Melbourne Travel Guide during your time in Melbourne and how to enjoy magnificent Melbourne weather

9:01 AM Australia Travel Guide , Oceania

Melbourne Travel Guide during your time in Melbourne and how to enjoy magnificent Melbourne weather

Melbourne, at the head of Port Phillip Bay, is Australia's second largest city and the capital of the south-eastern state of Victoria. Serving as Australia’s undisputed cultural capital, Melbourne is bursting with Victorian-era architecture, famed cafés, great bars and restaurants, extensive shopping, museums, galleries, theatres, and large parks and gardens. Its nearly 5-million residents are both multicultural and sports-mad, and the city has year-round festivals, sporting events and the best of Australian culture on display.

Melbourne is famous as the host city for a range of major international sporting events such as the Australian Open, Melbourne Cup Carnival and Formula 1 Grand Prix. It also features some of the world's most popular art galleries and museums (National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Museum) and internationally acclaimed festivals (Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival, Melbourne Fringe Festival). The city is also represented by its world-famous street art, coffee culture, pubs and live music... most of which can be found tucked away in a large number of iconic laneways. Frequently named as the World's Most Liveable City, Melbourne is close to and features many gardens, national parks and areas that are home to some of Australia's iconic wildlife (The Great Ocean Road, Grampians National Park, Phillip Island, Royal Botanic Gardens). Indigenous sites, museums and experiences (Koorie Heritage Trust, Birrarung Marr, Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre) maintain a vital link to the people and culture of the First Nations.

Districts of Melbourne

City Centre (Docklands)

Melbourne's Central Business District (CBD) and historical core north of the Yarra River, including the new Docklands precinct to the west. Innumerable great restaurants, cafés, pubs and clubs abound in the city, often hidden down its famous grid of heritage listed and street art-covered laneways. The centre of Melbourne throbs with life, reflecting the residents' pride in its regular award as "the world's most liveable city". Features Queen Victoria market and the world's largest tram network.

Southbank

Entertainment, (including a superb art and theatre complex, ballet, opera, and more), fine dining, plus some inexpensive cafes and the vast Crown Casino and entertainment complex. River trips depart from Southbank.

St Kilda

A bay beach and great restaurant, bar and nightlife scene. Features a famous Sunday art market along The Esplanade, and home to many backpacker hostels and cafes. Also features Luna Park, Palais Theatre and St Kilda Sea Baths.

South Melbourne (Port Melbourne, Albert Park, South Melbourne)

Includes the old ports of Melbourne, as well as the historic Clarendon Street and town centre. Home of Melbourne's F1 Grand Prix circuit around Albert Park Lake. Features South Melbourne Market (1867), with a famous variant of Dim Sims (a Melbourne invention).

Inner north (Carlton, Parkville, North Melbourne, Brunswick)

Parkville is famous as the university district, whereas Carlton is well-known for Lygon Street, world famous for its authentic Italian culture and cuisine. Parkville features Melbourne Zoo and many gardens and leafy areas, contrasting with the high-energy multicultural vibes of the hipster mecca of Brunswick.

Inner east (Fitzroy, Richmond, Collingwood, Abbotsford)

Working-class and Bohemian quarter, with many trendy boutiques, some of Melbourne's best ethnic cuisine - especially Vietnamese - and an amazing range of inner-city pubs full of character. Another of Melbourne's hipster centres with lots of creativity and multicultural pursuits, particularly centred on Brunswick St (Fitzroy), Gertrude St (Fitzroy/Collingwood), Smith St (Collingwood), Johnson St (Fitzroy/Collingwood/Abbotsford), Victoria St (Abbotsford/Richmond), Bridge Rd (Richmond) and Swan St (Richmond).

Inner west (Footscray, Kensington, Yarraville)

Footscray is an occasionally run-down, working class suburb with a cool, multicultural vibe. Features cheap markets, dozens of Vietnamese and East African shops and restaurants. Yarraville is a quieter suburb with well-preserved Victorian architecture and a funky, artsy vibe including the famous Sun Theatre.

Stonnington (Toorak, Prahran, South Yarra)

Expensive, upper-class neighbourhood of Melbourne, with high-end shopping and dining. The place to grab a fashion bargain and to be seen.

Eastern suburbs

Stretching from almost inner suburbs of Kew, Hawthorn and Camberwell in Booroondara to the outer cities like Maroondah and the Dandenong Ranges.

Northern suburbs

Covering suburbs like Tullamarine, Broadmeadows, South Morang, Epping, Bundoora and Nillumbik Shire.

