Melbourne prizes itself as Australia’s cultural precinct for good food, wine, art, museums, entertainment and more for the unique individual. Successful tourism campaigns include, ‘You’ll love every piece of Victoria’ and ‘It’s easy to lose yourself’, as well as ‘Victoria, you’ll never want to leave’. So let me explore why the capital, Melbourne fits these campaigns to a tee.
Firstly, Melbourne has a multicultural mix of people from more than 100 countries! This in itself shows that you will experience the cultures of the world all at the one hot spot. In particular, Melbourne has the largest Greek community outside of Athens, so it’s not surprising there is the finest in Greek cuisine and dancing!
Melbourne has been referred to as having a European feel about it, in terms of the fashion, restaurants, architecture, Yarra ‘canal’ and the overall culture. Not to mention the weather that is unpredictable and quite dark in the winter months. However, this is not to stop you from experiencing Melbourne at its finest.
Melbourne is unique in that through a narrow alley way you will find a standalone bar or restaurant that is really popular. The winding alleyways unearth mysterious discoveries. I remember when I recently visited Melbourne with some friends and took an adventure of my own down Beaney Lane to find Melbourne’s most exclusive nightclub, ‘The Spice Market’. This is a must see for those who enjoy a good night out on the scene with hanging bird cages, large Buddhist statues, scattered fruit bowls, a central waterfall and not to mention what happens when you request a bottle of expensive champagne where uniformed girls march to a celebratory song to deliver your purchased prize!
However, the main highlights include the vast array of shopping finds, the Australian Open Tennis in summer, the big Victorian Markets, the grand Crown Casino, IMAX Theatre, Luna Park, Melbourne Zoo and the beautiful Yarra River that is central to the Melbourne precinct. You will never be bored in Melbourne! Make sure you go to the Victorian Arts Centre that is in the heart of the city, home to Melbourne’s music, dance and drama scene alongside the Melbourne Concert Hall, Sunday Market and Performing Arts Museum which is one of the world’s best theatre museums.
Take a ferry or river cruise down the Yarra River to see all the sights and sounds of Melbourne. So that’s Melbourne in a nutshell, where there is something amazing for everyone to experience.