Melbourne, Australia
Victoria's capital city, Melbourne, is a cultural hub resplendent with all the good things in life - fashion, food, entertainment and sport. Ranked as the world's most liveable city in 2003 and 2004, Melbourne is a city of style, architecture, trams, theatres and art.
The Yarra River runs through the city, connecting its parks and gardens with its sports and entertainment venues.
Sophisticated city
You'll barely meet a visitor who hasn't fallen in love with Melbourne and its sophisticated way of life. Rattling trams, parklands singing with blackbirds, stately architecture and world class sport and entertainment venues - make it both an enchanting and exciting destination.
Melbourne is home to some of the best shopping and nightlife in Australia, a non-stop program of film and food festivals, cutting edge design and architecture, and major art exhibitions and musical extravaganzas.
Cultural Events
The city is famous for its crowd-pleasing events - from the Melbourne International Comedy Festival to the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, the Melbourne Fashion Festival, the Melbourne Fringe Festival and Spring Racing Carnival.
Melbourne also has an array of fine theatres that host leading national and international arts companies.
Melbourne laneways and precincts are filled with commercial galleries, craft and design outlets, and fashion boutiques showcasing the innovation and skill of Melbourne-based artists and designers. Small theatre companies produce edgy and innovative theatre, contemporary dance and physical theatre. And the city streets are alive with buskers and public art.
Sporting Events
Sports-mad Melbourne is home to world-famous sporting events such as the Melbourne Cup, the Australian Open Tennis and the Australian Grand Prix. Melbourne is also a drawcard for world class music tours, and hosts major theatrical productions.
Melbourne hosted the 2006 Commonwealth Games. This event was one of the largest sporting and community events ever staged in the city.
Markets
Melbourne is home to many markets, including the sprawling Queen Victoria Market, an institution since 1878. Revel in its exquisite variety of fresh produce, seafood, jewellery, clothing and authentic Australian souvenirs.
Restaurants
With more than 3,000 restaurants, cafés and bars representing about 75 different ethnic cuisines, Melbourne is always at the forefront of food fashion. Travel in any direction for a meal and you will come across distinctive dining precincts.
The influence of decades of immigration from all over the world has made Melbourne a paradise for those who love food and wine. Whole streets are dedicated to food, whether it be Indian, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Greek, or a host of other styles. You can't miss the world-class wines either.
Dining alfresco is popular at Southbank, where a diverse choice of restaurants fronts the Yarra. Cross the river to the bars and award-winning restaurants of the striking Federation Square, including Jacques Reymond's Arintji.
Head to the central Chinatown precinct of Australia's most awarded restaurant, Flower Drum, and the iconic Mask of China and Bamboo House. Victoria Street in Richmond is the place for pho and all things Vietnamese.
The NewQuay precinct at Docklands has outstanding new restaurants such as Live Bait.
On Fitzroy Street in St Kilda, Café Di Stasio is a haven for pasta lovers, while the Melbourne Wine Room serves fine food at the George Hotel. Carlton's Lygon Street area is famed for kerbside Italian dining, including Jimmy Watson's and Brunetti. Vibrant Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, has the acclaimed Piraeus Blue, while Antipodes is a gem in the Greek precinct of Lonsdale Street. Alfresco eating at Williamstown, cafés in South Yarra and Prahran, and intriguing bars in city laneways make the options endless.
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