Taking in some epic views of the Sydney Opera House is top of the list for most travellers and it’s a sight that never disappoints. Sydney Harbour is magical and there are so many different vantage points from which to enjoy it.
If you’re hoping to get some beautiful photos of the Sydney Opera House we have you covered, with spots that are well known as well as those usually only visited by locals.
Get your camera ready and prepare for some absolutely breathtaking views.
The best views and photo spots of the Sydney Opera House
These are the 15 best viewpoints for the Sydney Opera House:
1: Dawes Point Reserve
2: Dawes Point Fence
3: Opera Bar
4: Mrs Macquarie’s Chair
5: The Park Hyatt Hotel
6: Under the bridge
7: Cremorne Point
8: McMahons Point
9: Luna Park
10: The Manly Ferry
11: Jeffrey Street Wharf
12: A helicopter
13: The Shangri-La
14: Beulah Street
15: Cruise Bar
1. Dawes Point
Dawes Point is a favourite spot with visiting and local photographers alike. As well as the stunning view of the Opera House, if you turn around you will also get a magnificent view of the Harbour Bridge too.
If you can stomach the early start, sunrise is the time this spot is at its best, as the sun rises close to the Opera House and begins illuminating the sails.
If you do plan on an early start bring some warm clothes though, even in summer, because this area sees a lots of wind come off the harbour and it can get seriously cold before the sun comes up.
Dawes Point Viewpoint one
Viewpoint one is the most famous spot - head to Hickson Road Reserve to get that classic photo looking straight on to the Opera House. You can also get some lovely photos on the grass, surrounded by palm trees, which is a nice spot to relax and take in the view.
Those wanting a unique spot should look for the wall that juts out into the harbour. It has a sign on the end, but in front of that your view isn’t obstructed by the fence, which is a great view if you can stomach the narrow ledge!
2. Dawes Point view two
If you love framing a photo, look for the gap in the fence. It’s not difficult to spot and there might already be a photographer there to give it away! It makes for a lovely creative shot from this classic spot.
There is only one of these gaps, so if you are arriving at sunrise, chances are someone with a tripod might have already set up there! In the daytime it isn’t a problem.
Getting there
Dawes Point is easy to find as it is right below the harbour bridge. Parking is free before 8am, so you can often snag a free spot at sunrise! Otherwise you will have to pay between $4.20 and $6.20 per hour and hope that one of the few spots are still available.
Alternatively, you can get a ferry or train to Circular Quay and walk round. The exact location can be found on Google Maps through this link.
3. Opera Bar
This is a popular spot with Instagrammer’s and you’ve no doubt seen it many times before. Our photo is taken just before the Opera Bar.
There is a ton of seating as you can see in the photo but it does get busy during the day and in the evening, so unless you’re lucky, if you don’t want people in your shot you are going to have to come early.
You could easily combine this spot with Dawes Point to make a fab morning of beautiful views and great photography opportunities.
Getting there:
The Opera Bar is a really easy spot to get to. It’s only around a five minute walk from both Circular Quay Train Station and all the Circular Quay Ferry Wharves.
You could walk over from Dawes Point in around 15 minutes or so.
4. Mrs Macquarie's Chair
This is the classic spot that almost all travellers will visit. It really is one of the loveliest views in the city. It’s also accessed by a very pretty walk from Circular Quay and through the Botanic Garden or you can come from the other direction, taking the pleasant stroll from Wooloomooloo, the linked walk above fully explains the route.
Mrs Macquarie’s Chair offers a view where the Opera House sits prettily in from of the Harbour Bridge and really steals the show.
It’s an absolutely fabulous place to watch the sunset, which happens directly behind the Opera House.
There are loads of places you can sit both at ground level and with a slightly higher perspective so even though this spot does get busy, there is plenty of room for all.
Getting there
Mrs MacQuarie’s Chair is an iconic spot in the heart of the Botanic Gardens, but doesn’t have any public transport to it. We highly recommend getting here by doing the City Foreshore Walk to get here as it’s one of the best in the city.
