Started by merchants rather than convicts and fueled by a great gold rush, Melbourne reflects its prosperous 19th century beginnings in its glass high-rises. To experience Melbourne, ride a historic tram past terraced houses, visit art galleries, or shop the fashionable "Paris End" boutiques of Collins Street.
Melbourne is a city that knows how to live. Choose from high-end cuisine to low brow rock gigs, plays, festivals and blockbuster sporting events, all taking place across a city full of parks, gardens and historic architecture.
Laneways and byways
Explore historic arcades and laneways lined with fine dining restaurants, chic cafes, hidden bars and fashion boutiques or head to one of the many lush gardens throughout the city.
Cheer on your heroes
Discover Melbourne's obsession with football, cricket, soccer and just about anything else that involves working up a sweat. Head to the sports precinct to visit the hallowed ground of the MCG.
Festival fever
In Melbourne everything has its own festival. From food, film, art and music festivals to celebrations of writing, anime, design and projections – get involved and experience the city through the arts.
Activities
Green Melbourne
Make the most of the city's rivers, parks, coastline and bay. Pack a picnic lunch for a day wandering around the lush surrounds of the botanic gardens, take in city views on a bike ride along the Yarra River, or take a hot air balloon ride over the city at dawn.
Choose your own adventure
Whether it's golf or boating, tennis or Tai Chi, Melbourne has plenty of things to see and do outdoors to suit your interests and lifestyle. Stroll along the boardwalk in St Kilda or go for a dip at one of the many Melbourne beaches. Cruise down the Yarra on a boat tour or catch the ferry across to Williamstown for a day of fishing.
Fun parks inside and out
Turn yourself upside down and inside out at Melbourne's fun parks, like the much-loved Luna Park or Wonderland Fun Park at Docklands, where the little ones can experience the thrills of a mini rollercoaster.
Crown's Galactic Circus will swap your daylight hours for an indoor world of amusements, laser skirmish, bowling and motion rides. The lights are also out at Black Light Mini Golf, which sees you tee off against glow-in-the-dark settings.
Winter year-round or beachside frolics
Call your mates for some inpromptu go-kart racing close to the city centre, or celebrate winter year-round by skiing and snowboarding without the queues and unpredictable weather at SkiCity. Winter reigns at Medibank Icehouse where you can ice-skate every day. If the great outdoors are calling, head to Melbourne's parks and beaches for boating, kiteboarding, or even some old-fashioned beach cricket.
Adventures
With short distances to travel from Melbourne, a wide variety of accommodation options, and affordable package deals, it's never been easier to visit Victoria's alpine resorts.
Enjoy downhill and cross country skiing for beginners and intermediates, toboggan trails, snow tubing and family activities.
The Legends Wine and High Country region is a premier bushwalking destination with an extensive network of tracks and trails.
Following historical railway lines the Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail provides 98km of bitumen sealed track well suited to both cycling and walking.
The great rivers and mountain streams of Victoria's high country offer fishing enthusiasts many opportunities to cast a line.
Shopping
From locally-designed originals to the best of international brands you'll have a plethora of choices in Melbourne's shopping precincts. Explore department stores and shopping centers and meander through the city's myriad arcades and laneways.
Whether you're after high fashion or fine art, Melbourne's ever-evolving shopping choices make it difficult to decide where to start your spree. Explore Melbourne Central, discover the QV and GPO precincts and lose yourself in laneways and arcades.
Discover fantastic fashion at Husk, Alice Euphemia and Chiodo. Find a forgotten gem in retro stores Shag and Retrostar or gorgeous jewellery at e.g. etal. And then revive yourself with hot chocolate and coffee at Koko Black.
Currency
Australian currency ($A) is decimal with the dollar as the basic unit (100 cents equals one dollar). The most commonly accepted credit cards are American Express, Bankcard, Diners Club, MasterCard, Visa and JCB.
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