Melbourne, capital city of Victoria. Multicultural melting pot and home of Australian Sports. I love this city. I've been lucky to visit and live in a fair share of cities around the world. I have to say though, Melbourne City quickly became one of my favourites in the few days that I was there. Let me tell you why.
After a few days of hibernation at the Great Ocean Road, my journey back to the city began with a 4 hour drive. As expected, the GPS took me down some interesting suburbs and b-roads even when highways continually said drive straight to get to the city. No worries though, always good to have some detours and see more of the country than expected.
Driving into Melbourne city, I crossed a rather long bridge which I unfortunately did not get the name of. The city slowly looms into view and it was tempting to stop on the side of the bridge and take pictures or timelapses of the city skyline. For the safety of all, I did not and continued on into the city to return my car and check into the Travelodge on Southbank, where I finally got a toothbrush! Walking from Redspot back to my hotel was a great chance to immediately experience Melbourne City from the ground and even though it was damp, it was really pretty. Did not do too much on my first evening. Walked around the Southbank Promenade and visited the Crown Casino like a good tourist should then retired to the room to rest up for a big day of plans the next day.
My itinerary for my first full day in the city included going to Federation Square, checking out the National Gallery of Victoria, some interesting stadiums and finally the Eureka Skydeck 88. Federation Square is pretty awesome. There are a few museums around it and even just sitting there and watching people walk around was good. Bear in mind, I had not worked out how the tram system worked at this time and I was going round the city on foot which speaks volumes about how well the city is designed that I did all the above just walking.
After a quick breakfast at Ponyfish Island, a quirky little bar under the bridge on the river, I headed to the NGV. Loving Museums, I knew I would enjoy the NGV and it did not let me down. Spent a good couple of hours in there checking out both the Australian Furniture Design and Sue Ford galleries.
I then checked out a couple of stadiums and the olympic village but to be honest they were nothing much to shout about. The one thing I stumbled upon though, was Birrarung Marr. A little park in between Southbank and the Stadium areas. Really green, quiet and with great views of the city, it was perfect for a lunch break by the river. That's one other thing I really liked about Melbourne City. Whilst the weather is always a risk, they have spent millions of dollars making sure all their roads are pedestrian and bicycle safe. So many well planned out cycle routes means getting around on a bike in the city would have easily been my preferred method were I to live there.
One thing I had planned to do was to go on a sports tour of the city with the various tour guides available, unfortunately time and the cost did not permit me to do so. I relied on Kent, a good buddy of mine to take me around and he definitely played his part while also giving us time to catch up on things. If I did go back though, I'd seriously consider doing the tour as it would've given me some access to the many AFL and "soccer" stadiums littered through out the city.
Speaking of stadiums, I ended my trip with a visit to one of the most impressive stadiums I've ever been to. Yes, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, more affectionally known as the MCG to most. This thing is huge and astounding to look at once you get closer. I believe it holds up to a hundred thousand fans and I can only imagine the atmosphere during one of the bigger AFL matches. There is also the National Museum of Sports inside with a very interesting olympics section.
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| All stadiums in view. MCG on the left. Rod Laver (where the Australian Open is played) on the right. |
I was going to segway into food but I suppose crickets and food is not quite internationally accepted cuisine. With the, forgive me for this, hipstery scene of Melbourne City, what we get is loads of little cafes and restaurants littered all around the backstreets of the city and I sampled some of the best food I have had anywhere in the world. Aimlessly walking around and checking these out was one of the highlights of my time in Melbourne which is saying something considering how much they have put into their tourism industry and the plethora of sights around.
The one standout highlight was San Telmo, an Argentian Tapas Bar. Tucked away just off Bourke Street, you walk into a dim but deceivingly big bar bustling with activity. I had hands down, the best steak I've ever had in there and on some late nights I still think of it. If you're there, check this place out and thank me later. It was not cheap but you get what you pay for and that is quality.
All in all, I really enjoyed my trip to Victoria, Australia. From the quiet countryside to the metropolitan city, there was beauty, culture and all around good times which is all you can ask for really when on holiday. The main appeal for me of Melbourne City, is the fact that you have so many options for activities that's reasonably accessible. In the age where most live for the weekend, this is perfect. Whether if it's to go hiking, camping, the beach, skiing, biking, or just a quiet weekend drive away, it's all within reach from the city itself. And there, that alone is enough to make Melbourne City one of my favourites.
For more pictures, feel free to visit my Facebook album here. Alternatively, Google+ has a great “story” feature which looks great, here. And finally, I will be making a short compilation video of the pictures which will hopefully be coming soon.
As always, if you have any feedback, or just want to say hi, drop me a comment. Thank you for all the encouraging feedback I have received so far, it is all truly appreciated. Stay tuned, keep calm, and I will see you in the next one.
Services used:
Travelodge Southbank
