Melbourne rewards the curious. The city's laneways hide street art, tiny bars, and independent shops that you will never find from the main streets. Federation Square anchors the cultural precinct, with the Ian Potter Centre and ACMI just steps from the Yarra River. The Melbourne Museum and Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton Gardens are worth a morning, and the Immigration Museum on Flinders Street tells the compelling story of the waves of people who built this city.
Parks are woven into the fabric of Melbourne. The Royal Botanic Gardens are among the finest in the world, Royal Park has the zoo, and the Fitzroy Gardens hide Cook's Cottage. For something more energetic, the bay trail offers cycling along Port Phillip, and the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix tears around Albert Park Lake each March.