Sydney Opera House Guided Tour

Where better to begin your tour of Sydney than at one of its most beloved icons? The guided tour of the Sydney Opera House is not to be missed. Beneath the elegant sails of this masterwork of architecture is a working performing arts venue. The tour will take you behind the scenes of the theatre’s opera, symphony, ballet and dramatic performances and relate the emotional story of its controversial construction.

To get to the Opera House by public transport, catch the train from Central, Town Hall or Wynyard to Circular Quay. If you’re coming from Kings Cross, you will have to change trains at Town Hall.

If you want to walk, the Opera House is about a 25 minute stroll up Pitt Street and through Circular Quay from Central, and 20 minutes from Kings Cross via the Royal Botanic Gardens.

The first tour of the day begins at 9am and if you miss it, tours depart every half an hour.  Make sure you get to the Tour Desk (upstairs in the Box Office foyer) well before the tour departs so you don’t miss out. Adults are $35, or you can book ahead of time online for $28: http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/whatson/the_essential_tour_2010.aspx

Walk to Royal Botanic Gardens

After the Opera House tour (don’t worry, there will be more opportunities later in the day for photos), walk straight out down the steps until you reach the gates of the Royal Botanic Gardens. 

Royal Botanic Gardens and Art Gallery of NSW

Entry to the Botanic Gardens is free. From here you can stroll through the gardens to the Art Gallery of NSW.

Below is a map showing the possible routes to take and points of interest along the way.

 If you’re not up for walking, every half hour the trackless “Choo Choo train” departs near the Opera House gates. The second stop is the Art Gallery. A leisurely walk through the centre of the gardens will get you to the Art Gallery in about half an hour. On the way through the densely wooded areas, look up and you’re likely to see scores of fruit bats sleeping upside down in the trees.

The Art Gallery of NSW is Sydney’s most comprehensive art museum with five levels covering classical, contemporary, ancient and indigenous painting, sculptures and artifacts. Depending on how much you enjoy art you may well find that 2 hours is not enough time. Fortunately, the Art Gallery of NSW is free, so you can come back anytime without having to worry about buying a ticket. First-time visitors should head for the fascinating Yiribana Gallery on Level 3 which celebrates the unique visual culture of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

Scenic walk and train to Circular Quay

Exit the Art Gallery, turn left and walk down Art Gallery Road. Follow this road until you get to the junction of Art Gallery, St Marys and Prince Albert roads. In the middle of the intersection you will see the Frazer Fountain, dedicated to merchant and philanthropist John Frazer, erected in 1888.

Cross St Marys road and you will be directly in front of the magnificent St Marys Cathedral, the oldest and largest Catholic Church in Australia. Walk past the church and cross College Street into Hyde Park. Here you’ll see the Archibald Fountain, widely considered to be the finest public fountain in Australia. At the fountain, turn right and descend into St James station. At St James take any ‘City Circle’ train back to Circular Quay (it’ll be the very first stop).

Circular Quay and lunch at The Rocks

Exit the train station on the harbour side and spend some time on the promenade around the ferry wharves. This is a great spot for people watching, alive with buskers and professional street performers from Aboriginal didgeridoo players to chainsaw jugglers.

When you’re ready, turn right on the main road in front of the wharves and the train station. This is Alfred Street. Walk along Alfred Street and you’ll pass the First Fleet Park. This park commemorates the first European settlers, who arrived here in 1788. Turn right at the edge of the park on to George Street.

You are now in the oldest district of Sydney. Known as The Rocks, this attractive neighbourhood is rich in colonial history. Many of the buildings here date back to the mid-1880s and are made from beautiful Sydney sandstone. Take a wander around. Many of significant buildings and places are marked by metal plaques. If you’re here on a weekend, there’s a lively outdoor market, with around 200 colourful stalls lining George and Playfair streets. It’s a great place to pick up art, jewellery and souvenirs, although prices are far from cheap.  

There are numerous cafés, restaurants and pubs to relax in over lunch.  Visit the cavernous Löwenbräu Keller for schnitzel, steak and German beer, Amo Roma for pizza or any of the casual eateries along Playfair and Argyle streets for affordable café-style bites. 

