In Victoria you can find one of Australia’s favourite cities, the city of Melbourne. Known as one of Australia’s most historic cities, Melbourne has streets lined with magnificent architecture dating back to the early 1800’s. In the quaint suburb of Fitzroy, you can find gorgeous Victorian and Edwardian era terrace homes, bars and cafes lining the streets. Some of our favourite buildings to visit include Flinders Street Station, the Royal Exhibition Building, the State Library of Victoria, the ANZ Gothic Bank, the Manchester Unity Building and The Forum. Architecture lover or not, there is no doubt you will marvel at the grandeur of Melbourne’s unique buildings.
Also showcasing Melbourne’s history is its iconic tram system that dates all the way back to 1889. Today the city is thankful for the public transport system that connects the entire city as it is the preferred method of transport amongst visitors and locals. An affordable option is a day or weekend pass if you’re wanting to explore the entire city without doing much planning. Melbourne city also has a free tram zone from Queen Victoria Market to Docklands, Spring Street, Flinders Street Station and Federation Square. You can also hop on and off the historic trams as often as you like!
A shoppers dream, Melbourne has plenty of options for every type of shopper. Known for being a more ‘alternative’ city, Melbourne’s quirky boutiques and markets feature fashion styles you would find hard to purchase anywhere else. With vintage clothing and home decor being very on-trend right now, you’ll find one of a kind pieces at places like Red Hill Vintage and Antique Fair, Fitzroy Markets and Melbourne Frock Swap. On the Mornington Peninsula you have to visit Hello Sailor Vintage Fair! Of course if you have more modern taste and would like to get your department store fix you can hit up Bourke Street Mall.
Ask any Australian and you’ll likely get the same answer. What Melbourne is most famous for is its coffee. Don’t just take our word for it - over 1,000 booking.com users even named Melbourne’s coffee the best in the world! It’s so delicious even cafes halfway across the world advertise their imported Victorian baristas.
A real-life foodie playground, Melbourne CBD and surrounds has a plethora of culinary options available. If you’re a foodie that enjoys sampling and buying local produce you will have to add a visit or tour of Queen Victoria Markets to your itinerary. On Oxford Street you’ll find some of the cities most loved restaurants often have wait times of over three hours just to get a table! If that doesn’t give you an idea of the quality of food, I’m not sure what will. Not to worry if you’re in a rush, there are plenty of delicious options on offer no matter where you turn.
Besides coffee, Victorians are also crazy for their AFL. For internationals, AFL stands for Australian Football League. If you’re visiting during the football season you must get yourself to a game at the MCG. As the largest stadium in Australia that will often sell-out during big games, you are sure to experience an exciting atmosphere, whether you know the rules of AFL or not.
Another must-do activity in Melbourne is to spend your time exploring the alleyways and street art. The Melbourne City Council has approved certain areas for street art as a creative outlet and to add to that fun Melbourne urban vibe that locals and visitors love. Popular hidden alleyways to seek out include Degraves Lane, Centre Place, AC/DC Lane and Hardware Lane.
Victoria is also home to Grampians National Park. Famous for its wildflowers, echidnas and sandstone mountains, Grampians National Park is an abundant natural landscape sure to help you switch off when visiting. The National Park has an Aboriginal cultural centre and information centre known as Brambuk. Brambuk is owned by five different Aborigonal communities with links to the Gariwerd-Grampians ranges and the surrounding plains. At the cultural centre you can learn the stories and history of the Jardwadjali and Djab Wurrung and Aboriginal communities of south-western Victoria.
How could we write about Victoria without mentioning the Great Ocean Road? Approximately four hours drive from the CBD, the Great Ocean Road is well worth the journey. The Great Ocean Road is a 243 kilometer stretch of road that is Australian National Heritage listed. Along the Great Ocean Road you’ll find the famous large limestone structures known as the 12 Apostles. You’ll also find many other sites to see along the jagged cliff-edges of the Vicotiran coast. A popular tour on the Great Ocean Road is a helicopter flight to get you that little bit closer to the sites themselves, and maybe see some aquatic animals as well!
Phillip Island is also a popular day trip from Melbourne. Located 140km south of Melbourne CBD, visitors flock to Phillip Island to watch hundreds of Fairy Penguins emerge from the ocean and walk up the beach each night. Known as the Penguin Parade, this experience is not to be missed when visiting Victoria.
Gifting Owl has hundreds of tours and activities to gift and book in Victoria. No matter what the gift recipient enjoys, there is something for everyone in this hip and diverse state of Australia.
