Melbourne, the capital of the state of Victoria on the south coast of the Australian continent, stands for culture, education and a hip lifestyle. With almost 5 million inhabitants, it is the second largest city on the continent of Australia after Sydney and has a wide range of sights, experiences and impressions in store for its visitors.

Since the population is largely made up of Chinese, British, Greek, Italian and numerous other immigrants, Melbourne offers an exciting mix of cultures that can hardly be found anywhere else in the world. Melbourne is currently only accessible from Germany by connecting flights, the travel time is between 22 and 30 hours.

Things to do in Melbourne

Federation Square

Melbourne’s main square is Federation Square, which is located in the middle of the city centre. It has an area of 3.2 hectares and there are a number of worthwhile destinations in its immediate vicinity. It is also probably the busiest square in the country, with over 2000 annual events, so it has a different surprise in store for visitors every day. Some of the most famous events include the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival in March and the Melbourne Festival in October. Federation Square is the best starting point for exploring the city.

Australian Center for the Moving Image

Located directly on Federation Square, the Australian Center for the Moving Image, or ACMI for short, awaits its visitors with interesting and interactive exhibitions on the topics of film, television, computer games and digital life. The house houses a permanent exhibition and a variety of changing exhibitions, so a visit is always worthwhile.

Skydeck in the Eureka Tower

The best view of Melbourne from above is from the Skydeck in the Eureka Tower. The view from the 88th floor of this high-rise building, which is one of the tallest in the entire southern hemisphere, is breathtaking and goes far beyond the city limits. For a special adrenaline rush, there is also “The Edge” on the observation deck, where you stand on a glass floor and can look down 88 floors. The Eureka Tower is centrally located on the banks of the Yarra River in Melbourne’s city centre.

Queen Victoria Market

Queen Victoria Market is a real highlight of any visit to Melbourne, as it is the largest open-air market in the entire southern hemisphere with 7 hectares of retail space. Here, locals and visitors alike can get all kinds of products from vegetables, meat and other foods to homemade beard oils or knitted clothes. From the city centre, Queen Victoria Market is just a few minutes’ walk away.

Shrine of Remembrance

The Shrine of Remembrance is located in a large green area right in the heart of the city. As the name suggests, the Shrine itself is a temple-like memorial commemorating the fallen soldiers of the Australian Army. Inside the building, there is a fact-packed exhibit and numerous volunteers are happy to answer questions about the Shrine. The steps in front of the Shrine also offer great views of the skyline, and the city’s botanical gardens are just a stone’s throw away.

Chinatown Melbourne

Melbourne’s Chinese Quarter is located in the city centre, not far from Flinders Station Station. Created by the many Chinese immigrants, Chinatown today really feels like a small part of China: all signs and advertisements are in Chinese, there are tons of Chinese restaurants and original Chinese products are sold in the shops. A visit to Chinatown is a great way to sample the delicious Chinese cuisine, and some of the city’s best restaurants are located here.

St Kilda

About 20 minutes by tram from the city centre is the hip and trendy district of St Kilda. Particularly popular with backpackers, this neighbourhood is known for its countless bars, cafés, boutiques and galleries and invites you to spend more than just a few hours here. In addition, St. Kilda is located directly on the sea and so visitors can also take a relaxing walk on the beach promenade.

In the Melbourne region

The region around Melbourne also has numerous great destinations and so it is well worth leaving the city and exploring the surrounding area during a longer visit.

Great Ocean Road

The Great Ocean Drive is the most famous destination in the vicinity of Melbourne and is regularly voted one of the most beautiful roads in the world. The B100 road starts in Torqay, southeast of Melbourne, and then runs 243 kilometres along an impressive and breathtaking coastline to Allensford. Special highlights of the trip are the numerous sandy beaches, which inspire surfers and bathers alike, impressive viewpoints and the picturesque coastal villages, which invite you to linger. Even though the route can be done in one day, it is recommended to plan several days of travel time for the Great Ocean Road in order to experience all the highlights.

