Situated in the utmost south of the state of Victoria is its capital, Melbourne. With its 4.5 million inhabitants, Melbourne is the second most populous city in Australia and has been ranked the world’s most livable city for six years straight. But Melbourne is not only great for living. The city is referred to as Australia’s cultural capital and therefore is a must-see city when in Down Under and really offers something for every type of traveller.
The old city centre of Melbourne, which stems from the time of the Victorian gold rush in the 1850s, is the perfect place to start exploring this cosmopolitan city. You could spend days wandering around the cobblestone laneways which thread the city centre and are home to independent coffee shops, cafés and little boutiques which are perfect for finding unique artisanal souvenirs. While in this part of the town, make sure to pay attention to the walls and peek down every corner as this is the mecca for street art, even famous graffiti artist Banksy is featured.
Melbourne is also the place to be for shopping-enthusiasts as is boasts numerous markets which sell everything from local produce to arts and crafts and vintage fashion. Arguably, the best place to shop is Queen Victoria Market, the largest open-air market in the Southern Hemisphere.
Lovers of food and dining will also get their fix in Melbourne. Enjoy the endless numbers of restaurants in downtown Melbourne, which feature an incredibly diverse array of international cuisines. Top options include “The Press Club”, the flagship restaurant of Greek-descent TV chef George Colombaris and “Attica”, ranked among the world’s 50 best restaurants. After a day of exploring the city, nothing beats watching the sunset while enjoying a cocktail in one of the city’s dozen rooftop bars.
Sport-enthusiasts can watch world class tennis and racing here as Melbourne is home to the Australian Open and the Formula 1. Furthermore Melbourne is also home to a wide variety of professional sports teams which range from popular local sports such as Aussie Rules Football, Cricket or Rugby to Soccer and Baseball and who would have thought that you can even watch Ice hockey in Melbourne?
Arguably the biggest sporting event in all of Australia is the Melbourne Cup. The world-famous horse race takes place once a year in the end of October and is a must-attend event, even if you are not even interested in horses. This is because with the Melbourne Cup also comes the Melbourne Cup Carnival, a week-long event which annually draws more than 100,000 people and boasts pop-up restaurants, a own fashion show and lots of other fun activities.
A great way to get around in Melbourne are its Trams. There is even a designated line called “City Circle Tram” which functions as a sightseeing tram, taking you to all the interesting places in Melbourne and even provides audio-commentary. The best thing about it? It’s completely free!
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