World's most loved theatres

Buildings such as the Sydney Opera House or London’s Royal Albert Hall are just as famous as the events that take place within their walls.

And unique theatres such as the cliffside Minack Theatre in Cornwall draw visitors from around the world purely for the experience itself. 

 But which are the best theatres in the world? To find out, here’s a look at which of the world’s most famous theatres are the best-reviewed by visitors, which are the most beautiful theatres in the world, as well as which are the most affordable.

And if you’re planning a trip abroad to catch a show at some of these incredible venues, be sure to compare credit cards to ensure you get the best value.

The world’s best-reviewed theatres

1. Metropolitan Opera House, New York City - 4.89

Tripadvisor: 5.0

Yelp: 4.5

Google: 4.8

Facebook: 4.9

Also known simply as the Met, New York’s Metropolitan Opera is one of the most respected opera companies in the world. This theatre is also the biggest of its kind in the world.

The theatre’s stage complex is one of the most technologically advanced in the world, with an array of hydraulic elevators, motorized stages and rigging systems.

It scores at least 4.5 on all four review sites and holds an average score of 4.89 out of 5.

2. Minack Theatre, Penzance - 4.88

Tripadvisor: 5.0

Yelp: 5.0

Google: 4.8

Facebook: 4.9

Two theatres are tied in second place, the first of which is the Minack Theatre in Cornwall, UK. This open-air venue is known around the world, with the Atlantic Ocean serving as one of the most spectacular backdrops in all of theatre.

Built into a rocky outcrop that juts out into the sea, there can be few more visually stunning theatres than the Minack. Around 80,000 people attend shows each year, and 100,000 come just to visit.

2. Teatro de Cristóbal Colón, Bogotá - 4.88

Tripadvisor: 4.5

Google: 4.9

Facebook: 4.9

Also with an average score of 4.88 is the Teatro de Cristóbal Colón in Bogotá. Acting as Colombia’s National Theatre, the Neoclassical Colón was built in 1885 and is modelled on the Palais Garnier in Paris.

The theatre’s name translates to the Christopher Columbus Theatre and it was opened on the fourth centenary of Columbus’s discovery of America.

The world’s most beautiful theatres

1. Sydney Opera House, Sydney - 957,765 posts

There are surely no theatres (and not many buildings) that are more iconic than the Sydney Opera House. However, it is perhaps more famous for its striking aesthetic than its productions.

As one of the most famous buildings in Australia, it’s little wonder that this is the theatre that gets uploaded to social media the most.

2. Royal Albert Hall, London - 352,601 posts

In second place is London’s Royal Albert Hall, with 352,601 posts, over half as many as the Sydney Opera House.

It’s one of the most visually striking buildings in the UK and has been in continuous use since it was built in memory of Prince Albert in 1871.

3. Palais Garnier, Paris - 270,807 posts

Also known as Opéra Garnier, the Palais Garnier is one of the most beautiful buildings in Paris and served as the inspiration for the Phantom of the Opera.

A truly extravagant and opulent building, the Opéra is built in the Napoleon III style and has been described as a symbol of Paris. 

The world’s most affordable iconic theatres

1. Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City - Average price: £4.31

Of the 50 best theatres in the world, the most affordable one to catch a show is the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City.

Here, the average price of the next ten upcoming shows is currently 110 Mexican pesos (around £4.31).

The Palacio hosts music, dance, theatre and opera events and is one of the cultural hubs of Mexico.

2. Amazon Theatre, Manaus - Average price: £4.50

The second cheapest theatre on average is the Amazon Theatre, in Manaus, at an average ticket price of just £4.50.

As the name implies, this theatre is located right in the heart of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. The theatre is over 120 years old, having been constructed during the city’s rubber boom.

3. Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires - Average price: £5.00

Two theatres are tied for third place, both with an average ticket price of £5.00, the first of which is another South American theatre.

The Teatro Colón is located in Buenos Aires and has been named in the top ten best opera houses in the world by National Geographic.

It also supposedly has the best acoustics for opera in the world and underwent extensive renovation in the late 2000s after falling into decline.

3. Shakespeare's Globe - Average price: £5.00

The most affordable theatre outside of the Americas is Shakespeare’s Globe, with an average ticket cost of £5.00.

The theatre is a reconstruction of the original Globe, which Shakespeare wrote his plays for, located on the South Bank of the Thames in London.

The original theatre was destroyed by fire in 1613 before its initial replacement was demolished in 1644, and this modern version opened in 1997.

The world’s most expensive iconic theatres

1. Fox Theatre (Detroit) - Average price: £92.50

At the other end of the scale, the average cost to attend a show at Detroit’s Fox Theatre is almost £100!

Initially opened as a flagship movie theatre, the venue now hosts all kinds of performing arts events, with upcoming performances from the likes of Van Morrison, Joe Rogan, and Blondie.

2. Radio City Music Hall - Average price: £62.39

The second most expensive venue is one of the most iconic in the world, the Radio City Music Hall in New York.

Nicknamed the “Showplace of the Nation”, Radio City was originally the world’s largest auditorium when it opened and after a period of decline underwent extensive renovation.

Today it hosts big name music and comedy acts as well as events such as the Grammy and Tony awards, MTV Video Music Awards and the NFL Draft.

3. La Fenice - Average price: £61.37

Not too far behind Radio City Music Hall is Venice’s Teatro La Fenice, at an average ticket price of £61.37.

This opera house is one of the most famous and renowned theatres in Italy and in opera as a whole, having hosted famous composers such as Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi in the 19th century.

The theatre’s name reflects its turbulent history as a phoenix “rising from the ashes”, having reopened after being destroyed by fire not once, not twice, but three times in its history.

The UK’s cheapest iconic theatres

As well as being the third-cheapest theatre globally, Shakespeare’s Globe is the cheapest in the UK, with an average ticket cost of £5.00.

It’s followed by another London theatre, the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, at £8.70. The beautiful Minack Theatre in Penzance comes in third place at £10, closely followed by Belfast’s Lyric Theatre, at £10.95.

The top five is completed by another famous London venue, the Old Vic, a not-for-profit theatre that has existed since 1818.

The UK’s most expensive iconic theatres

As with the UK’s cheapest theatres, three of the five most expensive are found in the capital, with the iconic Royal Albert Hall being the most expensive, with the average ticket costing just shy of £40.

The Palace Theatre is known for being the home of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, with advance tickets for the show costing £30 although they can be considerably higher.

Outside of London, the average ticket cost at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre is £26.25, which is followed by the Grade II* listed Theatre Royal in Bath and The Duke of York's Theatre, in the West End.

The USA’s cheapest iconic theatres

In the United States, the cheapest of these iconic theatres to catch a show at is the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, at an average cost of just $22.00.

In second is the Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center at $28.93, which is located between the Texas cities of Midland and Odessa, although the average price is just seven cents cheaper than the Fisher Center in New York state.

Central City Opera House, home to the fifth oldest opera company in the world, and the Boston Opera House come in fourth and fifth, with the latter now also doubling up as an esports venue too.

The USA’s most expensive iconic theatres

But at the other end of the scale, the US is also home a theatre with an average cost of over $100, Detroit’s Fox Theatre, which is also the most expensive overall.

The second placed theatre globally also comes in second here, the Radio City Music Hall, with the intimate Writer’s Theatre in Illinois in third.

They’re followed by the Mabel Tainter Theater in Wisconsin and the visually striking Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.