Penguins on Philip Island

Not far from Melbourne is the Little Penguin Colony of Philip Island, which is one of the largest and most accessible penguin colonies in the world. Depending on the season, between 400 and 1000 penguins live here, which search for food in the cold waters of the South Pacific during the day and return to their roosts in the colony in the evening. This is also the best time to observe the 30 to 40 centimeter animals. Philip Island is also home to the Koala Sanctuary, where visitors have the opportunity to see koalas in a natural environment.

Melbourne – The Cultural Capital of Australia

• Location and importance: Melbourne is the capital of the state of Victoria and the second largest city in Australia. It is located on the southeast coast, on Port Phillip Bay, and is often referred to as the cultural and sporting capital of the country.
• Culture and lifestyle:
  • Melbourne is known for its diverse arts and culture scene, including galleries such as the National Gallery of Victoria and the Melbourne Museum.
  • The city is a center of street art culture, with famous graffiti spots like Hosier Lane.
  • Regular festivals such as the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival attract visitors from all over the world.
• Sports City:
  • Melbourne is home to major sporting events such as the Australian Open (tennis), the Melbourne Cup (horse racing) and the Formula 1 Grand Prix .
  • Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG): An iconic stadium and a must-see for sports fans.
• Landmarks and sights:
  • Federation Square: A central meeting place with museums, restaurants and cultural events.
  • Eureka Skydeck: The observation deck in the Eureka Tower offers a spectacular view over the city.
  • Royal Botanic Gardens: A green oasis in the heart of the city, perfect for walks and picnics.
• Culinary:
  • Melbourne is considered a gastronomic stronghold. The coffee culture and culinary diversity are particularly well known in districts such as Fitzroy, Carlton and Southbank.
  • The Chinatown neighborhood offers authentic Asian cuisine.
• Nature and surroundings:
  • The Great Ocean Road is one of the most beautiful coastal roads in the world and begins not far from Melbourne.
  • The Yarra Valley is a famous wine region that is ideal for day trips.
  • Phillip Island is known for its penguin parade and is located just two hours from Melbourne.
• Climate: Melbourne has a temperate ocean climate, known for its changeable weather conditions – often experiencing “four seasons in one day”.
• Transport and Arrival:
  • Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) is the central airport with international and domestic connections.
  • Within the city, the Melbourne Trams road network is the largest in the world and a popular mode of transport.
• Special experiences:
  • A boat trip on the Yarra River.
  • Visit the Queen Victoria Market, the largest open-air market in the southern hemisphere.
  • Discovery tour through the many small cafés and hidden alleys of the city center.

Sydney is not the official capital of Australia, but it is the cultural, technological and industrial center of this continent. Founded in 1788, the city is home to only 5 million inhabitants, but the metropolitan region covers about 12,000 square kilometers (about five times the area of the Saarland).

Sydney itself only offers an urban big city feeling in the so-called Central Business District (CBD) and the surrounding districts. All important companies, banks, insurance companies and shops as well as cultural institutions such as museums, galleries, theaters, etc. are represented there, high-rise buildings are lined up next to high-rise buildings.

Just a few kilometres away from this centre, the rest of the city stretches out like a succession of different suburbs, all of which have centres, shopping streets or even commercial areas of their own.

What is the minimum stay in Sydney?

Of course, this depends decisively on what you want to see, because Sydney is a city with many faces. A good compromise is likely to be a six- to seven-day stay. This time should be enough to visit enough sights, museums, galleries and excursion destinations.

When to travel to Sydney?

The climate of Sydney is quite Mediterranean. However, this city is located in the southern hemisphere of the world, which means that summer begins there on December 1st. And summers can be very hot and dry in Sydney. The summer holidays of the pupils usually fall in the whole of January. Autumn (March, April, May), on the other hand, is often rainy. In winter, temperatures drop, but 20 degrees Celsius at lunchtime is not uncommon. There is little precipitation. The most pleasant time to travel is probably spring (September, October, November). Only a little rain from time to time and the temperatures climb to bearable to warm degrees, so that even swimming in the ocean without a wetsuit is possible.

What are the attractions in Sydney?

Anyone who has visited Sydney but hasn’t seen the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge has probably been to Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. These two landmarks are the tourist magnets of the metropolis, which is probably also due to the fact that you simply can’t avoid them. The Harbour Bridge, opened in 1932, connects the north of the city with the southern half and the opera house is directly opposite it at one of the main transport points for Sydney’s ferry shipping, Circular Quay.

