Melbourne is famous for its many attractions, festivals, annual horse races and tennis tournaments. The first impression of the city is deceptive, behind the leisurely pace hides the great energy of the inhabitants, the spirit of freedom hovers. Museums and exhibition halls have unique collections, restaurants offer a rich menu, the river Yarra beckons a cool and pleasant walks.
Melbourne’s Top 5 Sights
The city is the second largest and most populated in Australia and is considered one of the most beautiful. It is not called the Capital of Culture for nothing; history and civilization are not in conflict, but live peacefully side by side. Variable climate, where the bright sun is instantly followed by a heavy downpour, does not prevent walking through the old streets, visiting the modern shopping and entertainment centers. And you can run to the entrance of the museum under an umbrella. Tourists joke that you should have an umbrella in one pocket and sunglasses and a panama in the other for daytime walks.
Winter in Australia is in June, July, August, the most comfortable time to travel is September and October.
Walks and city tours
The business center consists of high-rises, where offices and representative offices of various companies are located. Here you can wander to feel the pulse of the modern metropolis. However, it is much more interesting to make a plan to visit Melbourne’s landmarks from a bygone era. They are few in number, but each leaves an amazing impression. To get to them, you can use public transport, hire a cab, rent a car.
The cost of a rental car is only 53 USD per day, which will add mobility and save significantly on family trips.
The most convenient option is to book an excursion at a hotel or travel agency. The advantage is that it is provided on a special bus, during the trip is a sightseeing tour, is given a detailed story about the interesting objects. The disadvantage is the lack of freedom of movement, everything is subject to a strict schedule. Tourists pay most attention to historical and natural sights.
Federation Square
Most holidays and festivals take place here. The area of the square occupies an entire block, one side of it descends to the river, on the perimeter there are facades of museums, galleries, restaurants and stores. The shaping of the square’s space has continued since the late 20th century.
Especially interesting are the irregularly shaped buildings, which the designers called “shards. The name has caught on, perfectly characterizing modern architectural styles.
The square was opened in 2002, and every year more than 1 thousand events are held on it.
Carlton Gardens
The park is located in the north-eastern part of Melbourne. It was created in the style of the Victorian era, which is characterized by a clear space planning, artificial reservoirs, the division of space into thematic zones. You can walk through the oak, beech, and elm alleys. Among the plantings are ficus, araucaria, sycamores, spruces, poplars, and cedars.
The park accommodates:
- Royal Exhibition Center;
- movie theater;
- Melbourne Museum;
- tennis courts;
- 3 fountains;
- children’s playgrounds.
The park is listed by UNESCO as a historical and natural monument.
National Gallery of Victoria
A famous attraction in Melbourne is the oldest art gallery in Australia. It quickly rose to fame, thanks to its rich collection of works by great artists: Rembrandt, Veronese, Rubens, Tintoretto. The World Art Gallery has magnificent collections of textiles, ancient ceramics, and ancient Egyptian religious objects. A separate exhibition is devoted to household items and examples of decorative and applied art of Australian Aborigines.
The gallery opened in 1861, 10 years after Victoria Colony was formed. After gold was found nearby, a flood of prospectors rushed here. Suddenly wealthy citizens made generous donations, with which the gallery management purchased objects of art, including paintings, statues, ceramics, jewelry, and household items of historical interest.
In the vaults of the museum accumulated 65 thousand unique exhibits. In 2003, the gallery was split into two parts: one remained on St. Kilda, the other moved to the building on Federation Square. The National Gallery is considered Australia’s most significant exhibition center.
West Gate Bridge
Tourists will not be able to pass by it, since most of the sightseeing routes go through the bridge. From a height of 58 m, which is the height of the structure, there is a magnificent view of the Yarra River and part of the city. The bridge is considered the longest in Melbourne, the traffic on it is 4 lanes, for 2.6 km passengers admire the beauty of the river and surroundings.
During the construction of the bridge, an ecological reserve was created, spreading out under the highest part of the structure.
What else to see in Melbourne
Many sites deserve the attention of tourists, even without organized tours. To find them, it is worth buying a booklet with photos and descriptions of Melbourne sights.
Among them is sure to meet the information about places such as:
- Royal Botanical Gardens;
- Memorial Monument;
- Princes Theatre;
- Melbourne Aquarium;
- St. Paul’s Cathedral;
- Eureka Tower;
- Albert is a park.
The amazing city gradually reveals its secrets to the keen traveler, drawing attention to the still unsolved mysteries, offering exotic souvenirs. Once you come here, you want to visit Melbourne again as a regular visitor.
Video overview of Melbourne sights
Melbourne in Australia is primarily designed for comfortable living. Convenient layout, extensive park areas, neat residential neighborhoods attract the attention of thoughtful design, causing a desire to move here as a family. Amazingly, there are more than 4 million in the city. of residents, but there are no crowds, aggression, or queues.
