Voted the Most Liveable City of 2011, Melbourne, Australia is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world with residents who represent more than 140 nations. It’s this diversity that makes it a welcoming and fascinating place to visit for people from all across the globe. It is bursting with things to do that will make any holiday memorable. Find out for yourself what makes Melbourne the place to go for your next vacation.
Melbourne’s Art Culture
Despite its tall buildings in a mostly modern-looking downtown, Melbourne’s height limits for buildings mean more sun and a greater feeling of community. With its strong Indigenous influence in the arts, the city offers a wonderful glimpse into the lives of these artists and their contribution to Australia’s rich history. Throughout the city you can find wonderful Aboriginal art and learn about the people who create it.
If you love the arts, Melbourne offers art venues geared towards kids and adults which include performances, galleries and exhibitions, as well as many cultural events. This is a fun way to introduce your children to the wonders of the arts and to learn a thing or two yourself. There are art festivals, musicals, and museums to satiate anyone’s artistic palate.
Outdoor Activities
Take a balloon or helicopter ride at dawn and watch the sun rise over the city. You can choose different options for your balloon flight, from a personal private tour to one where you will stop at the Hilton on the Park for champagne and breakfast. Both happen at sunrise and offer a captivating view of the city and surrounding hills.
If you’d rather walk, take the time to stroll or jog through the Royal Botanic Gardens or take the route of the Melbourne Heritage Walk where you will see the city’s first flourmill or the Block Arcade, built in 1891. You’ll see other historic places along the way while you move at your own pace to take in all the sights.
For Animal-Lovers
If you just can’t get enough of seeing wild animals, Melbourne offers many places to see them. Stroll through the state-of-the-art aquarium where you can walk through tunnels with sea life swimming above and around you. Trek through the Melbourne Zoo where you can view koalas, tigers, penguins, elephants and so much more as they move about in natural settings. For a true hands-on experience, you and the kids will love the Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park. You can feed kangaroos and wallabies and snuggle with koalas. You’ll see many endangered and unusual animals like the Tasmanian devil.
Stroll through Parks and Gardens
Melbourne is a botanical haven with several beautiful parks throughout the city. Birrarung Marr Park sits on the bank of the river where you can relax and watch boats sail by. View the open-air art exhibits here that showcase the diversity of the Indigenous culture of Victoria. The beautiful Royal Botanical Gardens is a popular tourist attraction and alive with wildlife and sprawling with lakes and vistas. Its tranquil surroundings make it the perfect place to wind down and relax. You can also enjoy outdoor theatre performances and exhibits or take in a show at the outdoor cinema.
Melbourne is a city that is continuously changing and transforming itself to offer memorable experiences for visitors and to maintain a cohesive community of people from very diverse cultures. It is its people that make Melbourne so special. They are the very life of this multi-faceted city and are what makes Melbourne both unique and wondrous. You’ll find yourself wanting to come back again and again.
[box]Author Bio – Ross is a freelance writer who travel blogs on blog.netflights.com and currently lives in Melbourne[/box]
