and more. When you purchase a product or service using the following links from our partners, we receive a small commission. It does not affect the price you pay, and it enables us to continue to provide readers with amazing travel inspiration.
Flights
Compare airlines, flights, and fares in one place with Booking.com. They don’t charge any credit card fees and you can always see exactly what you’re paying for in the price breakdown. You can book one-way, round-trip, and multi-city flights, and change your travel dates with ease when you opt for a flexible ticket option (an additional cost applies). It all adds up to a great flight! Search for flights with Booking.com
Hotels
If you’re looking for a great deal on your next hotel or homestay, look no further than Booking.com. Their mission is to make travel affordable and accessible to more people, and to deliver seamless accommodation experiences that complement your holiday. Search for hotels and homestays with Booking.com
Car hire
Discover Cars is an award-winning (World Travel Awards) car rental comparison website, which helps customers find, compare, and hire cars at the most competitive prices globally. Search for hire cars with Discover Cars
Day tours & experiences
Search and book day tours, guided experiences, and attraction tickets and passes worldwide with Top Oz Tours and Viator. There are no booking or credit card fees when you book through us, and you’ll have access to the widest choice of activities and most competitive prices. Browse day tours and experiences
Multi-day tours & trips
Top Oz Tours has joined forced with Tour Radar to bring you a fabulous range of multi-day tours and trips from the world’s leading operators. Travel with like minded people and get the best possible price on the holiday of your dreams. Browse multi-day tours and trips
Travel insurance
World Nomads aims to be a part of every traveller’s journey by providing a reassuring range of travel insurance services. Benefits include coverage for emergency medical and evacuation or repatriation, lost baggage, trip cancellation, and more than 150 adventure activities. Get an insurance costing
