Day 01 : MELBOURNE
Arrival at Melbourne Airport. Transfer to the Hotel. Check-in at the Hotel. Rest of the day is at leisure.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 02 : MELBOURNE
Breakfast at the Hotel. Day free at leisure. In the afternoon we enjoy a trip to Phillip Island where you visit a koala preserve and view the tiny fairy penguins as they waddle up the beach. After dark, the foot high penguins start to emerge almost magically from the sea and waddle along the beach to their burrows within touching distance of tourists. Another highlight of a visit to Philip Island is lobster dinner (not included ).

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 03 : MELBOURNE
After breakfast, day free at leisure for shopping and other independent activities.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 04 : MELBOURNE
Breakfast at hotel. Afternoon transfer to the airport to board flight for onward connection.
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Melbourne Attractions

City Centre
The city centre consists of a 7 sq km (3 sq mi) rectangular grid of streets bordered by the Yarra to the south, the Spencer St railway station to the west and the Fitzroy Gardens to the east. Two of Melbourne's most obvious central landmarks are the recently renovated Flinders St Station and the neo-Gothic St Paul's Cathedral. Controversial Federation Square (including the Ian Potter Centre, which houses the National Gallery of Victoria's Australian art collection), opened in late 2002 and inspires an instant love or hate reaction from most. North of these buildings lie the boom-years' Town Hall, the domed and pillared State Library building and the flamboyant City Baths.

Other city attractions include the bustling Queen Victoria Market on the northern fringe of the CBD; views from the 35th floor of the Sofitel Hotel at the eastern end of Collins St (especially from the toilets!); the mammoth Treasury and State Parliament House buildings; Scots and St Michael's churches; the 19th-century Block Arcade, which runs between Collins and Elizabeth Sts; the collection of Gothic-revival banks on the corner of Collins and Queen Sts; and the landmark Rialto Towers (boasting an observation deck) at the western end of Collins St. At the top end of Russell St there's the atmospheric Old Melbourne Gaol. Other historic buildings include the Old Customs House, St James Cathedral and the Old Royal Mint.

Inner-City Haunts
The inner suburbs of Carlton, Fitzroy and Richmond are all recommended for their architecture, restaurants and atmosphere. Carlton is the Italian centre, full of pasta and spaghetti bars, muscle cars and slick Italian clothing stores. Victoria St in Richmond is the vibrant Vietnamese centre, chock full of budget restaurants, and the focus of the Lunar New Year celebrations in January-February. Fitzroy, once the working-class heart of Melbourne, is now a magnet for the urban cool, cafe dwellers and property renovators.

St Kilda is a day trip in itself. For years it was Melbourne's sex and sin centre - drunks, drugs, girls, shady deals and shady characters abounded - but the suburb is slowly being rejuvenated. Fitzroy St retains traces of its former tarnished character, although today you're more likely to be sipping a crisp white and dining on rocket salad than slugging a beer and looking for action. There is a string of average beaches running from St Kilda back into the city, including Middle Park, Albert Park and Port Melbourne. Luna Park, near St Kilda Beach, is an old-fashioned fairground that's fun for kids and coltish adults.

South Bank
The focus of Melbourne is slowly shifting to the south bank of the Yarra (and, since the first years of the new millennium, beyond to the developing Docklands precinct), which has seen large-scale construction and the influx of huge sums of money and political will. The Victorian Arts Centre buildings and the National Gallery of Victoria are both on the south bank. The aliens-are-coming spire of the arts centre's theatre building is probably Melbourne's most famous landmark.

Opposite the arts precinct are the Royal Botanic Gardens - considered to be among the finest in the world - and Kings Domain, which contains the Shrine of Remembrance, Governor La Trobe's Cottage and the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. The Southgate complex of shops, wine bars, snack stalls and restaurants line the Yarra's bank. Further along the Yarra, the Docklands - the latest addition to Melbourne's Sydney-style waterside precinct - is in the throes of birth, dotted with new high-rise apartment buildings, riverside restaurants and half-completed building sites.

Phillip Island
At the entrance to Westernport Bay, southeast of the city, Phillip Island is rugged and windswept with plenty of beaches, a fascinating collection of wildlife and several old-fashioned townships. The island's Penguin Parade is one of the country's most popular tourist attractions. Every evening the little penguins at Summerland Beach emerge from the sea and waddle up the beach to their nests, seemingly oblivious to the busloads of camera-toting tourists. In the southwest of the island, Seal Rocks is inhabited by Australia's largest colony of fur seals, or you can head inland to the Koala Conservation Centre and check out the little cuddly fellas with the sharp fingers.

The island's surf beach, Woolamai, is renowned for its strong rips, but there are also safer bay beaches for less daring swimmers. Churchill Island is a small island with an historic homestead, beautiful gardens and a museum of old farming machinery, as well as some great short walks.
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Melbourne Travel Tips

When to Visit - Arts and Events

Melbourne is a hive of social interaction. From summer carols by candlelight to the frantic football season in the winter, each season has its own series of events. Football has to be the most popular, well-supported pastime with several local leagues, competitions and national affiliations. Other sports are also important and are prominent fixtures on Melbourne's calendar: the Australian Open Tennis Tournament is held here as is the Australian Grand Prix and horse racing's Melbourne Cup. Non-sporting annual events include the Chinese New Year celebrations, a Summer Music Festival the Moomba Family Festival and a three-week long gay and lesbian Midsumma Festival, which brings thousands of visitors from Australia and beyond.

Melbourne Dining

Melbourne is Australia's leading 'food city' and a great exponent of 'fusion' cooking with a large selection of cuisine from all over the world. Each March there is a food and wine festival in which the major ethnic groups host gastronomic street parties. Two wonderful places for those with a penchant for Asian food are Chinatown in the city centre and Victoria Street in Richmond, locally known as 'Little Saigon'. Here are some of Australia's best restaurants, offering ethnic delights as authentic as those found in their country of origin. The other truly exceptional culinary experience can be found in the Italian cuisine of Lygon Street in the Carlton district. An enormous Italian population has successfully recreated a truly original home flavour.

Melbourne Tipping Advice

In general it is not customary to tip in Australia though this is slowly changing, particularly in larger cities. In some restaurants it is standard practice to leave a gratuity. The usual amount is between ten and fifteen percent. Discretionary tips to hotel staff, taxi drivers and other service personnel are also on the increase. It is certainly a friendly gesture to pay a little on top of the bill if the service has reached the required standard.
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TOUR COST :

HOTEL Rate (Per person on Twin sharing basis)
Mercure Welcome Hotel (3 1/2*) : AUD 307
Hotel Grand Chancellor (4*) : AUD 331
Le Meridien (5*) : AUD 503

PRICE INCLUDES:
1) 3 nights accommodation at the chosen Hotel.
2) Daily Breakfast.
3) Return Transfers ( Airport – Hotel – Airport ) on Seat in Coach basis.
4) Half day Phillip Island tour.

OPTIONAL TOURS
1) Great Ocean Road : AUD 101
2) Full day Sovereign Hill : AUD 94
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Have a great trip! This itinerary and supplementary information has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it may be subject to change, and DOES NOT form part of a contract between the client and AirCruise.

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