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Boutique hotels in Melbourne

Holidays in Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne Overview

Australia

Cityscape
History and high-rises
City life
Culture, cuisine and couture

Set on the banks of the Yarra River, Melbourne has elegant Victorian-era streetscapes, Manhattan-style skyscrapers and an abundance of beautiful gardens.

But this is a city that’s about a lot more than geography. Melbourne is the meeting point for several cultures, and if you venture away from the wide tree-lined boulevards, you’ll discover what makes this city unique. You can spend whole days wandering its extensive network of historic arcades and laneways, which brim with restaurants, cafés, funky bars, coffee shops, galleries and fashion outlets. Many places have little or no signage, and, generally, if it’s hard to find, it’s probably very cool.

Marvellously Melbourne

Trams were introduced to Melbourne in 1885 and the city now has the largest network in the world. It’s the only place where motor vehicles may be required to perform a ‘hook turn’ – a manoeuvre designed to give trams priority. The trams contribute to the city’s distinctive character and are held in great affection by the people of Melbourne.

Local knowledge

Taxis
Cabs can easily be flagged down in the street – if the sign is illuminated, then the taxi is available. Can’t see one? Call 132227 (no international or area code necessary), and one will come to you.

Tipping culture
Tipping is optional – and certainly isn’t expected. However, it is customary to tip waiters 10 per cent of the bill if you’re pleased with the service.

Siesta and Fiesta
Shops are generally open from 9am to 6pm on Monday to Wednesday, and stay open till 9pm on Thursdays and Fridays. Shops close earlier (around 5pm) at the weekend. Restaurants start to fill up around 7pm and bars are usually open till around 2am.

Packing tips
The Crowded House song ‘Four Seasons in One Day’ was written about the city’s ridiculously changeable weather. Bring clothes for all meteorological possibilities – and don’t forget your umbrella.

Recommended reads
Former Melbourne University student and two-time Booker Prize-winner Peter Carey set parts of his wonderful The True History of the Kelly Gang in the 19th-century city. Chopper by Mark Brandon Read, made into a film starring Eric Bana a few years ago, is the Melbourne-set autobiography of one of Australia’s most notorious criminals – now living free in the city. Joan Lindsay’s Picnic at Hanging Rock, set at the beginning of the 20th century, is the story of a group of schoolgirls who mysteriously disappear near Mount Macedon, northwest of Melbourne.

Cuisine
Melbourne is the culinary capital of Australia, and has a mind-boggling array of restaurants and bars to choose from. The city’s finest restaurants can be found in the CBD laneways, while great ethnic cuisine – Vietnamese (Victoria Street, Richmond), Asian (Chinatown) and Italian (Carlton) – can be found throughout the city.

Currency
Australian dollar (A$).

Time zone
GMT +11.

Dialing codes
Australia country code: +61; Melbourne: (0)3.

Do go/don't go
Summer (December to February) is a great time to visit Melbourne – there’s a real carnival atmosphere and plenty of free activities on offer. Winter (June to August) may be a little on the cold and wet side, but it’s a great time of year to go for wine tours in the nearby Yarra Valley or Mornington Peninsula.

Don't go home without

… Seeing an AFL (Aussie Rules) or cricket match at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) in East Melbourne. Regarded as one of the great sporting stadiums of the world, it can hold 90,000 sports-mad Melbournians, and any match guarantees a great atmosphere – even if you don’t know the rules.