Melbourne: the Pride of Australia

Melbourne is definitely the place in Australia that cannot be missed by a traveler just because it is the capital and the major transport and communication hub. Read what can be seen, visited and enjoyed in this beautiful city to be sure to have good memories and experiences.

Melbourne, the capital of Australia, is the second most populated city in the country. The metropolitan area around the city has more than four million inhabitants. Melbourne is home to a big number of sights, historic buildings of all styles and plenty of interesting places to visit. Almost all of them can be easily accessed from one of the 100 Melbourne hotels. In Melbourne, suburbs there are a few notable Victorian buildings, St. James Old Cathedral and the State Parliament Building among them. One also visits the impressive Crown Casino, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, with its gambling opportunities, bars, cafes, and restaurants. There are also a handful of museums and amusement parks in Melbourne. Many things can be seen in Swanson Street in downtown Melbourne and in Chinatown, as well as along Spring Street where Melbourne's tallest building, the Rialto Towers, is situated.

Melbourne was founded in 1835. It was officially declared a city by Queen Victoria in 1847. During the Victorian gold rush of the 1850-s, it was developed into one of the world's largest and wealthiest cities. Today, it is a centre for commerce, education, entertainment, sport, culture, and tourism. Major downtown urban restoration has occurred in Southbank, Port Melbourne, and Melbourne Docklands. Melbourne is an international cultural centre, with cultural events and festivals, music, art, drama, musicals, literature, architecture, film and television.

The city is loved for its amazing mixture of modern architecture and an impressive 19th century buildings. St Paul's Cathedral is the great building next to Flinders Street Station. It is a fine example of Gothic-Revival architecture with its carved woodwork, tiled floors, stonework, and glass.

Melbourne Arts Center has a spire that towers 162 meters and is lit up at night. It hosts three theatres: State Theatre, the George Fairfax Studio, and Playbox Theatre. On Sundays, one can take a "Backstage Tour" at the Arts Centre. Melbourne is home to Opera Australia. Notable theatres and performance venues include the Victorian Arts Center, Sydney Myer Music Bowl, Princess Theatre, Regent Theatre, Palace Theatre, Her Majesty’s Theatre, and the Australian Center for Contemporary Art. There are more than 100 galleries in Melbourne. The Windsor Hotel is Australia's only grand hotel as classified by the National Trust.

Old Melbourne Jail is a frightening attraction to visit. It was the place of 135 hangings, including those of Australia’s most dangerous criminals. The Jail is now a museum with a collection of stunning artifacts. Night performances of the staff are practiced in Old Melbourne Jail – the tourists follow a warder by candlelight through the Jail, listening to the stories from the past of the sad institution.
At the northern end of Melbourne there is the famous Queen Victoria Market, a working market with fish, meat, bakery and delicatessen, and fruit and vegetable stalls of which there are more than a thousand.

In Melbourne one can enjoy a three to five-course meal right in the city tram. The Colonial Tramcar Restaurant is the first traveling tram restaurant. Historic trams are changed into restaurants to have a smooth ride along the streets of Melbourne together with a delicious meal.

The Melbourne Aquarium is home to over 30 exhibits and about 3,000 animals. The aquarium has a wonderful view on Crown Casino to Southgate. The excursion to the venue begins with the Antarctica exhibition leading to the Experiences section with such exhibits as River to Reef, the Weird & Wonderful, and Sharks Alive. The latter exhibition is displayed through a 20-centimeter thick acrylic wall, which contains 2.2 million liters of seawater. The Melbourne Aquarium has about 55,000 visitors per month.

The city’s attractions are numerous and astonishing making Melbourne the pride of Australia and a nice destination for tourists to visit.

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