Melbourne is a premier holiday destination in Australia. It attracts many millions of visitors each and every year. It is the gateway to Victoria and is located at the point where the Yarra River enters Port Phillip Bay. It is Australia’s second-largest city, with a mix of modern high-rise towers, preserved historic Victorian-era architecture, and magnificent parks and gardens.
Some of Australia’s most well-known natural attractions and holiday destinations are to be found in the areas surrounding the city. Not only is it a wonderful place to visit and explore in its own right, it is the perfect base for exploring the Dandenong Ranges, the Yarra Valley, Phillip Island, and the Mornington Peninsula, just to name a few highlights.
Melbourne is renowned for its great festivals, sports spectaculars, gourmet food and wine and its vibrant arts scene. The calendar of events in Melbourne extends throughout the year with entertainment, exhibitions and events for every taste and age group.
The cosmopolitan Melbourne restaurants precincts, the mix of modern and historic, the lively entertainment, boutique shopping and non-stop cavalcade of festivals and events all combine to make Melbourne holidays a wonderful experience for all ages.
Travel is simple on the excellent network of Melbourne transport consisting of trams, trains and buses that criss-cross the city and surrounding areas. To see the best that the city offers her visitors, a Melbourne car rental is highly recommended as the metropolitan area covers a large area and many of the major attractions are just beyond the city outskirts.
Melburnians love their sport and the city boasts some of Australia’s major sporting venues. The Australian Formula One Grand Prix, the Australian Open Tennis Tournament, the Australian 500cc MotoGP, the Melbourne Cup horse race and spring racing carnival all take place in Melbourne and attract huge crowds. The AFL final is played at the end of September and attracts crowds of up to 100,000 people.
Melbourne’s accommodation choices are many and varied, ranging from 5-star luxury hotels to economy motel accommodation for the budget-conscious traveler. Patrons of the smaller boutique hotels are well catered for in Melbourne.
Due to the many major events and festivals throughout the year, Melbourne hotels and apartments can be difficult to find at those times, and booking accommodation well in advance is recommended.