Melbourne

Art, Fashion, Films, Music, Food. All these words can be used to describe Melbourne and its vibe.

Melbourne is the capital city of Victoria. It is home to numerous events that are famous around the world. Melbourne offers a very effective balance between a metropolitan commercial city and a laid-back town that offers relaxed lifestyle to those who can enjoy it. On one side where it has a Central Business District (CBD) with offices occupied by professionals working for big multi-national companies, it also offers snow-mountains and world-class beaches within 2-3 hours drive.

Being home to a multicultural population, Melbourne offers cuisine from almost every part of the world. Greek food on Lonsdale street in the CBD, an array of Italian restaurants on Lygon Street, Asian cuisine in Chinatown, Turkish food on Sydney road, along with other scattered restaurants offering additional eatery options, food lovers are sure to get impressed by what Melbourne has to offer.  

Melbourne also hosts the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) that runs for 17 days in winters each year.

Films from over 50 countries are screened at the festival which also includes numerous special events such as award ceremony, charity screenings, red carpet gala events etc. The size of the film festival is second only to Cannes and it is Australia’s most critically acclaimed film festival. The film festival attracts film enthusiasts and journalists from around the world thus hosting more than 150,000 audiences every year.

For Arts lover, Melbourne based National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) has a world class collection. It also has an Ian Potter centre which was the first public art museum dedicated to Australian art.

The gallery has a collection of numerous paintings, decorative arts, photography, sculptures, textile jewellery etc. Through regular exhibitions and collection displays, visitors to the gallery can experience the great journey Australian art has gone through since the primacy and cultural diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait.

Melbourne is proud to be home of the world’s tallest residential building, the Eureka Tower. The tower also offers the highest viewing platform in the southern hemisphere, the Skydeck88. As the name suggests, it is on the 88th floor of the building and provides an experience not offered anywhere else in the world. Popularly dubbed as the “Edge Experience”, you find yourself in a switchable glass cube that slides out from the building. Literally, visitors to the Eureka Skydeck look at the world from a different angle.    

Federation Square is another tourist attraction in the heart of Melbourne. Right opposite the historic Flinders Street station in the CBD, Federation Square is Melbourne’s most famous meeting point. It is home to The Ian Potter Centre: NGV, ACMI, The Australian Racing Museum and also offers visitors delicious food options through its cafés and restaurants.  

Melbourne has many places to visit and a tourist should keep at least a week for Melbourne if they want to enjoy it to its potential.

Mornington Peninsula
More than 20 towns in the south of Victoria make up the Mornington Peninsula. Each town is unique in its offerings to the residents and tourists.

Towns of Western Port Bay (made up of Dromana and Flinders) are known for their secluded bays, towns of Port Phillip Bay (made up of Hastings, Mornington, Mt Eliza, Portsea and Sorrento) possess serene shining waters. Another unique feature of Portsea and Sorrento is the walk from their calm front beaches to their more turbulent beaches on Bass Strait.

The cafes at Ray and Rosebud provide breathtaking views of the bay and make your food experience even more spectacular. Wine tasting with cheese at the vineyards of the region will also make your tastes buds thank you for organising the trip to the peninsula.       

Many towns and villages in the peninsula region are also known for their shopping experience. Where antiques are available in galleries around Tyabb, Mornington, Red Hill, Sorrento and Flinders, boutiques are available at Portsea and Sorrento.