Introduction to Melbourne

Melbourne's roots can be traced back to the 1850s, when gold was found in the surrounding hills and British settlers freely colonized the city. Today, with trams rattling through the streets, elegant tree-lined boulevards and a raging cafe culture, Victoria's capital has a distinctly European feel. Expect wonderful architecture both old and new and green spaces like the Royal Botanic Gardens. This cosmopolitan city is also Australia's culture capital, with vibrant dining, shopping and nightlife scenes.

Things to Do

Survey Melbourne's gridlike streets from high atop Southbank's Eureka Skydeck 88, the Southern Hemisphere's tallest viewing platform. See key attractions on the free burgundy-and-gold City Circle trams. Central hub Federation Square hosts cultural events along the Yarra River. The city's historic laneways and arcades reveal the boho side of Melbourne. Soak up the art at the National Gallery of Victoria -- or visit the Immigration Museum and the Chinese Museum for different takes on the settlement of this "free" city.

Shopping

Find anything and everything in Melbourne's Central Business District, an open-air shopping mall. Art galleries and designer boutiques rub shoulders in Flinders Lane. Fitzroy's Brunswick Street, slightly grungier Smith Street and Gertrude Street attract the trend-setters with retro and vintage boutiques and book stores, while Prahran is the place for the label-conscious. Queen Victoria Market, just north of the CBD, sells everything from weird and wonderful bric-a-brac to food and clothes.

Nightlife and Entertainment

For live music head to inner-suburb clubs like the Corner Pub in Richmond and the legendary Espy in St. Kilda. Southbank venues including the Arts Centre stage opera and ballet. The Princess, Regent and Her Majesty's theatres offer shows, musicals and plays. Federation Square abounds in modern meeting and drinking places, while the edgier Laneways serves up everything from graffiti-lined hole-in-the-wall cafes to sophisticated bars.

Restaurants and Dining

Australian cuisine owes more to its melting-pot culture than to any home-grown culinary tradition, and the dining scene in Melbourne offers something from just about every corner of the world, to suit all palates and budgets. In the CBD, try authentic Thai, tapas and bistro dishes in atmospheric Laneways eateries. Head to Brunswick for Middle Eastern fare or Chinatown for cheap Asian and Chinese grub. Richmond specializes in Vietnamese cuisine, and Fitzroy in Spanish.