The Most ‘Livable’ City in The World: Melbourne

At age 20, this was my first time traveling abroad, alone.  Having signed up for an exchange programme with an Australian University in Melbourne, it wasn’t until I boarded the flight that I realized what I had put myself up for. It was with excitement, anticipation, nervousness and a hint of airsickness that I started my journey down under. After 14 long, tiring hours, I was finally in Melbourne. A student of the university, who then drove me to my host family’s house in a plush Melbourne suburb, greeted me at the airport.

Living with an Australian family and getting a chance to experience their lifestyle for about two months was one of the best parts of this exchange programme.  The family consisted of an Italian mum, Australian father and their two sons; all of them extremely warm and friendly and made me feel at home from the moment I arrived. Even though my professors back home told me it wasn’t a holiday and that I needed to do serious work, I chose to ignore them as usual and was determined to explore Melbourne. Of course the studying and working went on, on the side.

Unlike other popular international destinations like London or New York, not many of Melbourne’s attractions are as popular but the city itself is so beautiful that there’s no way one wouldn’t fall in love with it. To top that, there is so much to see and to do in Melbourne that one could never really run out of options.

St. Kilda Beach

Take a walk along the pier or simply laze around or sunbathe on Melbourne’s most famous beach, St Kilda beach. Just a tram ride away from the city centre, St Kilda is full of lively bars, cafes and restaurants and is a popular attraction for tourists and residents alike.

Southbank

Southbank is perfect for spending an afternoon walking alongside the river, enjoying the sunshine or taking photos of the Yarra River and the Melbourne skyline. The Southgate Arts and Leisure Precinct, one of Melbourne’s major entertainment zones, offers waterfront shopping, dining and a lively entertainment complex, the Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex.

Flinders Street Station and Federation Square

Centrally located, Flinders St. Station is one of the most well-known landmarks of Melbourne. It is Melbourne’s central railway station and you can find trains from here going towards the suburbs. Federation square is a large public area opposite to the Flinders Street Station, situated between the business district and the Yarra River. It is a popular spot for Melburnians and tourists to sit outside, eat and drink and enjoy live sports on big screens. Federation Square also hosts several events like festivals, exhibitions and event launches.

Day trips from Melbourne

There are plenty of day trip options from Melbourne. The Great Ocean Road is one of most popular destinations, which is a beautiful drive along the coast and leads to the 12 Apostles – giant rock formations just off the coast. Phillip Island is another popular option for a day trip, especially for families with small kids. The Penguin Parade is a major tourist attraction at Phillip Island. Apart from Penguins, you can also find wallabies and kangaroos roaming freely amongst the visitors. What’s more? You can also feed these animals by hand!

Sports

Australia is famous for being a sport-loving nation. From the grand final of the Australian Rules football competition, the Melbourne Cup, one of the world's most famous horse races, to the annual Australian Open tennis tournament and the Ashes Test Series in the summer, Melbourne plays host to some of the most exciting sporting events. The Melbourne Cricket Ground or MCG is one of the most famous places to visit in Melbourne. Home to cricket matches and Australian Rules football, the MCG is a great place to see live sports events.

In Melbourne, you can experience multiculturalism at its best, which adds to the city’s character and unique identity. There is so much this city offers, to its residents and tourists alike, be it culture, sports, arts, architecture or simply the buzz and atmosphere of the city which always so lively. It is one of the most relaxed and easy-going cities in the world with extremely friendly people.

Melbourne recently earned the accolade for the ‘most livable’ city in the world and very rightly so. And you don’t even need to go and ‘live’ there to experience that.