Lonely Planet: “Melbourne is uniquely Melbourne and a lot of that's down to the more than 230 laneways that penetrate into the heart of the city blocks. It's here that the inner city's true nature resides, crammed into narrow lanes concealing world-beating restaurants, bars and street art … Melbourne is best experienced as a local would, with its character largely reliant upon its diverse collection of inner-city neighbourhoods … It's not the high-rises and bridges that strike you when you first visit Melbourne but the vast sporting edifices that fringe the city centre. Melburnians are passionate about AFL football ('footy'), cricket and horse racing, while grand-slam tennis and Formula One car racing draw visitors in droves …”
Rough Guides: “While Melbourne may lack a truly stunning natural setting or in-your-face sights, its subtle charms and vibrant culture make it an undeniably pleasant place to live, and to visit too … Large-scale immigration since World War II has shaken up the city’s formerly self-absorbed, parochial WASP mind-set for good. Whole villages have come here from Vietnam, Lebanon, Sudan, Turkey, Italy and especially from Greece … The city’s strong claim to being the nation’s cultural capital is well founded: laced with a healthy dash of counterculture, the city’s artistic life flourishes … Sport, especially Australian Rules football, is almost a religion here, while the Melbourne Cup in November is a public holiday, celebrated with gusto …”
Fodors: “Consistently rated among the ‘world's most livable cities’ in quality-of-life surveys, Melbourne is built on a coastal plain at the top of the giant horseshoe of Port Phillip Bay. The city center is an orderly grid of streets where the state parliament, banks, multinational corporations, and splendid Victorian buildings that sprang up in the wake of the gold rush still stand. This is Melbourne's heart, which you can explore at a leisurely pace in a couple of days …”
Frommers: “It’s rare to find anyone who lives in Melbourne who doesn’t adore it … With elegant tree-lined boulevards and a raging cafe culture, Victoria’s capital maintains a distinctly European feel. Expect wonderful architecture both old and new and green spaces like the Royal Botanic Gardens. Wander down atmospheric laneways, often adorned with street art. This cosmopolitan city is also Australia’s culture capital, with vibrant dining, shopping, and nightlife scenes ...”
Broadsheet http://travelinsider.qantas.com.au/australia/victoria/melbourne Wallpaper Luxe City Guide Telegraph UK Time Out Melbourne Visit Victoria https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Travel_Guide-g255100-Melbourne_Victoria.html Qantas Travel Insider