Life in Melbourne

Melbourne is located in the state of Victoria and is Australia's second largest city with 3.7 million inhabitants. Like all other main settlements in Australia, Melbourne directly borders the ocean. So what is it what makes Melbourne so special? It's the combination of natural assets, the cultural diversity and laid back friendliness of its inhabitants as well as the never ending amount of things to do.

Melbourne has a number of decent beaches close to the city centre. And the further down you drive along each side of Port Phillip Bay the better the beaches get. Melbourne is also highly marketed as Australia's event and sports capital. There is always an event going on that draws the attention to the city.

There is much to love about Melbourne, Just ask the locals. This sophisticated world city in the south-east corner of mainland Australia inspires a deep passion in those lucky enough to live here. Melbournians love the city's vibrant energy, beautiful old churches, staggering choice of restaurants, boutiques, café-filled laneways, cool bars, unbeatable galleries, lush-green parks and village-like inner suburbs, each with its own special character.

Melbourne is the capital of Victoria and is a relatively modern city. It is less than 200 years old and never sits still. New futuristic designs add to the fascinating mix of architecture and ensure the skyline is constantly changing. Melbourne is very much about lifestyle. It is no huge surprise to residents that their city has been ranked as one of the world’s most livable cities.

Melbournians embrace three things in particular:

• sport (Australian Rules football is almost a religion);

• fashion (the look is chic with a dash of quirky); and

• festivals (the calendar is packed year round).

Melbournians even embrace their notoriously changeable weather. A standing joke in Australia is that Melbourne can experience four seasons in a day. But, really, it’s just another example of how Melbourne has it all!

Sometimes, the best part of visiting a new city is when you unexpectedly depart from the tourist trail and glimpse the city’s “real” side. While the big attractions can be great fun, often it’s the more subtle “insider” experiences that leave you feeling really satisfied.