Sydney Opera House

Australia's most iconic building is the Sydney Opera House, which sits on the shores of Sydney Harbour at Bennelong Point. This multi-venue performing arts center was designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon and completed in 1973, before being added as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007.

The Sydney Opera House is home to the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Theatre Company, The Australian Ballet, and Opera Australia, with performances scheduled throughout the year. Daily guided tours also offer a behind-the-scenes look at the building and its history for visitors who aren't attending a show.

During special events, the building is often illuminated with lighting displays reflecting a particular theme, making it a distinctive sight after dark as well as during the day.

An Australian icon

The Sydney Opera House is one of Sydney's and Australia's most visited attractions, drawing around 8 million visitors each year, with some 350,000 joining a guided tour -- figures that reflect its standing as one of the 20th century's most recognized buildings. A photo in front of its famous sails is a near-universal stop for visitors, whether the building is first seen from a harbour ferry or on foot from Circular Quay.

The building remains a working venue for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Theatre Company, The Australian Ballet, and Opera Australia -- visiting respectfully around active rehearsals and performances, rather than treating the whole site purely as a photo backdrop, matters here more than at a purely historic monument.

Bennelong Point carries real Aboriginal significance predating the Opera House itself, named for the Eora man Bennelong -- acknowledging that history, rather than only the building's 20th-century story, gives a fuller picture of the site.

Tickets for performances are booked separately from guided tours, and both can sell out well ahead of time for popular shows or peak tourist season.

Guided tours run throughout the day and typically last about an hour, covering the building's exterior and several of its interior venues depending on performance schedules that day.

The Opera House sits a short walk from Circular Quay, Sydney's main ferry, train, and bus interchange, making it one of the easiest major attractions in the city to reach without a car.

Early morning and late afternoon light gives the shells their most photographed golden and pink tones, and also avoids the middle-of-the-day crowds around the forecourt.

Because tour availability depends on the performance schedule, booking a guided tour in advance -- rather than turning up and hoping for a spot -- is the more reliable approach, especially during the Sydney Festival in January or other peak tourist periods.

Attending an actual performance, rather than only a daytime tour, is the only way to see the building's interior venues in full use, and tickets for popular shows can require booking months ahead.