Melbourne is just a wonderful city! It is a place in which to walk, ride the streetcars, visit museums and galleries, shop and eat. There are excellent restaurants, lovely parks and gardens and the architecture is exceptional.
This is a very European style Australian city that can show you a totally different aspect of the Australian lifestyle.
Just outside the city there are some very picturesque country and coastal areas, as well as excellent, cool temperate wine growing regions to discover.
The Yarra Valley, the Great Ocean Road, the Dandenong Ranges and the Phillip Island penguins are all worth seeing.
The areas around the city have a great deal of potential as self drive area, but please be aware that the distances can be deceiving, and that some locations are better than others. Careful planning will help you avoid the trap of driving long distances for little return. There are several 3 day and longer loops from Melbourne city that can show your how the "real" Aussies live, work and play.
You can discover Melbourne and the State of Victoria with built in leisure time and dine around options on our escorted group tours, or can have our Australian Travel Planner include recommendations for exploration that are only known by someone with local knowledge.
