Joanna James
Melbourne is easily the grooviest city in Australia. The city is without a doubt the cultural capital of the land-down-under. There are just so many places to see and things to do here.
The narrow streets of Melbourne are home to some of the best street art in the world. There are guided tours that will expertly take you along the cobblestone streets giving you history and insight into the artists and the genre. After completing the tour it's guaranteed you'll have a much deeper appreciation for why Melbourne draws in so many artists from across the world.
The library was built in 1856 and is a source of much pride to the citizens of the city. The library is now mostly used as a venue for events and exhibitions. An estimated 8 million people visit the library each year. And if you go in the morning you're guaranteed to see quite a cue of people waiting to get in.
During the summer months, famous Hollywood movies are screened at the Royal Botanic Gardens every night. The admission is roughly 20AUD but you are free to take food and drink and have a nice little picnic on the lawns.
Of all the places to stay in Melbourne one that stands out is Avani Box Hill Residences. It is super-affordable, extremely comfortable and very close to most of the city's major attractions. One place you definitely should visit is Queen Victoria Market – it is a combination of food sellers and knick-knack vendors. The market is open the whole week but only really comes alive during the weekend.
The Circle City Tram is a free mode of transport which will take you all around the city stopping at the city's more popular sites like Federation Square, the Old Treasury Building, the Parliament House and the Princess Theatre. There is a running commentary as you pass each location and you can just hop on and off at any stop you please.
This is one of the best free attractions in the city. You can visit the gallery and browse through its permanent collection for free there is however an entrance charge if you want to see a special exhibition. But you can spend a few hours just going through the permanent collection alone.
The Royal Botanic Gardens is one of the most beautiful places in Melbourne. The gardens are spread across 86 acres and are home to thousands of species of flowers, shrubs, trees and all sorts of plants from all over the world. There are free guided tours available but you could just as easily wander about freely discovering the gardens for yourself.
Melbourne is famous for its coffee culture and its residents simply love a good brew. You can spend a day or even a few just visiting the various coffee shops and sampling some of their finest beverages.
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