Melbourne is Australia's second city, beautiful, more laid back than Sydney and the most European of Australia's cities.
Travellers booking cheap flights to Melbourne will discover that Melburnians enjoy their culture. With all the gloss and sophistication of a Barcelona or a Milan, art galleries and cultural institutions abound and international events such as the Grand Prix, the Open Tennis Championships and the International Comedy Festival dot the calendar.
Melbourne is also Australia's food capital with more than 3,000 restaurants, cafes and bars, and it boasts the biggest open-air market in the Southern Hemisphere, Victoria Market.
Adding to the European vibe is the tram network. Melbourne has the biggest tram network in the world with 249km of double track and the world's only Tram Restaurant. This dining car trundles through the city streets serving such Australian delicacies as grilled kangaroo loin and best Victorian wines.
The city is also an ideal base for visiting South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales.
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Melbourne has a temperate climate - summers are warm to hot and winters are cool. Spring and fall are mild. Although Melbourne has a reputation for being a rainy city, in fact it gets half the rainfall of Sydney or Brisbane.
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Melbourne is a four-season destination. Festivals and sporting events are dotted throughout the year so check the event schedule before looking for cheap flights to Melbourne.
Peak Season:
Summer and winter. The Australian Open takes place in the final fortnight of January. The Australian Formula One Grand Prix is held in March. The Melbourne International Comedy Festival takes place March through April. The Melbourne International Film Festival takes place in mid-July/August. The Melbourne Fringe Festival takes place in the first three weeks in October, and the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday in November. October through March is cricket season, and winter skiing is just a three-hour drive from the city.
Shoulder Season:
Spring and fall are shoulder seasons; good times to seek lower airfares and hotel accommodations.
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There are five rental car companies at the airport. There are offices on the ground floor of the Short Term Car Park and information desks throughout the domestic terminals of the airport.
Taxis are available outside the International Terminal and both domestic Terminals. Taxi fares run to about A$85 for a return trip between the CBD and Melbourne Airport.
Skybus offers a 24/7 shuttle bus service from the airport to Melbourne CBD and city hotels. Buses run every 10-15 minutes during the day and every 30-60 minutes at night. Adult one-way tickets cost $16, return $26.
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Melbourne is lovely city to walk through. It’s fairly compact and the Yarra River, which runs through the middle of the city, offers cruises for those who want to spend their time floating through town. There are plenty of transportation options to be found; trams, trains and buses crisscross the city.
The trams are a great way to experience one of Melbourne’s cultural icons, and buses stop at all the major sights. Except for peak hours, it’s easy to hail one of the many cabs. Taxis tend to fill up quickly on Friday and Saturday nights. Driving can be a hassle, despite the ease of navigating through Melbourne’s streets, since trams and aggressive drivers complicate traffic.
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- On the corner of Elizabeth and Victoria Streets, the Queen Victoria Market is the largest open air market in the Southern Hemisphere. It is more than 125 years old. Visit early on a Saturday morning to avoid the crowds. It's a great place to buy souvenirs. Some items are three times cheaper than at the Rocks Market in Sydney. Pack an extra bag on your cheap flights to Melbourne to carry home the boomerangs and soft toys of native Australian animals such as kangaroos, koala bears, wombats and echidnas.
- Get an awesome view of Melbourne from the Eureka Skydeck. The observation deck - at Level 88 - is the highest public vantage point in the Southern Hemisphere. It's open 10am-10pm and costs A$16.50 (adult) or A$9 (child).
- Moorabbin Air Museum is a great family day out. It's the oldest volunteer aviation museum in Australia and has an impressive and diverse collection of 50 aircraft, some of which kids can climb inside.
- Take a few hours to soak up the special atmosphere of 19th-century Old Melbourne Gaol. Ned Kelly's death mask is on display although there's not a great deal more about Australia's most famous outlaw. There are night tours that will make your spine tingle.
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