Love at first sight
Plan an immersive day of culture and history, or drop by for a drink — you’ll always remember your first visit to the Opera House.
Whether you’re here for a full day of exploring, or only have a few minutes to spare, here is what you can do to make the most of your visit to Sydney Opera House.
Here for 30 minutes?
Take that picture perfect selfie on the steps with the sails in the background. Why not grab a coffee at Portside before walking down the Western Boardwalk to see if a seal is bathing in the sunshine? Or, to just enjoy the brilliant harbour view.
Here for an hour or two?
Why not step beneath the sails on a Sydney Opera House tour and discover where the magic happens. Tours run for an hour, and after your tour — we recommend enjoying lunch or dinner at one of our many harbourside restaurants.
Staying the whole day?
Make the most of your Sydney Opera House experience by starting your day with a Sydney Opera House tour where you will venture beneath the sails to discover our working performing arts centre. Then enjoy a delicious meal at one of our many harbourside restaurants before seeing a show. There is so much to see and do at the Opera House and with a whole day, you can experience even more!
How to find us from Circular Quay
Welcome Centre
Circular Quay to Welcome Centre
A walking tour to the Opera House's Welcome Centre.Welcome Centre
Box Office
Circular Quay to Box Office
Walking tour to the Sydney Opera House's Box Office.Box Office
Did you know...
It’s free to visit the Opera House
The Opera House is a building that you can visit at any time. Simply walk along the water from Circular Quay. The sights don't stop at the front! We recommend that you walk all the way around, which takes about 10 minutes, depending on how many pictures you stop to take along the way. The building's iconic curves reveal themselves from different angles, so take your time.
During the day, the Box Office is open, and you are more than welcome to explore the foyers inside the building. To explore further, you can see a show or take a tour.
The Opera House is open 363 days a year
The Opera House is one of the hardest working theatres in the world, the restaurants and bars are open, and we have events, tours and shows on nearly every day of the year.
Sydney Opera House is shut on Christmas Day (25 December) and Easter Sunday.
I’d like to take a tour. Which one is right for me?
A tour is a great way to experience Sydney Opera House for the first time. The building has a rich and dramatic history, as well as being spectacular to behold.
Tours run daily in English, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, German and French. Click here for more information on tours at Sydney Opera House.
How do I get to the Opera House?
You can catch public transport (bus, train, ferry) to Circular Quay and enjoy a six (6) minute walk to the Opera House. If you’re getting dropped off in a car head to the roundabout at the bottom Macquarie Street where staff will direct you to a safe place to pull over.
Driving? Park in the Wilson Car Park and you’re just minutes to your seat. Need a bit more info? Click here
What should I wear?
There’s no real dress code for this event. You’ll fit right in wearing smart casual. But, if you’d like to dress up, go for it! It’s a special occasion — dressing up makes everything 100% more enjoyable.
Where can I eat nearby?
Satisfy your hunger at one of the many restaurants and bars here at the Opera House. Our restaurants offer everything from casual snacks to award-winning fine dining. Find what you’re after, see our Restaurants.
What shows are on at the Opera House when I visit?
Visit our What's On section and filter our shows to the dates you want.
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Foodie Tours
Take a tour of the Sydney Opera House and then join us at one of our harbourside dining spots for a plate of Sydney-inspired food or an alfresco beverage.
Kids Tours
Take your little adventurer on a magical tour of the Sydney Opera House with interactive activities and games the whole family will enjoy. Or see a show, jump on a tour and fill their hungry tummies with one of our day packs.
Architectural Tour
Join us on this tour where you'll learn how in the mid-1950s, Australia and a man from Denmark, Jørn Utzon, created a sculpture on Sydney Harbour that changed the course of twentieth-century architecture. To quote US architect Frank Gehry, “(it) changed the image of an entire country.”