A travel agency run by Australian expats, for expats in Asia
Big City Sophistication and marvelous country within easy driving distance…
Melbourne, the capital of Victoria, has regularly been voted one of the two world’s most livable cities. Melbourne is renowned for its sense of style and elegance. It boasts glamorous festivals, Australia’s best shopping, a lively passion for eating and drinking, and a flourishing interest in the arts. Great vestiges of nineteenth-century architecture, built following the discovery of gold, act as reminders of a prosperous age. Melbourne is the place with something for everyone – retail therapy in chic fashion stores, hanging out in cafes or trendy bars, catching a game at one of the big stadiums, (typically Australian Rules Football or Cricket at the M.C.G or the Australian Open Tennis at Rod Laver Arena) or taking time to shop and play at the Crown Casino complex or opting out with a walk in the botanic gardens or a romantic dinner in one of Melbourne’s many restaurants. If that’s not enough, it also offers easy access to areas such as the Yarra Valley- wine, the Dandenongs – B&B’s and walking trails, Daylesford – mineral spas, Echuca – the riverport, the High Country – snow skiing, Wilson's Promontory - a National Park renowned for it's walking tracks and beauty, and finally the coastal scenery of the famous Great Ocean Road. Victoria is a small state and all these places are an easy 1-3 hour’s drive out of Melbourne. Good accommodation is easy to come by, whether on the coast or inland – hiking or sampling the vintages. For surfing enthusiasts, the southern coast is THE place to visit. If its history you are after, then you should be heading for towns with names like Ballarat or Bendigo that resonate on the tongue. One of the best known sites in Ballarat is Sovereign Hill where visitors can actually pan for gold and experience first-hand what it was like to live and work in the gold mining era. Melbourne can be reached via a direct flight from Shanghai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Hong Kong as well as all Australian cities. Combine Melbourne with trips to country Victoria and allow 5-7 days – or combine with another destination in Australia for a 2 week trip.
Typical Weather:
Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere, and hence the seasons are the opposite to that of the Northern Hemisphere. |
Vicki’s Top Tips for Victoria: |
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1. Enjoying mineral spa treatments, Daylesford |
Itinerary 5:
Drive holiday Melbourne and surrounds for 8 days
Explore the wonders of Melbourne, and then enjoy the independence and adventure of the drive and sights around Victoria!
Enjoy Melbourne’s markets, museums, galleries, restaurants and theatre. Go for a ride on the steam train Puffing Billy, and visit the magnificently restored National Trust properties. Then take the car and radiate out of Melbourne to some of these wonderful destinations: Ski-fields in the high country, Ballarat and Daylesford, The Great Ocean Road, Echuca and the Yarra Valley and Dandenongs. All of these destinations are within 1-3 hours drive from Melbourne.
•International Airfares:Shanghai/Melbourne/Shanghai
•Hire Car: for 8 days pick up and drop off Melbourne airport
•Accommodation: 2 nights in Melbourne hotel, balance of accommodation to be self-made whilst enroute
•Dinner for two on Melbourne’s famous tramcar restaurant, ex Melbourne
•Tickets to latest musical on stage in Melbourne’s theatres
•Travel Insurance for holiday
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