Sydney Opera House Tour & Dine Experience

There are places you visit once for a photograph. And there are places that quietly become part of your memory. For me, the Sydney Opera House belongs to the second category. No matter how many times I return to Sydney, I always find myself walking back here — sometimes early in the morning with fresh sea air and soft light over the harbour, sometimes at sunset when the sky turns gold and pink, and sometimes late at night when the white sails glow against the dark water. What makes this place special is not only the famous architecture. It is the atmosphere surrounding it. The Opera House has a certain charm that cannot really be captured in postcards. Ferries moving across the harbour, musicians performing nearby, people sitting by the water with coffee or wine, the sound of the wind coming from Circular Quay — everything creates a feeling that Sydney is alive and breathing around you. I especially love simply walking around the area without rushing anywhere. There are many beautiful places nearby to dine, relax, watch the harbour, or just sit quietly and enjoy the view. Even after many visits, the scenery never feels repetitive because the Opera House changes with the weather, the season, and the light. During the day it feels bright and energetic. At night it becomes elegant and almost cinematic. Some landmarks impress you once. The Sydney Opera House keeps calling you back.

A must do experience when visiting the Sydney Opera House. When we were in Sydney in 2015 we weren't able to fit in the Sydney Opera House so we knew it was a must do this time. And with the chance to have lunch it was a no brainer. The Tour Booked the 12 noon slot. Very well organized. Easy to get your actual ticket. Large bags are not allowed. Our tour guide was excellent (unfortunately cant remember her name - she was from the England). She was informative, fun and kept our large group moving. The. Opera House itself is amazing. It may be so from the outside but inside just as impressive. So much to learn. We were taken into two of the theatres. If people are on stage you can't take photos. Lunch When we booked it stated that you could choose from three venues. In fact in our case there were two. Midden and the cafe. The main thing about lunch is that there is a fixed menu. We were planning on eating at Midden however their menu did not appeal to us so we ended up the cafe and it was excellent. I had the BBQ lemon grass pork chop and my husband the burger. All washed down with a rather nice beer. By the way if I remember correctly you don't have to have lunch at the time of the tour you can take it up to 5 pm I think so you could make it an early dinner. Whenever you go it will be busy. This experience can also be booked direct through the Opera House website and it may be cheaper. We tend to use Viator for ease.

Our guide was extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of the Sydney Opera House. He was engaging and kept the tour moving without feeling rushed. The dine portion of the experience was limited menu in the choice of 2 restaurants. The food was excellent quality.

Visitors need to beware this tour involves climbing numerous steps. It did not appear they had alternative option for anyone needing a lift. Maybe since no one on our tour requested one. Very informative and enlightening.

Wonderful guide and very worthwhile to see the inside of the opera house and learn its history. If you dine closer to dinner time, get a table first, then order food as tables can be hard to find or eat earlier.