Western suburbs

Includes areas like Altona, Williamstown, Point Cook, Footscray in Maribyrnong, Werribee in Wyndham, Caroline Springs, Sunshine, Melton, Keilor and Sydenham. Williamstown is notable as being an old, maritime-styled suburb with many cafes situated along the foreshore.

South-eastern suburbs

Spread along the coast of Port Philip Bay and covers areas like Brighton, Elwood, Sandringham and the cities of Frankston and Dandenong. Its main attraction is the beach along the bay.

Melbourne Weather

Melbourne is famous for being capable of showing 'four seasons in one day' and has a temperate climate with distinct seasons and usually mild weather. Melbourne is the third-driest capital city in Australia with half of Sydney's rainfall (at 600mm) and is good to visit year-round. Days in Summer have an average high of 26°C, though days above 35°C occur sporadically as it is the warmest season with the lowest rainfall. Melbourne summers are generally warm with an average temperature of around 26°C and days of great warmth and abundant sunshine.

Autumn is a mixed bag of weather and lives up to Melbourne's 'four seasons in one day' reputation. One day might be 30°C, the next 15°C.

Winters are usually cool and damp with daytime highs around 14°C in June and July, and 16°C in August. The average winter day is cloudy with sunny breaks.

Spring is the wettest time of year in Melbourne and can still get quite cold early into the season, but then warmer as summer draws closer.

A summary of Melbourne History

The Kulin Nation (as it is known to the peoples of the First Nations) has existed in present-day Melbourne for an estimated 60,000-100,000 years. The area has been inhabited by five First Nation groups continuously since this time, with unique cultural ceremonies such as Tanderrum surviving to this day.

British colonisation began in 1835 with the signing of Batman's Treaty between the Crown and Aboriginal Elders. There is much debate over the understanding and circumstances in which the treaty was originally signed. The treaty was declared void by the Governor of New South Wales in 1835 and all of Australia was declared 'vacant land of the Crown'. Settlers from Tasmania subsequently "purchased" land from the Crown and relocated to the areas surrounding Port Phillip Bay and the Yarra River. Subsequent hostilities between colonisers and First Nations people occurred due to the dispossession of Aboriginal land.

In 1901, the British colonies of Australia became an independent federation and Melbourne the temporary capital of Australia, with the Federal Parliament meeting in the Parliament House of Victoria until 1927 when the new Federal capital of Canberra was founded. After World War II, Melbourne grew rapidly, with its mainly Anglo-Celtic population boosted by immigration from Europe, particularly from Greece and Italy. The significant pre-war Jewish population was also boosted after the war. From the mid-70s, many immigrants came from South-east Asia, particularly Vietnam and Cambodia. Melbourne has had a Chinese population since the gold rush of the 1850s and Chinatown has existed from that time but the population of Chinese and other East Asians has also been boosted by immigration in recent years.

New high-rise buildings replaced many of Melbourne’s interesting old structures in the construction boom of the 1970s and 80s. Melbournians belatedly recognised the loss of their architectural heritage and steps were taken to protect what was left. Construction of the huge Crown Casino (briefly the largest casino in the world) in the 1990s upset some Melbournians with its introduction of a gambling culture. Melbourne’s development continues in the 2000s with the opening of the Melbourne Museum, Federation Square and the Docklands precinct.

Melbourne Transportation

Melbourne's city centre is laid out in an orderly grid system, similar to Manhattan, making it easy to navigate around the most central areas. During peak hour, walking may even be quicker than taking the tram. All 15 suburban train lines depart from Flinders Street Station, opposite Federation Square in the Central Business District (CBD). Many lines also run through the City Loop, which connects to Southern Cross Station and three underground stations around the perimeter of the city centre: Parliament, Melbourne Central and Flagstaff. These city stations are well spread out in the Southern (Flinders Street), Western (Southern Cross), North Western (Flagstaff), Northern (Melbourne Central) and Eastern (Parliament) extremities of the CBD, making them a convenient base to explore the majority of Melbourne's attractions.

Buses tend to link areas without train or tram connections, with some exceptions, often service major shopping centres, middle and outer suburbs. Melbourne has an excellent network of bike paths, plus a generally flat terrain, making pedal-power a great way to take in the city. Most paths are "shared footways" under the law, although the majority of users in most places are cyclists.

The major car rental chains are well-represented and include Redspot, Avis, Budget, Europcar, melbourne Hertz, Thrifty. Independent car rental companies are also plentiful and can offer good value for money. If you are looking to cover a long distance by car, ensure your rental policy includes unlimited mileage - most economy to standard sized car rental include this already.