Walk to the Harbour Bridge Pylon Lookout

To get to the Pylon Lookout, turn left on to Argyle Street from George Street. At the intersection with Harrington Street, you’ll see the Argyle Stairs leading up to Cumberland Street on your right. Climb the stairs, turn left and cross to the other side of Cumberland Street. Use the Bridge Stairs to access the pedestrian pathway on the eastern side of the bridge. Keep walking until you get to the pylon entrance.

The Argyle Stairs on Argyle Street. Follow these up to the Harbour Bridge Pylon Lookout.

Harbour Bridge Pylon Lookout

Many tourists get advised to do the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb, run by BridgeClimb Sydney. This can be a great experience, but if you’re on a budget, the $200 ticket price can really sting. If you love climbing things and have the cash to spare, by all means take the climb (which lasts between 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours depending on which route you choose), but do note that you can get the same view from the Harbour Bridge Pylon Lookout, which will only set you back $9.50.

The Pylon is divided into several levels with the lookout on top. Along the way there are a series of exhibits explaining the history of the Harbour Bridge. The lookout is 87 metres (285 feet) above ground and provides spectacular views of the harbour, the city and beyond. And unlike the BridgeClimb, you can take your camera!

Ferry to Watsons Bay

You’ll need to make your way back to the ferry wharves at Circular Quay by 3pm to catch the ferry.  Buy a ticket to Watsons Bay and check which wharf the ferry departs from. The ferry leaves at 3:10pm on weekends and weekdays (as at October 2010), and the next one is 4:00pm on weekdays and 3:40pm on weekends. If you’re not travelling on the DayTripper pass, the fare is $5.30. The trip takes around 40 minutes and is extremely scenic. 

Walk to Hornby Lighthouse

Map of Watsons Bay outside the Watsons Bay Hotel. 

Exit the ferry, start walking and you’ll shortly pass the Watsons Bay Hotel where you can stop for a drink on the way back. Walk past the hotel and turn left on to Cliff Street. You’ll walk past the entrance of the army barracks. At the end of Cliff Street you’ll arrive at beautiful Camp Cove Beach.

Right at the end of the beach, to your right, you’ll see wooden stairs leading to a small bushwalking track. Walk up these stairs and you’ll pass a cannon installed to protect Sydney Harbour in WWII. Continue along the track and you’ll find the entrance to Lady Bay Beach, signposted “clothing optional”. While bathing suits are tolerated at this beach, you’ll feel a little less conspicuous if you let it all hang free!

To get to Hornby Lighthouse, keep going up the track past Lady Bay, right up to the mouth of Sydney Harbour. 

The Gap & Pre-dinner Drinks at Watsons Bay Hotel

Once you’ve walked all the way back to the Watsons Bay Hotel, you can walk up the hill through the park to The Gap. This is another spectacular clifftop lookout, and for all its beauty is the sight of dozens of suicides every year. When you’re done walking, head for the pub for a drink. If you’re enjoying the atmosphere here, you can stay for dinner as well. The food is pretty decent but nothing too special

Bus back to Kings Cross or the CBD

Buses back to the city depart near the Watsons Bay Hotel. You can take the 324 or the 325 bus. This is a long and windy trip that will take you through some of Sydney’s most exclusive suburbs – Vaucluse, Rose Bay and Double Bay. This bus will drop you off at Kings Cross or close to Central station. 

Kings Cross or the CBD for dinner

For a reasonably priced meal in Kings Cross try JuJu (a Japanese tavern with rowdy karaoke on weekends), Zachary’s for pizza and Bamboo Dumpling Bar for fabulous cheap Chinese. If you want to splash out, try the gorgeous Gazebo Wine Bar down Elizabeth Bay Road, or Fish Face for first-rate seafood.

In the CBD try Pitt Street in the area near World Square shopping centre for incredibly cheap and authentic Thai food, good quality sushi, super-filling Korean barbecue and Encasa restaurant, long loved by backpackers for its Spanish tapas and pizzas.