Melbourne Travel Guide
Melbourne
A vibrant cosmopolitan city, located on the magnificent Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne is the state capital and cultural heart of Victoria.
The locals' claim that it is 'the best city in the world to live in' and over the last 10 years Melbourne has been modernised and revamped. Its riverbanks and docklands have been transformed into trendy waterside socialising hangouts and hip and swanky boutiques opened.
In Melbourne there is always something to do. From chic boutiques stores to friendly cosy laneway cafes and trendy bars, botanic gardens to sports stadiums, elegant Victorian-era streetscapes to New York style skyscrapers, festivals to galleries and opulent theatres.
All state roads lead into the city and Victoria's unique geography and compact size means that it is possible to spend the morning on the coast, ski in the afternoon in the Victorian Alps, wonder at the natural attractions such as mountains, temperate rainforests and enjoy an aperitif at a winery, before returning to Melbourne to take in a show at one of the many theatres.
The city has four distinct seasons and usually enjoys a pleasant, temperate climate. However, winters can get chilly and summers usually see some swelteringly hot days. Sometimes, all four seasons occur in one day. The ever-optimistic locals joke that if one does not like the weather,
one just have to wait ten minutes and it will change.
Time Zone: Melbourne is + 10 hours to GMT
Country Dialing Code: 61
Telephone Area Code : 03