Destination: Melbourne, Australia
Friday, January 30th, 2009
Melbourne is recognised as the Fashion, Sport and Cultural Capital of Australia (in direct competition with Sydney, with locals from both cities snubbing their noses at the credibility of the other!)
Founded 1835, Melbourne was designed by city planners who set out to build an orderly city of rectangular lines which would make the area easy to navigate. What was once a large and very neat city by historical standards, is now a relatively small CBD area, with plenty of surrounding suburbs which form the Greater Melbourne area. (Historically, many of these suburbs were small towns of their own, so you may stumble across some historical town halls throughout streets of such suburbs).
From the moment you arrive, someone may offer you the advice of purchasing a Metlink ticket, which covers transport on trams, trains and buses, but not ferries (different to transport ticketing options you may find in Sydney or Brisbane). The city is divided into three zones, Zone 1 is the central area, Zone 2 expands beyond to places which take around twenty minutes to forty minutes by trains, and Zone 3 is much further out, to places which may take up to an hour by train.
If you’re going anywhere by taxi, make sure you tell the driver, “The fastest possible route, please, I’m in hurry.” In my experience some taxi drivers take the much longer road which result in much higher fees. Also, they add random taxes from time to time, which I haven’t been bothered to debate as it’s usually just a few dollars difference. If you don’t feel like haggling with the taxi drivers, then it’s best to hop on a tram or arrange some form of transport service with your hotel. (Though, don’t get me wrong, some taxi drivers are very nice and friendly. I once had a Greek driver who taught me how to say all the basics, from Hello to Goodbye, and showed me pictures of his children!) There is also a See Melbourne and Beyond Smartvisit Card you can buy, which is really worth it if you’re planning to travel to the outer regions.
One of the major joys that Melbourne provides, apart from fashion, sport and culture, is the food. And although Australia as a country boasts itself on being multicultural and having plenty of towns and cities that has food from many different cultures, Melbourne is the place where there is the best quality food from many different cultures.
A great way to explore Melbourne and its many different food sensations is by joining the Melbourne City Tour – Afternoon, which takes you to many local hotspots, such as Chinatown and Queen Victoria Market. If you’re in the mood for spicy foods, Chinatown has some of the most authentic Sichuan restaurants in Australia, with extreme chilli overload, and plenty of jugs of water for relief.
Other famous food districts include: Italian food at Lygon Street (Brunetti’s is the largest, most beautiful bakery), Greek food on Lonsdale Street, Vietnamese food in Richmond, and chocolate cafes everywhere - San Churros, Koko Black, Max Brennar’s. The best high tea is at The Hotel Windsor, which offers ALL you can EAT of its dessert buffet, plus beautiful teas and silverware.
You will find that although Melbourne has its obvious landmarks such as Federation Square, Rialto Tower, Eureka Tower, Crown Casino, the Arts Centre, Melbourne Central and the GPO, some of the best Melbourne experiences are tucked away in the tiniest alleyways where there are no carpark spaces and barely even tram tracks nearby. This is the fun of Melbourne shopping, it’s all about exploration and feeling like you just stumbled upon a treasure that nobody else yet knows about.
To explore Melbourne like the locals explore it, join a Melbourne Lanes and Arcades Walking Tour, and be introduced to some Melbourne’s best kept shopping secrets. The tour takes you to designer boutiques, hidden art galleries, basement bookstores and hole in the wall cafes throughout the city.
Though, of course, if you’ve had enough of the secrecy and just want loud and proud bling, go to Collins Street or the GPO for luxurious boutique shopping. Some other great tours which will compliment an enjoyable day of fashion indulgence include: the Spirit of Melbourne Dinner Cruise, the Sunrise Breakfast Balloon Flight over Melbourne – a magnificent experience, second only to the Sunrise Breakfast Balloon Flight over the Yarra Valley, and the Port of Melbourne and Docklands Sightseeing Cruise.
For animal lovers, there is a must-see attraction, which is the penguins at Phillip Island. There are many tours available, from small eco tours to night tours, to a full wildlife package such as the Phillip Island Nature Park and Wildlife Cruise, or the Phillip Island: Penguins, Koalas and Kangaroos Day Tour from Melbourne. Also try the Savannah Walkabout Australian Animals Eco Tour from Melbourne, which takes you to the outer bushlands area, where you’ll be able to see kangaroos and koalas in their natural habitats, as well as learn about the special Koala Research Project and how you can help their conservation.
For over 18s, in terms of alcoholic experiences, well, where do I start? Clubs, lounges and jazz bars are in as much abundance as cafes and fashion boutiques in Melbourne. Ask any local, and they will surely have their own favourites to recommend. In terms of serious wine tasting, you’ll have to venture out to the Yarra Valley (Zone 3), where there is a vast quantity of vineyards, best experienced with a Wine Tasting Tour.
For families, the Puffing Billy Steam Train, Yarra Valley and Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary Day Tour may be the best compromise, as the children will enjoy the wildlife and steam train, whilst parents get to have a moment of indulgence with the wine touring throughout the valley.
Other great sites of the Greater Melbourne area include Mornington Peninsula, famous for the little beach houses in bright colours lined along the sandy coast, and the Great Ocean Road, famous for the Twelve Apostles rock formations, a site of incredible beauty during sunrises and sunsets. (Just remember to bring some insect repellent if you’re visiting in the summer).
For winter sport lovers, Mt Buller is the place to be, and for the AFL football lovers (I have not forgotten you since I wrote that Melbourne was the sporting capital at the start of this post), there are plenty of great football tours.
Melbourne is a great place that accommodates travellers on all budgets, and often has free events that just pop up in the middle of the streets as part of advertisement for the featured events of major festivals. And in terms of festivals, Melbourne is the capital of those, too. From comedy festivals, wine festivals, food festivals, to writers festivals and flower festivals, as well as bridal expos, car expos, fashion week and the racing season in September which hosts the greatest horse-racing event of Australia: The Melbourne Cup. (And, much, much more!)
Melbourne is possibly one of the most romantic cities in Australia, and if you have the time to make a booking for this, you must experience the Melbourne Valentine’s Day Dinner Cruise with your sweety. It is sure to be the perfect compliment to a fun-filled holiday in Melbourne, Australia.
- Nicole Chiu
