Melbourne Travel Guide

Travel to Melbourne - Victoria's Diverse Capital

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One glance at a map and it’s obvious that Melbourne is a planned city: a tidy, balanced grid of neatly angled streets. But beneath this sense of everything in its place restraint lies a restless creative energy constantly pushing back at the city’s seeming conservatism.

Melbourne's Central Business District is made up of precincts – distinct enclaves each with its own flavour and charm. Some are just a lane or two, while others cover the banks of the Yarra River or a busy CBD street.

Melbourne's melting pot of cultures is reflected in a real variety of restaurants, cafes, bistros and bars. Fashionable, eclectic and eccentric – Melbourne’s dining spots offer a dizzying spread of the world’s great cuisines, serving meals from the substantial and classic to the truly exotic.

Attractions in Melbourne

Melbourne is a diverse city offering something for everyone, from its many shopping precincts to its numerous parks, gardens and street cafes, or the many sporting venues. Extending around the bay are a number of inner suburbs, each with its own distinct character and personality.

A short tram ride from the city centre, Melbourne’s suburban neighbourhoods are a must see for anyone wanting to experience what life here is really all about. The 3 km of Yarra River waterfront is a must, with cruises, parks, fine dining, and many attractions to visit.

Head out a little further and explore one of Melbourne’s specialist eating destinations – Richmond for cheap and cheerful Vietnamese dishes, Carlton for Italian classics, Fitzroy for tantalising Spanish tapas.

Activities in Melbourne

The city has an amazing range of attractions and activities to keep you entertained. Visit Port Phillip and enjoy the beaches and variety of watersports on offer; or one of the cities numerous museums.

Take a leisurely cruise up the Yarra River, visit the famous Melbourne Zoo or dive with sharks at Melbourne Aquarium. Sport is an integral part of Melbourn’s culture and is home to many venues including the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Telstra Dome, and Flemington Race Course.

Relaxing

Enjoy afternoon tea in the genteel surroundings of a nineteenth-century hotel, watch and be watched in buzzing laneway cafés and bars, or handpick a bottle of Yarra Valley chardonnay at the latest über-chic hangout.

Getting Around

Getting around Melbourne is easy, thanks to an integrated network of trains, trams and buses. Tickets allowing travel across all services can be purchased from vending machines at train stations, on trams or buses, or pre-purchased at selected shops like newsagents.

Melbourne’s efficient train system covers city and suburban destinations. Flinders Street Station, on the corner of Flinders and Swanston streets, is the hub of Melbourne’s train system, and all metropolitan trains begin or end their journey there.

The city’s famous trams travel along most of Melbourne’s major thoroughfares, extending out to about 15 kilometres into the suburbs. Visitors can also use the burgundy and gold City Circle Tram, which does a free 30-minute circuit around the city centre, linking major attractions and other transport routes.

Melbourne’s bus network links with trains and trams, as well as services destinations overlooked by either train or tram. Other ways of getting around include taxis, which are numerous and easy to spot (they are all eye-catching yellow), boat (an abundance of vessels cruise up and down the Yarra River, travelling to destinations like Williamstown).

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