Alot to see in Melbourne

Flinders Street Railway Station
Queen Victoria Market
National Gallery of Victoria
State Library of Victoria
Old Melbourne Gaol
Federation Square
The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)
South Gate and the Arts Precinct
The Yarra River
Shrine of Remembrance
Coops Shot Tower
Melbourne Exhibition Centre
Crown Casino
Melbourne Museum & IMAX
Italian Community (Lygon and Rathdowne Streets)
Royal Exhibition Building
Carlton Gardens
Melbourne Zoo
Royal Park
The University of Melbourne
Luna Park
St Kilda Pier
St Kilda Esplanade
St Kilda Botanical Gardens
Palais Theatre
Jewish Museum of Australia
South Melbourne Market
South Melbourne Beach
Clarendon Street
Port Melbourne Pier
Port Melbourne Beach
Brunswick St
Johnston St
Gertrude St
Smith St
Carlton United, Mountain Goat and Moon Dog Breweries
Pubs are concentrated in and around Church, Victoria and Swan Streets, with outlet shopping on Bridge Road.
Chapel Street and Toorak Roads
Royal Botanic Gardens
Prahran Market
Bay Street (featuring excellent upmarket cafes and boutique shops)
Brighton Beach
Bathing Boxes (Brighton Beach)

Food in Melbourne

For the culinary traveller, Melbourne is one of the best destinations in the world. There is an abundance of affordable, high quality restaurants representing almost every cuisine. Eating out is cheaper than in Western Europe but not as affordable as North America. The service in Australian restaurants may be more discreet than many North Americans may be used to. Although service staff in Australia are paid considerably more than their North American counterparts and tipping is not compulsory, a tip for good service is always welcomed.

Excellent eateries can be found sprinkled throughout all of the inner (and some outer) suburbs, while certain neighbourhoods have become magnets for residents and restaurants of particular countries. A large range of restaurants and cafes offering high quality food, and representating various cultures and countries, are scattered through the central city, Southbank, Carlton (mostly Italian and touristy), Victoria Street in Richmond (many low cost popular Vietnamese and South East Asian restaurants), Docklands, South Yarra and Prahran. Sydney Road in Brunswick and Coburg is known for its many Middle Eastern, Lebanese, Greek and Turkish restaurants. The popular tourist area of St Kilda offers a large range of good quality restaurants and cafes, especially on Acland Street, and Fitzroy Street.

English-style fish and chip shops are scattered through the suburbs - particularly in bayside areas. Souvlaki and gyros are very popular in Melbourne and outlets are plentiful through the inner and outer suburbs. Japanese nori rolls and sushi is very popular and many stores through the city and suburbs sell these items.

There are also a number of ongoing/pop-up markets and festivals dedicated to food. One of the larger and more well known food markets is the Queen Victoria Night Market held on Wednesday evenings 17:00-22:00. And don't overlook the growing food truck culture, with some of Melbourne's amazing chefs now starting up their own trucks, it is an experience not to be missed.

Accommodation in Melbourne

There is a great range of accommodation in Melbourne, ranging from hostels with shared dorm rooms and bathrooms to luxurious, palatial boutique or international chain hotels. Most convenient options are located within the CBD, though several suburbs close to the city centre also offer accommodation options. Airbnb is also prevalent.

Melbourne's budget accommodation options can be found in two main areas, namely in the City Centre and in the seaside suburb of St Kilda. Within the city centre, most hostels are clustered around Elizabeth Street or King Street. Outside of the city, there are also several popular budget options in bohemian Fitzroy, South Melbourne, and Prahran.

Please note that around the Melbourne F1 Grand Prix (late March) and other international events, hostel accommodation is often booked out ahead of time and some hostels raise their prices. Be sure to book ahead.

Accommodation in this price bracket can mostly be found in the city centre. There are however options scattered throughout the suburbs.

The City Centre remains the main area for this category of accommodation.

( Melbourne - Australia ) is well know as a tourist destination because of the variety of places you can enjoy while you are visiting Melbourne . Through a series of videos we will try to show you recommended places to visit in Melbourne - Australia

Join us for more :

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLP2J3yzHO9rZDyzie5Y5Og

http://placestoseein87.blogspot.com.eg/

https://plus.google.com/108460845579164318812

https://www.facebook.com/placestoseein87/

https://twitter.com/Placestoseein1

https://www.tumblr.com/blog/placestoseein

https://www.pinterest.com/placestoseein87/places-to-see-in/