Sydney Opera House, New South Wales

When most people think of Sydney, Australia, they think of the Opera House. This magnificent architecture on Sydney's Bennelong Point, shaped like giant shells or billowing sails, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world's great architectural landmarks. The structure is surrounded on three sides by water, and it is bordered to the south by the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Jørn Utzon, a Danish architect, won an international competition for the design but had to abandon the project due to technical and financial issues. The project was finally finished in 1973, at a cost ten times higher than the initial estimate. Utzon had left the country by this time, never to return to view his great creation.

You can now attend a show, dine in one of the restaurants, or take a guided tour of the Sydney Opera House. Theatres, studios, a music hall, exhibition halls, and a cinema are all located within the building. The Sydney Opera House's interior is fascinating, but its spectacular architecture is best seen from afar. Mrs Macquarie's Chair at the Royal Botanic Gardens is one of the best places to shoot this popular Sydney tourist landmark, or you may take a harbour cruise or ferry and photograph it from the water.

Location: Bennelong Point, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Entrance fee: $42 - $22

Highlight: Badu Gili Light Show (water light), yachts and balmy nights,...

Best time to visit: December to February