Melbourne a Land of Diverse Peoples and Experiences
Melbourne, Australia is touted for its interesting people and excellent cultural opportunities.
The capital city of Victoria, Australia's southeastern region, Melbourne has a reputation for being one of the most laid-back cities in the world, welcoming visitors to come and enjoy its slow pace and friendly residents.
Melbourne's ethnic diversity is great and, as a matter of fact, the city boasts more Greeks than any other city outside of Athens. Not only Greeks, but people of many nationalities have migrated to this wonderful city, thanks in part to its excellent weather, over-the-top shopping, and extensive cultural offerings.
What to See
In Australia's 2nd largest city, the ethnic neighborhoods are quite interesting to explore. As you wander through these well-defined areas, you'll find restaurants, shops, art galleries, and arts and crafts markets that represent each group who's made its home in Melbourne, including Italian, Chinese, and Vietnamese. Choose a different neighborhood each day and experience something new.
Most travel guides tell visitors that if they only have time to do one thing while in this attractive city, they should visit the acclaimed Melbourne Zoo. This is the oldest zoo in the world and proclaimed to be one of the finest.
Organizers of this zoo, which boasts more than 3,000 animals, have divided it into climactic zones with native animals living in each zone. Explore the African Rainforest, Asian Rainforest, and Australian Bush, and don't miss the huge Butterfly House.
Another beautiful outdoor attraction is the Royal Botanic Garden, a 99-acre floral wonderland in downtown Melbourne. Usually lauded as the finest botanic garden in Australia, visitors will find more than 12,000 varieties of plants and flowers here.
If the arts are of interest to you, travel to one of Melbourne's newest fine arts venues - The National Gallery of Victoria. Here, you'll find two museums in one. The Ian Potter Center for Australian Art is simply wonderful, boasting twenty rooms full of native art including excellent examples of Aboriginal works. The International Gallery offers more traditional works from around the world.
Unlike Australia's largest city, Sydney, Melbourne doesn't have an orchestra or opera company in-residence but it does indeed seem to attract a large number of festivals of all sorts, especially during the warm months.
Activities
When you're through sightseeing, there are plenty of fun and interesting active pursuits to enjoy in Melbourne, Australia.
Biking is quite popular here, largely due to the fact that the city and surrounding suburbs have installed excellent bike paths that take visitors past some of the city's most wonderful sights and most lovely scenery. Organized tours are available as are bike rentals.
There are also several golf courses in the area and tennis is quite popular as well. If you enjoy spectator sports, purchase some tickets for a cricket game. There's even a museum dedicated to the history of this most British of sports.
For a real experience in Australian sports, check out a game of "footy," otherwise known as Australian Rules Football. Quite different from the American version, this game is quite intense and even a bit violent, so be prepared!
Shopping
Melbourne is considered the "shopping capital of Australia." Fashion is the name-of-the-game here and visitors will find everything from high-fashion boutiques to outlet stores boasting excellent prices.
Many may not realize that Melbourne is also the best location outside of Europe to purchase fine chocolate. Makers like Cadbury produce an excellent product. If you're a real chocoholic, sign up for one of the many chocolate-tasting tours available throughout the city. Yum!
When to Visit
The city's warmest and sunniest months are, of course, during the Southern Hemisphere's summer - December through March. This is the best time to take advantage of outdoor activities. Even in the winter, however, the temperature rarely dips below the 40s F, though it can be somewhat rainy.