Mesmerising Melbourne!


Ahoy mateys!

When the question of where to go the next holidays comes to your mind, do take my advice and visit the Victorian capital ‘Melbourne’!
The second-largest Australian city is home to a booming 4.1 million people.

David Iliff / Via commons.wikimedia.org


Ya-ha! The most livable city in the whole wide world, three times in a row, is no less than a wonder in itself. Not only it has everything you could possibly wish for, its the city with the highest living standard in the world.

What’s more awesome?

Melbourne is known for its unpredictable weather, and it's often possible to experience "four seasons in one day”. Unbelievable, right? Personally, for a writer, I would say Melbourne is the perfect place to live. The weather itself is a motivator there!



Cricket Australia / Via cricket.com.au


When asked the question, “What's your reason for falling in love with Melbourne, the most livable city in the world?”, I was quite astounded at my lack of knowledge about the city. The only reason I knew Melbourne was because of MCG, the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground, the land where history was created in the year 1961 for the highest attendance at a cricket match, with a total of 90800 spectators. More so, because the final match of Cricket World Cup 2015 will be held in the same stadium on 29th March,2015.

Undoubtedly, MCG is one of the reasons why I fell in love with Melbourne and it has secured a position in the top 3 when I visit Melbourne.

Since writing is my passion, I have a faithful companion to accompany me through all my posts, be it day or night. Guess who?
Yup! You guessed it right! Coffee is the answer!
One more question.
Do you know what else do they call Melbourne?
                                                                                                                        
See the red dots? Those are the coffee joints in Melbourne available on google maps. :D

The Coffee Capital!!
Not only Melbourne has been voted as having the world’s best coffee (source: www.heraldsun.com), but the whole city is flushed with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Melbourne is heaven for coffee lovers and I’m one of them.
 
Who doesn't love amusement parks? Well, I don’t know about you but I sure do! And that’s why, the second place in my top 3 goes to Melbourne’s Luna Park which is, for the record, the oldest privately owned amusement park in the world. Even though I’m a coward when it comes to taking rides, but I am sure to go with the Scenic Railway which is the oldest continually operating roller coaster in the world. Surely, its scary as hell but I’m ready to take this risk. :D



The Luna Park, Melbourne: Entrance
Image source- en.wikipedia.org
The Scenic Railway - worth the risk, eh?
Image Source - lunapark.com.au
The Luna park is listed in the Victorian Heritage Register. Along with some historic rides, it has the best of many modern attractions such as Crazy coaster roller-coaster, the Spider, a Ferris Wheel and many other mechanical thrill-rides.

The first place in my top 3 goes to, The Great Ocean Road owing to my love for driving and nature. One of the world’s most incredible coastal drives, the Great Ocean Road winds its way for 243 kilometers along the southern coastline and is home to the famous 12 Apostles. Every turn brings in a scenic gem be it huge cliffs, towering rock stacks, raging surf, tranquil bays, beautiful beaches, lush forests or fun filled resort towns. Nature puts on a show with full flush on every turn of the road. The region is packed with enjoyment and offers several outdoor activities such as surfing, scuba diving and sea kayaking to arts, cultural and heritage attractions.

The Great Ocean Road, Victoria, Australia
The Great Ocean Road - Melbourne
Image source - http://www.travelbrochures.org/
12 Apostles
Image source - http://www.webjet.com.au/
Traveling in the Melbourne trams is a must. The Melbourne Tramway Network is the largest urban tramway network in the world. This is the second most used public transport in the city and takes you around the whole city.
Taking a tram tour sounds awesome to me, what about you?

Trams in Melbourne.
Image source - urbanmelbourne.info

Here’s my rest of the things-to-do-list in Melbourne:

  • To start my journey with a view of the city from the Eureka Skydeck
  • To visit the Shrine of Remembrance.
  • To go hot air ballooning (Exciting, ikr?)
  • To see St. Paul’s Cathedral
  • To explore the Dandenong ranges.
  • To shop in the Queen Victoria Market.
  • Travel to Phillip Island and see those adorable penguins!
  • To see the Melbourne Zoo.        


    

Visit the Tourism Victoria website for more info on what to do in Melbourne!
Watch this video - 


CONTEST TIME!!

"Which of these places would you want to visit in Melbourne and why?"

The best answer (chosen by me) will win a shopping voucher worth Rs. 500.
Get ready people to make a purchase. Just click on the link, check out the places and tell me which of those places would you like to visit and why! Leave your answers in the comments and wait for your luck to shine!

The contest ENDS on 4th January 2015, so giddy up!

THE CONTEST HAS ENDED. RESULTS HAVE BEEN DECLARED. THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING! :)

RESULT - The winner of the contest is Maniparna Sengupta Majumder. 
Congratulations Maniparna and thanks to all the participants! :)

This post is part of Come Alive In Melbourne contest at Indiblogger