The face of Sydney, one of the most photographed buildings in the world, and a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Sydney Opera House stands on the edge of Port Jackson and is a renowned facility for performance arts. To experience this beauty, all you need is to book your Australia tour packages from Pickyourtrail.
If you are visiting Sydney, a tour of the Opera House must be on your itinerary. To say the least, the inside is what forms the heart of this iconic structure and no amount of pictures from different angles on the outside can be as enriching as taking a guided tour of the multiple halls within the Sydney Opera House.
The Sydney Opera House Tours is a collection of tours offering a variety of perspectives on the building from which tourists can have a pick. These include the On-site tour, the Backstage Tour, Architectural Tour, and Mobility Access Tour.
On-site tour
An expert tour guide will walk you through the various performance halls of the Sydney Opera House, each having a unique architectural style. An oral explanation and film experience of the history behind each of these halls further enhances the Opera House’s charm. Apart from this, the tour allows you access to photo vantage points that are generally off-limits to the public so you can be sure to click some mind-blowing and cherishable images. These tours are held daily at nominal prices. During some months, special adventure tours for school children (Kids Tours) are also held. The experience is worth the one hour you spend. The On-site tour accommodates a maximum of 35 people with group bookings of up to 11 people. This tour is also available in languages other than English such as Spanish, German, and French among others.
Mobility Access tour
This tour focuses on those who have limited mobility and Sign Language Interpreters are also offered on demand. The tour is a similar experience to the On-site tour. This tour requires registering and booking by email beforehand.
Meeting Point: Welcome Centre on the Lower Concourse
Tours run daily and tour times for On-site Tours can be confirmed on booking.
Timings (for Mobility Tours): 11.30 am to 2 pm AEST
Duration: 1 hour
Price: Rs.2,363/- (Adults), Rs.1,264/- (Children between 5 and 15 years), Rs.5,991/- (2 adults and 2 children). Concessions are available for senior citizens, pensioners, and full-time students with proper proof.
Over 1500 performances, not just operas but also theatre, contemporary concerts, orchestras, workshops, magic shows, and comedy among others, are featured in the Sydney Opera House every year. If you want to experience the grandeur of the Opera House, we recommend booking a seat and watching a show during your visit! But these on stage performances are the end products of efforts in the background. To learn the secrets and stories from rehearsal rooms and behind the screens, join the small group Backstage Tour. This tour starts early at 7 am AEST and will be a good 2 hours in length. The tour includes a breakfast at the end at the House Canteen, the newly opened restaurant at the Opera House where you can enjoy a meal sitting beside Sydney Harbour. The Backstage Tour requires booking at least by 5 pm AEST a day prior and only a maximum of 10 people are taken. This tour also includes children between the ages of 10 and 15 who are accompanied by an adult at all times.
Meeting Point: Stage Door, located beneath the Monumental Steps
Timings: 7 am AEST (must arrive at 6.45 am at Stage Door) on Sundays and Mondays
Duration: 2 hours
Price of tickets: Starts from Rs.9,620/-
The Sydney Opera House is famous for its white sails on the roof but did you know these are actually a series of precast concrete sections of a sphere or that the cathedral interiors were designed by a different architect than the white sails on the outside? If you'd like to know more about architecture, join the Architectural Tour on Saturdays at 10 am AEST. This is a special tour of the history of the construction and an in-depth portrait of Jørn Utzon, the main architect of the exterior. A knowledgeable guide takes you through the stories that form the Opera House. This tour accommodates a maximum of 35 people with group bookings up to 11 people.
Meeting Point: Welcome Centre on the Lower Concourse
Timings: 10 am on Saturdays
Duration: 1 hour
Price: Rs.2,363/- (Adults), Rs.1,264/- (Children between 5 and 15 years), Rs.5,991/- (2 adults and 2 children). Concessions are available for senior citizens, pensioners, and full-time students with proper proof.
The Opera House has multiple light dining options, from The Lounge for coffee meals, the Opera Bar for cocktails and cuisine local to Sydney, the new House Canteen (formerly Opera Kitchen) which is a pan-Asian outdoor restaurant open all day, and Portside Sydney, offering an à la carte menu perfect as a pre-show option. This summer, the Northern Broadwalk also features fish and chips from the new opening of The Harbour eatery. For more special occasions, a fine dining restaurant, The Bennelong, is also available at the Bennelong Pavilion, which is known as a miniature of the Opera House. A tour and dining option are available and most apt for those who wish for stunning views of the harbor or to sit under the white sails at leisure and enjoy food and drink.
In case you plan to take a Sydney tour around midday, a Foodie Tour that includes the fully guided tour and lunch at the House Canteen or Opera Bar might be perfect for you. The meals can be taken anytime before or after the tour. The menu is categorized for adults and kids with suggested food and drink pairings.
Meeting Point: Welcome Centre on the Lower Concourse
Timings: Meals can be taken between 11.30 am and 6 pm AEST
Duration: 1 hour (tour duration)
Price of standard tickets: From Rs.4,397/-