Melbourne, a magnificent city with many beaches, gardens and parks is located in the Victoria region in Australia. It is the second largest city in Australia and plays host to important sporting events such as the Melbourne Cup, the Australian Tennis Open and the Australian Grand Prix.

Melbourne was founded in 1835 by John Batman and was named in the honor of Viscount Melbourne, William Lamb, during the British occupation of Victoria. This small city grew in size during the 1850 due to the gold rush, which drew migrants from many parts of the world, especially from Italy, Greece, Poland, Turkey, Yugoslavia and Vietnam. This created a melting pot of cultures that even today can be seen in the architecture and the food.

There are many ways to experience this marvelous city. You can hope on a City Explorer bus, which circles past major tourist attractions the city and let’s you hop on and off at any attraction. You can explore the city on foot. There are great walking tours with knowledgeable local guides that will provide you with a more educational experience.

Pretend you are living in the early 20th century while touring the city by using the free and historic City Circle Trams to travel around central Melbourne. Another very enjoyable option is taking a boat tour. You can board a boat on Prince Walk and journey down the Yarra River and see a different and very relaxing side of Melbourne. Last but not least is the helicopter tour. This may be a more expensive tour option but it provides you with a spectacular view of the city’s many attractions from the city centre to the surrounding bays.

Now, that we know how to get around, here are some attractions that you should check out when visiting Melbourne:

Melbourne Planetarium: Take a journey through the galaxy at the Melbourne Planetarium. Located at the Scienceworks Museum, this museum use state-of-the-art technology to project the night sky onto a huge domed ceiling and take you through on a space adventure.

Arthur’s Seat Chairlift: The Arthur’s Seat Chairlift was built in 1960 and is located in the Mornington Peninsula district. It transports visitors 300 meters up to Arthur’s Seat State Park, which has many attractions from walking trails and picnic spots to a unique car museum and more.

Ashcombe Maze: Love puzzles? Then you have to visit the Ashcombe Maze. This is the oldest and biggest hedge maze in the whole of Australia. If you are not interested in the maze, you can visit the surrounding landscaped gardens.

Melbourne Theatres: It may not be as famous as Broadway but Melbourne has a large number of excellent theatres. You can watch operas, concerts, ballets, pantomimes, musicals and more at theatres such as Astor Theatre, Her Majesty’s or Princess Theatre.

Enterprize: The Enterprize is located in the Williamstown district. This is an authentic replica of a historic sailing ship, which transported some of the first immigrants to Melbourne during the 1830s.