Chris & Janelle Wedding Information Melbourne Information

Melbourne is a spectacular grand cosmopolitan & bustling city on a bay with a population of over 3 million and plenty of sites on offer. It is a fabulous place for food with excellent Asian, Italian & Greek restaurants, many spilling outside giving a true Mediterranean feel. Far less ostentatious than its neighbour Sydney but in many ways Melbourne is much more elegant and stylish & a place that really grows on you. Melbourne is consistently voted one of the top 5 most livable cities in the world which says something.

For those coming from overseas it is definitely worth planning to stay in the city for at least 2 nights. We plan to be around the city in the week prior to the wedding & hopefully we can organise a night out. We would love to introduce first timers to the sights as it is such a special place to both of us. Let us know when you will be there. Try www.melbourne.com.au

Take the tram – most of the city’s transport is on trams which is a fun way of getting around. There is also a regular free old ‘city circle tram’.

Queen Elizabeth Market – Massive old covered market at the top of Elizabeth St with extensive food market ideal for getting a picnic as well as huge market for clothes & souvenirs out the back (great for didgeridoos!).

Eureka Tower – 88 storey building on Southbank with excellent viewing deck looking out over the city and the bay, try ‘the edge’ experience…www.eurekaskydeck.com.au

Relax & have a coffee – Melbourne has great cafes & the coffee is excellent. While away an hour with a flat white out by the Yarra River or outside a café with a tram hurtling by. Tip – Degraves St behind Flinders St has good cafes.

In the meantime here are some extensive tips of things you should not miss

Historical Melbourne – loads of Victorian colonial buildings worth looking out for including Flinders Street Station, The Royal Exhibition Building & The Parliament House of Victoria. The Old Melbourne Gaol & the Immigration Museum are worth visiting as well (if it rains!)

St Kilda – The nearest beach to the city – only 10 minutes on the tram. A very trendy part of the city. Stokehouse on the boardwalk is a great restaurant & bar to watch the sunset across the bay.

The Royal Botanic Gardens – beautiful peaceful next to the Yarra River & close to city centre it is ideal for a walk or picnic. There is an open air cinema in the evenings in the Summer.

Shopping – plenty of top places to shop in the city centre, maily on Swanston & Bourke St as well as in Melbourne Central Shopping Centre or in the trendy Chapel St in South Yarra.

Southbank – walk by the river with plenty of vibrant bars & restaurants. I particularly like this area as I used to live around here!

The Crown Casino – also on Southbank. A stylish huge Las Vegas-style casino complete with flames coming out the side. It has top restaurants (The Conservatory buffet is exceptional), bars, nightclubs & two 5 star hotels. www.crowntowers.com.au

Lygon Street – a row of busy authetic Italian restaurants just north of the city centre. Try a cake & coffee afterwards at 'Brunettis' just off Lygon - a Melbourne insitution.

Bars – a city full of ultra cool places to drink. Particular favourites include Transport on Federation Square, Young & Jackson opposite Flinders St Station, Hairy Canary on Little Collins St & Bearbrass on Southbank - where we used to hangout a lot! Brunswick st in the north of the city is a very trendy areas for bars & restaurants too. Many of the city's bars are tucked up tiny laneways & difficult to find so we recommend getting the 'Bar Secrets' pack of cards with maps.

The Arts – take your pick of the world class cultural experiences on offer including the Arts Centre on Southbank with theatres & concert halls hosting regular events, The National Gallery of Victoria next door on St Kilda Rd as well as multiple Westend/Broadway shows hosted in the city. Look up listings in www.thatsmelbourne.com.au

Sports Venues – you can not fail to notice the imposing view of the MCG along the Yarra River, the site of many an English cricketing massacre. You can join a tour of this immense stadium. Nestled next to it is the Rod Laver Arena, site of the Australian Tennis Open. On the way to St Kilda is 'Albert Park', of which the lake perimeter road is the track for the Australian Grand Prix. The golf course next to it is good as well!

Neighbours – this long-standing & strangely addictive soap opera is based in Melbourne. Ramsay St or Erinsborough are fictitious but the street used is called Pin Oak Court located in the eastern suburbs in a place called Vermont South (on the way to the Yarra Valley!). Avid fans could join an organised tour. The Neighbours night on mondays at the Elephant & Wheelbarrow pub in St Kilda is great fun & you get a chance to meet some of the actors.