However, you can get a taxi to drop you off nearby if you really don’t fancy the walk. You can find the exact location by clicking here.
5. The walkway by the Park Hyatt Hotel
This is a really popular spot with landscape photographers because the glass of the Park Hyatt lounge perfectly reflects the Opera House which creates a really interesting shot.
You’ll need to head to the stairs along the side of the Park Hyatt and shoot from there. Sunrise is the best light here and it’s literally a few minutes walk from Dawes Point so combining the two is a breeze.
Getting there
The Park Hyatt is right next to Dawes Point, and its well worth combining the two if you get the chance (it’s literally a walk round the corner!). You can get a ferry or a train to Circular Quay and walk, or park nearby - it’s free before 8am.
If you can’t face the early start, it’s $4.20 - $6.20 per hour depending on the day of the week and the time of day.
6. Under the Harbour Bridge
It’s always fun walking under the Harbour Bridge, we’ve lived here six years now and it still never gets old. It also offers an interesting perspective of Sydney Harbour with the bridge looming over the Opera House which appears to sit directly under the bridge.
The fence is also quite photogenic and adds a bit of extra interest to the photographs.
I feel like a broken record here, but it’s also just a few minutes walk from Dawes Point so you can see that while we are suggesting a lot of different perspectives many can be obtained in just an hour!
Getting there:
This is another good spot to combine with Dawes Point as it is very close by. Simply walk along the road and go under the bridge, then turn around!
7. Cremorne Point
This one is definitely a locals spot, yet it’s really quick and easy to get to from the city. Cremorne offers some of the best harbour views in Sydney and there are a number of different vantage points to choose from.
I’ll share our two favourites. The first is just up from the ferry wharf, about one minute into the walk to Robertsons Point Lighthouse. I love this one because it is unique, instead of having a clear shot, you have lots of lush, tropical foliage framing the Opera House offering a really pretty shot.
Incidentally the walk this spot is on, happens to be one of the best short walks in Sydney, and as well as epic views, offers the chance to visit a lighthouse, a secret garden and even stop for a glass of wine partway. You can read about the easy Cremorne Point walk here.
Our other fave Opera House view in Cremorne is around 100m from the ferry wharf on the grassy lawn right on the harbour. This is a particularly special place to come for sunset and if you’re lucky you’ll get some great colour in the sky too. If you’re keen on sunsets, we’ve got a whole guide on the best places to go in Sydney.
Getting there
The most fun way to get to Cremorne Point is to take the scenic 10 minute ferry ride from Circular Quay.
The area is also serviced by buses but they can be slow due to heavy traffic along Military Road, we'd highly recommend the ferry instead.
8. McMahons Point Ferry Wharf
This is a place close to our hearts because it’s where we live, but it’s also one of the best harbour views in the city.
Normally we would recommend you head a five minute walk away to Blues Point Reserve but there is currently heavy construction work going on there, so instead just walk a couple of minutes from the wharf to the grassy area you can see in the picture. It’s such an incredible view that our friends chose to get married here!
This is a wonderful sunrise spot if you want the best possible light but if not the view from here is fabulous at any time of day.
You can also walk round to Lavender Bay from here, which is where the next spot on this list is located, it’s one of Sydney’s best harbour walks.
Getting there
The best way to get to this spot is of course to take the ferry, you can come from Circular Quay (10 minutes) or Darling Harbour (20 minutes) depending on where you are staying.
If you come from Circular Quay the ferry will go directly under the bridge which is always fun!
9. Luna Park
Luna Park is a bit of a Sydney icon and as well as being an old fashioned fairground, its position right on the water also means it has fabulous views.
The Opera House does look quite small from here, and the bridge is much more dominant but it’s a lovely view and well worth a visit.
Sunrise is the best light for this spot but sunset also tends to have nice soft light. We also like it as a nighttime photography spot for a bit of a change.
