Australia

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital city of Victoria and the second largest city in Australia with the population of approximately 3.8 million people. Melbourne is located at the mouth of Yarra River, was founded by free settlers in 1835. Today, Melbourne is a major centre of commerce, industry and cultural activity. The city is considered to be Australia's sporting and cultural capital and it is home to many of the nation's most significant cultural and sporting events and institutions.

Melbourne offers plenty of attractions such as museums, beautiful parks, great restaurants, rich cultural life and lots of events and festivals all over the year. All these turn Melbourne into one of the most touristic cities in the whole world.

 

 

Main attractions: The city offers different attractions and activities for all tastes. Here are some of the most important and famous ones:

• The city center: Melbourne's city center is an attractive place where you can easily spend a full day. The center consists of fashionable shops, restaurants, coffee shops and pubs. Flinders St. Railway station is the central station of the city. The impressive St. Paul`s Cathedral stands opposite to the station. In front of the city main square which is located on the corners of Swanston st. and Collins st there are usually street performances. 
• The Rialto Tower: The highest office building in the southern hemisphere which is located on Collins st. offers spectacular 360 degree views of the city. This Melbourne attraction is a must-see experience for every visitor.
• The arts center: The Centre occupies a prime location in the heart of Melbourne's leisure and entertainment precinct and is home to Australia's premier performing arts companies. The Centre which is located at the southern part of the Yarra River includes the Theatres Building, Hamer Hall and the Sidney Myer Music Bowl.
• Melbourne zoo: It's one of the world's great zoos with more than 350 animal species from Australia and around the world. The main attractions of the zoo which was opened in 1862 are an underwater lookout on seals, a special park of lions, bears and tigers and significant historic features such as an early 20th Century menagerie exhibit.
• Crown Entertainment complex: The Crown boasts the best variety of entertainment options. The complex is a gathering of shops, cafes, restaurants, accommodation courts, cinemas, live shows, music venues and a casino all under one huge roof. Here you have the chance to catch the latest live shows, see a hot new band or just sit back and enjoy the great selection of free live entertainments at a number of venues around the complex.Crown also offers a myriad of other exciting entertainment options such as interactive games, laser skirmish, boutique bowling and gambling in the biggest casino over the southern part of the hemisphere.
• The Royal Botanic Gardens: The gardens are recognized as one of the world’s finest botanic gardens. There are over 10,000 species and 50,000 individual plants in the 38 gardens, including some very rare trees and plants. Many of these plants are irreplaceable, endangered or even extinct in the wild. Visiting the park enables you to discover the unique ecology of Australian plants and their adaptation to dry conditions.
• MCG Stadium:  The Melbourne Cricket Stadium located in Yarra Park is the largest stadium in Australia. It hosts some of the main Australian sports events such as the Australian Rules football, the "Melbourne Cup" horse riding and other cricket games along the year.
• Queen Victoria Market: The Market is Victoria's premier open-air market. It's a thriving and vital place which is best known for its huge variety of fresh produce. Almost 50% of the Market area is dedicated to the sale of fresh produce, including fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, chicken, seafood and delicatessen. You can also find there clothes, souvenirs and other various items.
• The Melbourne Museum: The Museum explores the history of the city, the continent and the native inhabitants. It also presents the life in Victoria, from its natural environment to its culture and history. It houses a permanent collection in eight galleries including one just for children.

Accommodation: Melbourne has a large selection of accommodation to suit everyone needs. There is a great choice of hostels, rental apartments, guest rooms and hotels of different classes.

The city center has a large concentration of hostels and hotels but most of them are quite expensive. They are recommended only for short time visitors who wish to be close to most of the attractions.

Another type of accommodation suitable for travelers, who come for more than a few days, is rental apartments from locals. Here you'll have a chance to share an apartment with other travelers similarly to a hostel.

 

Transportation: Tullamarine airport which is the main airport of Melbourne is located 50 km from the city center and the best way to get from/to the airport to the city center is by a skybus which departs from the airport every 10 minutes. For further information:  http://www.skybus.com.au/

Public transportation within the city is operated by Metlink Company. You can purchase a combined ticket for all of means of transportations. The city is divided into zones: 1, 2 and 3 to which you can buy the tickets. For further information: http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/  

Trains: There are 15 routes that take you to every place in the city. The main stations are Flinders station located at the corner of Flinders and Swanston streets and is used for travel within the city and Southern Cross on Spencer st. which is used for intercity transportation.

Trams: one of Melbourne's symbols. This popular means of transportation reaches all parts of the city. Tickets, called Metcards, can be pre-purchased at train stations and stores displaying a "Metcard" sign and are interchangeable for use on all metropolitan public transport.  A limited selection of Metcards can also be purchased at coin-only ticket machines onboard the tram. For further information: http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au

Buses: the buses in Melbourne are less popular but they offer the "Melbourne City Tourist Shuttle" service which is free. The shuttle stops at 11 touristic attractions in the city. The buses run between 5:00-00:00 and during the weekends there's a Night bus service between 00:00-04:30.

 

 

Climate:  Melbourne is well known for its unstable climate (4 seasons in one day!) where you can wake up in the morning with 16 C, and by afternoon the temperature rises to 40 C, climbing and dropping like a roller coaster. A beautiful and clear day with light winds can turn in a matter of hours into a hurricane with cloudy skies, thunder storms and very cold winds. That is why Melbournians don't do anything without checking the weather report prior to leaving home.

Melbourne is colder in the winter than other Australian major cities. The temperature in this season ranges between 6-7 C and 13-15 C. During the summer Melbourne is not as hot as northern cities but occasionally experiences hotter and drier summer days, with maximum temperatures above 40 C. The temperatures in this season range between 13-15 C and

24-26 C. Rain is more common during the winter but can fall at any time of the year.

Food and restaurants: Melbourne is a city of immigrants. Its inhabitants are originate from all over the world. That's why you can find different ethnic restaurants. The most common restaurants are Chinese, located in the Chinatown area, Italian restaurants especially in Lyton st. not far away from the city center, Indian restaurants and local restaurants which serve western food.

   

Entertainment and nightlife: Melbourne is the most cultural city in Australia. Although it doesn't have the glory of Sydney, it is known for its rich nightlife.

If you like theater, "The Arts Center" is an impressive complex which includes theater performances, concerts, dance shows and art exhibitions. Another known theater is "Her Majesty's Theater" which is one of the successful theaters in Australia.

If you are in the mood for a movie the "Cinema Nova" is a big complex which features a wide selection of films.

Pubs, dance bars and discotheques are to be found in every corner of the city, especially at its center, at the St.Kilda beach area and on Chapel st. which is located in South Yarra.