Worth it to take tour of Sydney Opera House?
Oct 11th, 2002, 04:47 PM
#2
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Mary<BR><BR>I believe the tour is quite informative and we learned much from it and we saw more than we thought we would.<BR><BR>We also opted for a performance at the Opera House so combined it was really spectacular!!<BR><BR>We did the Bridge Walk, the catamaran cruise around the Sydney Bay and we took the ferry from one place to another - such a lovely way to visit a lovely city<BR><BR>It's a delightful city and we tried to learn as much as possible about it and we'll have to return to learn more.<BR><BR>We loved OZ!!
Oct 14th, 2002, 12:12 PM
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I found the tour to be just "ok" when compared to a behind the scenes tour at the Kennedy Center in DC.<BR><BR>If you have the time it may be wrth doing, but I wouldn't plan my day around it.<BR><BR>Seeing a performance at the Opera House, however, is a must.
Oct 14th, 2002, 02:40 PM
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We took the tour two weeks ago and thought it was very good. What we found to be "just OK" was Bennelongs restaurant at the Opera House. Although we don't regret doing it because it's not really overpriced or anything, there are other restaurants nearby that we found to be better.
Dec 6th, 2010, 07:27 AM
#8
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Anyone take the tour recently? Surprised the most recent thread on this tour is 8 years old!
If you book early on the Internet, it's $28 but it's only 1 hour. In another thread someone mentioned that the interior is not by the same architect who did the building.
There is also a backstage tour for $155! Two hours. Tours of other renowned opera houses and concert halls, such as in Berlin and Vienna, are not nearly as expensive.
I'm not even sure they let you take pictures inside so it may be best just to photograph the exterior.
If you book early on the Internet, it's $28 but it's only 1 hour. In another thread someone mentioned that the interior is not by the same architect who did the building.
There is also a backstage tour for $155! Two hours. Tours of other renowned opera houses and concert halls, such as in Berlin and Vienna, are not nearly as expensive.
I'm not even sure they let you take pictures inside so it may be best just to photograph the exterior.
Dec 6th, 2010, 08:00 AM
#9
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DH and I took the tour this summer. I wasn't sure it would be all that interesting to me, but I was very pleasantly surprised and would highly recommend doing this. I can't remember about photos-I'm pretty sure we could take them in the lobby areas inside, but maybe not in the actual theaters. I am not sure that a 2-hour, $155 tour would be worth it for me, but I am really glad we did the 1-hour tour.
A tip: we did not book ahead, but went to the booth to get tickets. The tour that was leaving next wasn't going to be able to go through the main concert hall, but they believed one later in the day would, so we opted to go on a later one, which did go into the main hall. I'm glad we waited-it is quite impressive.
A tip: we did not book ahead, but went to the booth to get tickets. The tour that was leaving next wasn't going to be able to go through the main concert hall, but they believed one later in the day would, so we opted to go on a later one, which did go into the main hall. I'm glad we waited-it is quite impressive.
Dec 6th, 2010, 11:28 AM
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I took the tour in April 2009 and would greatly recommend it. I did NOT take a tour or go in the Opera House on my first trip in 2000, so doing the tour was on the top of my list for Sydney in 2009. It did not disappoint.
Dec 6th, 2010, 12:18 PM
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Scrb11 there is one room that conforms to the original designs by Utzon and there's been a more recent refurbishment of the interiors that was intended to honour those designs:
http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/about/utzon_room.aspx
http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/about/utzon_room.aspx
Dec 6th, 2010, 09:01 PM
#12
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Well there's a bit of savings if you book online. No way to predict whether a given time slot will include the main concert hall.
I'll email and ask.
Sydney sure has a lot of expensive diversions, more 3-digit priced tickets, admissions, tours than most other cities.
The Harbour Bridge climb sounds cool but not sure it's $200-plus cool.
I'll email and ask.
Sydney sure has a lot of expensive diversions, more 3-digit priced tickets, admissions, tours than most other cities.
The Harbour Bridge climb sounds cool but not sure it's $200-plus cool.
Dec 6th, 2010, 09:29 PM
#13
Scrb11, you can walk across the Harbour Bridge for nothing.
http://goaustralia.about.com/od/sydn...bridgewalk.htm
A nice finish is to veer around to Milsons Point and have a coffee/meal at Ripples. Wonderful views back to the city. http://www.aquadining.com.au/aqua_ri...restaurant.htm
Ripples is licensed and BYO (Bring your own (alcohol)) and there's a bottle shop just through the underpass at Broughton Street, Kirribilli.
From there you can either continue exploring on foot, or take a train from Milsons Point station back to the CBD.
http://goaustralia.about.com/od/sydn...bridgewalk.htm
A nice finish is to veer around to Milsons Point and have a coffee/meal at Ripples. Wonderful views back to the city. http://www.aquadining.com.au/aqua_ri...restaurant.htm
Ripples is licensed and BYO (Bring your own (alcohol)) and there's a bottle shop just through the underpass at Broughton Street, Kirribilli.
From there you can either continue exploring on foot, or take a train from Milsons Point station back to the CBD.