Getting there: Luna Park has its own ferry wharf (Milsons Point wharf) which is right beside this view or you can take the train to Milsons Point Station which is a few minutes walk away. You could also walk here from McMahons Point which is a beautiful little stroll, we detail the route in the second part of this post.
10. The ferry to Manly
The Manly ferry is such a gorgeous 30 minute journey it’s a tourist attraction in it’s own right and a bit like a harbour cruise!
As you leave Circular Quay you will go directly past the Opera House getting a fantastic close up side on view which you don’t often get.
There’s heaps to do when you get to Manly so it’s a win win situation!
Getting there
Ferries to Manly depart from Circular Quay wharf and take 30 minutes on the slow boat or 18 minutes on the slightly more expensive fast boat.
11. Jeffrey Street Wharf
Jeffrey Street Wharf is another of our favourite sunset spots and the view of both the bridge and Opera House is fabulous.
You also see it from a different angle, from the back, so it makes for a different perspective.
As it is quite far in the distance it makes for a more beautiful shot if you get a nice sky, so sunset is ideal.
Getting there
The easiest way to get to Jeffrey St Wharf is to take either the train or ferry to Milsons Point. From there it’s only a 5-10 minute walk.
You can drive and park as well if you have a car, it’s metered.
12. From a helicopter
Hear us out on this one as it doesn’t have to be as expensive as you might think! It’s a wonderful splurge if you want to treat yourself, a helicopter ride was my 30th birthday present to Joe and we both absolutely loved it., it’s one of the best things we’ve done in Sydney. There is nothing like seeing Sydney Harbour from above, it had us buzzing the entire day.
If you only want to see the harbour you can get great Opera House views and shots on the shortest flights, which are just 15 minutes. If you opt for half an hour you also fly over many beaches including Bondi, Coogee and Manly - we even saw whales from our flight!
But back to the hack for getting a cheaper flight, if you are prepared to be put on standby you can fly for as little as AUD$99 which is what I did the second time I flew. It is easier to achieve this if you are happy to fly solo.
I totally lucked our because I flew with a couple who obviously wanted to sit together so they took the back and I got the front seat (by far the best for views and photography) for $99!
13. The Shangri-La Hotel Bar
If the helicopter is too much for you but you still want to treat yourself to something special, the next best place to head is to the Blu Bar at the Shangri-La. Apologies for the dodgy Iphone photo (from the pre-blogging days!) but hopefully you still get the gist!
This is one of my favourite views in Sydney and there’s no better way to spend an evening in the city than enjoying sunset followed by watching the city begin to light up.
For a real treat you can dine with this view at the Altitude Restaurant (another birthday present I got Joe one year, unfortunately these two birthday gifts can’t be topped so it’s all downhill from here!).
Getting there
The Shangri-La Hotel is in The Rocks and is a walk away from Circular Quay or Wynyard Train Station. It’s a bit of an uphill walk, but it’s well worth it!
14. Beulah Street, Kirribilli
This is another spot usually only known to locals. Beulah Street offers a fabulous and unusual perspective looking down to the back of the Opera House in between two rows of houses. It feels almost like looking through a secret window.
I’m sure it’s lovely in the day but we’ve only ever seen it at night and I think the city lights add to the atmosphere of the shot.
Getting there
Beulah Street is a tiny road in Kirribilli and pretty easy to find. You can either drive here (although parking is very limited) or get the ferry to Kirribilli Wharf or Milsons Point and walk.
Make sure you take a peak at Kirribilli house nearby, the residence of the Prime Minister!
15. Cruise Bar
Cruise Bar offers a direct view across the harbour to the side profile of the Opera House. You don’t actually have to go in the bar itself, the walkway in front of it is where this photo is taken from.
It does look particularly special during Vivid but it’s a good view at any time. Sunrise is when you will get the nicest light but if you only have the time or inclination for one early start we would pick Dawes Point above this one.
Getting there
Cruise Bar is on the ground floor of the Cruise Terminal in Circular Quay and is a short walk from the ferry wharfs and Museum of Contemporary Art.
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