When to fly to Melbourne
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.
Overview
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.