Introduction:
Melbourne - Cultural heart of Australia, the state's capital,
renowed for its spectacular beaches and waterways, stunning mountain ranges
and gorgeous forest scenery. Melbourne is the capital of garden state -
Victoria located on the magnificent Port Phillip Bay. The locals' claim that
it is ' the best city in the world to live in' may aggravate their rivals in
Sydney and hardly few would dispute that it is indeed a fascinating place to
visit.The traditional rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney covers every
sphere of life from business to sport and culture that strives to be the
best in all things.
Key Attractions :
Old Melbourne Gaol :
The chilling environment of the Old Melbourne Gaol was the scene of 135
hangings, including that of the infamous Ned Kelly. His armour and death
mask are displayed. The gaol houses a fascinating exhibition on the Art of
Hanging of which the Hangman's Box with all its macabre contents is on
public view for the first time. The Particulars of Executions book detailing
the last moments of those hanged provides a unique display not to be missed.
Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) :
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is one of Australia's greatest assets. It is
the country's biggest and most popular stadium and an extremely busy venue
accommodating International Cricket, Australian Rules Football, Rugby
League, Soccer, Concerts, Dinners and other major functions on its natural
turf arena.
The Melbourne Cricket Club manages the stadium and has progressively
expanded the MCG's role as both an entertainment centre and a world-class
tourist destination. Today it sits proudly alongside other internationally
recognised attractions as a venue uniquely symbolic of Melbourne, Victoria
and Australia generally.
Royal Botanic Gardens :
Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens contain extensively landscaped gardens
covering 35 hectares (86 acres) and featuring thousands of plants from
across Australia and around the world. Free guided walks or self-guided
audio walks are available.
The
other attractions of Melbourne include, Melbourne museum,
Melbourne zoo, Australia's oldest zoo, Rippon Lea House Museum &
Historic Garden, the last of Australia's great privately owned 19th-century
suburban estates.
Some of the best interiors can be seen in boutique hotels such as the Como
and the Hatton in South Yarra; the Adelphi and Hotel Lindrum in the city and
the Prince of Wales in St Kilda. For visual arts visit the National Gallery
of Victoria, the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art. You'll also find a
host of other galleries specialising in contemporary, Australian and
Aboriginal arts.
World-class food and wine regions :
Melbourne's food and wine blends the finest cuisine from around the globe.
Victoria's thriving local agricultural industry provides the finest meats,
produce and ingredients to enhance the flavours and freshness of Melbourne's
food, while world-class wine regions such as the Yarra Valley provide a
broad selection of premier reds and whites. Carlton boasts the best Italian
food outside Rome, Fitzroy is an eclectic enclave of Middle Eastern,
Mediterranean and Asian cuisine, and St Kilda is renowned for world-class
seafood with bayside charm.
Night life:
Now comes the night life , one cannot resist oneself to enjoy the night
life in Melbourne the soul of the city generates a thrilling nightlife scene
for those wanting to revel late into the evening. Safe and friendly,
Melbourne offers a plethora of hip venues - whatever your taste, be it
sipping a cocktail in the corner of a quiet bar, or raging on the dance
floor of a thumping nightclub, Melbourne has a scene to suit for everyone.
Enchanting Weather : Tourist's Paradise
One topic that is guaranteed to be discussed over dinner is the weather.
The city has four distinct seasons and usually enjoys a pleasant, temperate
climate. However, winters can get chilly and summers usually see some
swelteringly hot days. Sometimes, all four seasons occur in one day. The
ever-optimistic locals joke that if one does not like the weather, one just
have to wait ten minutes and it will change.
