The state capital of Victoria, Melbourne is Australia’s second largest city and a really popular holiday destination for travellers to the Antipodes. Situated on the estuary of the magnificent Yarra River, this great city is often called the cultural capital of Australia. The most practical way to get to Melbourne is by air, as it has a large international airport situated just outside. You can easily reach your Melbourne hotel by taxi as it takes only about twenty- five minutes to reach the centre by taxi. Alternatively there is a skybus which runs regularly. Melbourne is also a regular destination for cruises and there is a daily ferry from the nearby island of Tasmania.

While staying at your Melbourne hotel you will find that there are many things to do. The people who live in Melbourne are absolutely passionate about sport, and there are hundreds of sporting venues both large and small in the city .Their favourite sport has to be Australian Rules Football, a sort of cross between rugby and soccer with a dash of basketball thrown in occasionally. It is rough and entertaining to watch, and 9 out of the 16 teams who play in the Australian league are based in Melbourne. In summer of course, there is cricket played at the Melbourne Cricket ground and a day at any cricket match where Australia are concerned is a treat for any sporting enthusiast. The Melbourne cup, which is one of the world’s premier horse races, is run at the race course in November then in January comes the Australian Open tennis, one of the four grand slam tournament of tennis, which is played at Melbourne Park and attracts all the top tennis players in the world.

While the men watch sport, the women can follow one of their favourite pastimes, namely, shopping. You can leave your Melbourne hotel and go shopping for seven days a week. Melbourne is the fashion capital of Australia and as you would expect there are some of the top fashion houses and designers here. You can also get vintage clothing and retro outfits here mixed together in a uniquely Australian style. Some streets are just wall to wall boutiques where you can shop ‘till you drop. There are also cheaper alternatives and if you go into the suburbs there are warehouse direct outlets where you can really pick up the bargains. Australia’s largest shopping centres are in Melbourne, including the largest shopping centre in the Southern hemisphere which boasts over 530 stores.

Melbourne is a great place to eat with its eclectic mix of food outlets. There is something for everyone. You can eat in your Melbourne hotels and get a great meal, or you can try one of the many ethnic eating places in the city. You can find a really tasty helping of fish and chips. African, Chinese, Greek, Indonesian, Italian and Thai are just a few examples.