It’s also home to the Royal Botanic Gardens, a parkland that sits right on the bay and offers spectacular views. Also within walking distance of these hotspots is Sydney’s oldest neighborhood, The Rocks. Here you will find museums (especially the famous Museum of Contemporary Art) as well as theatres, pubs, cafes and shops. Just a stone’s throw from The Rocks, the hip district of Barangaroo has been built from the ground up in recent years from a dreary harbour area. Bars and restaurants in particular invite you to linger here.

In the immediate vicinity of the city centre there is the Powerhouse Museum, a Sea Life Aquarium, the Chinese Garden of Friendship, the Australian Museum and the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

In the northern part of the city, right at the foot of the Harbour Bridge next to the swimming pool with the most breathtaking views, the North Sydney Olympic Pool is a nostalgic amusement park called Luna Park. A few kilometres to the east, Taronga Zoo opens its doors.

There are many other places in Sydney that are worth a visit, be it the Olympic Park in the west or the many theaters, variety shows, galleries, museums, etc. But what makes this metropolis so appealing is its incomparable location and nature.

Nature? In a big city?

Even if it doesn’t seem to fit together very well, Sydney is a very green city. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that quite a few parks have remained in the city area. Australians also like to play golf, which is why huge golf courses are also not uncommon. In addition, Sydney is surrounded by Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park to the north, the Blue Mountains to the west, the Royal National Park to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the east.

In addition, Sydney offers countless beaches and crystal clear sea water. Probably the most famous beaches are Manly and Bondi Beach. But Bronte Beach and Tamarama Beach, for example, in the immediate vicinity of Bondi, are in no way inferior to them. Natural and artificial rock pools can be found everywhere, the spectacular Coast Walk from Bondi to Coogee Beach offers wonderful views of the sea on the cliffs to the Pacific. In general, the Coast Walks in Sydney are more worthwhile than a standard tourist program in the city.

From Manly, trails lead along the coast to North Head, a peninsula that is still almost completely covered with forest and offers beaches with Collins Flat Beach and Store Beach that can only be reached on foot or by boat.

At the huge bay, which divides Sydney into the north and south halves, there are other coast walks that lead from beach to beach, with ferry docks often on the way and thus promise shortcuts.

In general, a trip on one of the many ferry connections is immensely worthwhile. A little insider tip is the ferry F3 from Parramatta Wharf in the west of Sydney to Circular Quay. For more than an hour, it first travels along the Parramatta River to Sydney’s large bay, docking at various hotspots such as Cockatoo Island, which are definitely worth exploring.

Sydney – The highlights of the port city

• Location and importance: Sydney is the largest city in Australia and the capital of the state of New South Wales. It is located on the east coast of Australia on the Pacific Ocean and is one of the most famous metropolises in the world.
• Landmarks:
  • Sydney Opera House: This iconic building with its sail-shaped roofs is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an architectural masterpiece.
  • Sydney Harbour Bridge: Known as the “Coathanger”, it offers breathtaking views of the harbour. Guided bridge climbing tours are particularly popular.
  • Bondi Beach: A legendary beach known for surfing, sunbathing and its relaxed atmosphere.
• Culture and lifestyle:
  • Sydney combines modern city life with a distinct outdoor culture. Numerous festivals, museums and a vibrant nightlife characterize the cityscape.
  • Markets like Paddy’s Market and neighborhoods like The Rocks offer insights into local art, history, and culinary specialties.
• Nature and surroundings:
  • The Royal Botanic Garden is a green oasis right on the harbour.
  • The Blue Mountains National Park is just an hour’s drive away and offers spectacular hiking trails and waterfalls.
• Climate: Sydney enjoys a temperate, maritime climate with warm summers and mild winters. Perfect for visiting at any time of the year.
• Transport and Arrival:
  • Kingsford Smith International Airport is the city’s main airport, with connections all over the world.
  • Within the city, a well-developed network of ferries, buses and trains ensures easy mobility.
• Special experiences:
  • A sunset harbor cruise.
  • A trip to the nearby Manly Beaches by ferry.
  • Dinner in one of the many first-class restaurants with a view of the Opera House.