Melbourne – the neighbourly and cultured city

The second-biggest city in Australia, Melbourne is a friendly, historic city that’s brimming with things to see and do. While there’s plenty to keep children occupied, and some great beach suburbs like Brighton and St Kilda, much of the charm of Melbourne lies in exploring its colourful and eclectic districts. Chinese, African and Aboriginal communities give this city a cosmopolitan air, and also mean that Melbourne is one of the best places to eat out in the Southern Hemisphere.

Shopping, culture, food, and kids’ stuff

You could easily spend a more than a day visiting attractions in central Melbourne, including the former Parliament, the Immigration Museum, and Melbourne Gaol. There’s also the world-famous Melbourne Zoo, and an IMAX cinema.

Melbourne is also the cultural capital of Australia, and has some excellent galleries, an Art Deco Cinema and beautiful parks and gardens – as well as being the home of Neighbours. The café scene is famous, and you should definitely stop for a cappuccino and slice of cake in one of the historic coffee houses.

As well as art, many visitors come to Melbourne for sport – this is the home of Australian Rules Football, the Melbourne Cup and the Australian Open and Grand Prix, as well as being the best place in Australia to catch a cricket game or soccer match.

Melbourne has seaside suburbs for lazy summer days and is also, during winter, within easy travelling distance of ski slopes.

Where to stay

Melbourne is a big city and you should consider what you want to do there before picking a district to stay in – there’s an excellent range of holiday homes in Melbourne and lots to see, so making a decision may be difficult! If you want to stay close to bars and restaurants, then your Melbourne holiday apartment should be in or near Carlton, Docklands or Southgate.

Fitzroy is very popular with the bohemian crowd and one of the highlights of the city, and a great place to find a serviced apartment in Melbourne.

If you want a beach holiday, then St Kilda has an old-fashioned charm and plenty of holiday villas – Brighton is another good choice.

There’s a very wide choice of holiday accommodation in Melbourne, and you’ll find something to suit whether you’re a twenty-something couple looking for coffee houses and fabulous food, or whether you want a relaxed family holiday in self-contained accommodation with its own pool and barbecue area.

The climate can vary quite a lot, so take this into account when choosing activities and holiday accommodation in Melbourne. During the summer, temperatures can be over 40C – air conditioning is an essential if you’re visiting in December and January. Conversely, winter can be cold, with temperatures as low as 2C in June, July and August; for winter visits, pick a Melbourne holiday rental with heating. The best time to visit is in either spring are autumn, when the temperature is at a happy medium.