Melbourne is Australia's second-largest city and its strongest claim to a cultural capital. It is a city that lives in its laneways, where street art covers the walls of Hosier Lane, tiny bars hide behind unmarked doors, and some of the country's best restaurants operate from spaces you would walk past without noticing. The waves of immigration since World War II have given Melbourne an extraordinary diversity, from the Italian quarter in Carlton to the Greek precinct of Oakleigh and the Vietnamese restaurants lining Victoria Street in Richmond.
Sport is almost a religion here. The AFL dominates winter conversation, the Melbourne Cup stops the nation each November, and the Formula 1 Grand Prix roars around Albert Park Lake every March. The Melbourne Cricket Ground — one of the largest stadiums in the world — is the spiritual home of both cricket and Australian rules football. If there is not a major sporting event on, there is almost certainly a festival, a comedy show, or a gallery opening to fill the gap.
The city centre is compact and best explored on foot or by tram. Federation Square and Flinders Street Station anchor the cultural heart of the CBD. The National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Museum, and State Library of Victoria are among the finest institutions of their kind in the country. Beyond the CBD, the inner suburbs each have their own character: bohemian Fitzroy, beachside St Kilda, and creative Collingwood. When you have had enough of the city, Melbourne is perfectly positioned for day trips to the Great Ocean Road, Phillip Island's penguin parade, the Yarra Valley wineries, or the gold rush towns of Ballarat and Bendigo.
