Joanna James
As the capital of Victoria, Melbourne is arguably the most popular holiday town Down Under. Here are some of the not-to-miss highlights every traveller must visit on a Melbourne getaway.
Spread out across an impressive 94 acres, the Royal Botanic Gardens is not only the lungs of the city but its finest green space. Offering travellers a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of cosmopolitan Melbourne, the garden's location in the heart of the city makes it the perfect pit stop in between sightseeing tours. Attracting a whopping two million visitors each year, the gardens are considered one of the best examples of Victorian-style landscaping. Lined with towering trees and multi-coloured blooms of a hundred hues, nature lovers can get lost in the scenic confines of the sprawling parkland.
Tipped to be the city's best market and one of Melbourne's oldest, Queen Victoria Market also has the honour of being the biggest alfresco thoroughfare in the entire southern hemisphere. With over six hundred vendors vying for one's attention, the market is the best place to pick up fresh produce and also sample the city's best culinary treats in one location. Taster plates are set outside nearly every stall and shoppers typically wine and dine while shopping in this mammoth farmer's market which is open from the wee hours of the morning.
Having opened its doors to the public as early as 1862, the Melbourne Zoo is not only the third oldest zoo on the planet but the oldest wildlife hub in the country. As one of the most beloved family attractions in the city, the sheer variety of mammals, bird species, reptiles and creepy crawlies contained within this spacious enclave make a visit a must for first-time visitors. The popular edutainment hotspot is also the ideal venue to enjoy a day out as various exhibitions and educational programs also take place throughout the year.
As the only restaurant in all of Australia to earn a place in San Pellegrino's World's Top 50 Restaurants, Attica is a dining heartland like no other in the city. Creating fresh new recipes with locally sourced ingredients the restaurant's chef Ben Shewry cooks up a storm every day of the week at this famous Melbourne eatery.
Street art lovers heading to Melbourne should not miss the chance to walk down Hosier Lane where the city's best graffiti and installations are found. The decidedly cutting edge works of art are world-famous and more than Instagram worthy as stencilled pieces as well as traditional graffiti murals decorate the walls of this well-known street.
Regarded among the world's greatest sporting arenas, the MCG or Melbourne Cricket Ground hosts international cricket matches as well as football games for the Australian Football League. Revered for its stature and the many historic sports events that took place within its hallowed confines a tour of this mammoth sports venue is a must for all travellers based at Citadines on Bourke Melbourne or any similar hotels or executive apartments in Melbourne.
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