Melbourne is located in the state of Victoria, in the southeastern part of Australia. It is the most livable city in 2019 according to Forbes. So what does staying in the most livable city feel like? For starters, you can get around the city through trams, and there is a free tram zone. The sidewalks are wide enough for people to walk on, and the roads are well-designed and detailed to be instructional for both drivers and pedestrians. There are also lots of food choices available, and if you know the standards Australians have for their produce, the food quality is great as well. The locals are mostly Western, but there is a good mix of races due to the number of tourists. There shouldn’t be much language barriers as long as you can speak English.

The details above are just the start. Apart from geography and livability, here are some fun reasons to travel to Melbourne.

1. Awesome Art

Take a stroll in the gallery-like streets of Melbourne where beautiful and vibrant artworks are on full display everywhere. A haven for artists and art enthusiasts alike. The wall arts change over time, so there will definitely be something else to see on your next visit. Some works strive to be socially relevant, like this wall art of Donald Trump and Joker.

Open to interpretation – A wall art of US President Donald Trump and Batman’s arch nemesis, the Joker along Hardware St.

Checking the number of cat pics in social media, surely cats are socially relevant.

A wall art of a cat in Melbourne Zoo

Other works of art such as paintings are best viewed indoors. Drop by the National Gallery of Victoria and check out their collection of historical oil paintings and other contemporary art as well.

“In Morocco” by John Lavery. Visit this link for more details.

“Still life of roses, peonies, tulips, auriculas, an iris and other flowers in an alabaster vase with fruit on a stone ledge” by Jan Frans van Dael. Visit this link for more details.

2. Rich History

Get a glimpse of the past and  learn about Australia’s history during the World Wars. Visit the Shrine of Remembrance to view their exhibits.

The Shrine of Remembrance

An exhibit of service uniforms

The State Library of Victoria boasts a collection of various books you can immerse yourself into. They also have their own museum of books and other stories you can explore.

View of the library’s interior

A book showing a picture of Ferdinand Magellan in the library’s museum

Oh! I almost forgot to mention, admission in the National Gallery of Victoria, the Shrine of Remembrance, and the State Library of Victoria are all FREE.

Yes, FREE.

Yes, admitting to yourself you’re falling in love is a brave thing.

3.Beautiful Landscapes

Bask in the beauty of Melbourne. Melbourne is a beautiful city with many buildings, both old and new. The exterior of some iconic old buildings are maintained, like Flinders Street railway station. There are trams in the city and there is a free tram zone, so you can definitely go to different places. Traveling to view each building can be exhausting though, so why not just get a good vantage point?  The Eureka Skydeck offers a great view of the city’s buildings and layout from above.

The Yarra River cuts through the city towards the Port Phillip Bay (top left).

Buildings along the Yarra River

Relax and take a breather from the bustling urban life. Just a two and a half-hour drive from Melbourne is the Wilsons Promontory National Park and the Great Ocean Road.

Yet another good vantage point is the summit of Mount Oberon, with its beautiful views of the land and the sea.

A majestic view from the summit of Mt. Oberon in Wilsons Promontory National Park

The Twelve Apostles, located at the shore of Port Campbell National Park by the Great Ocean Road, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Australia. It is a collection of seven, not twelve, limestone stacks. There were only originally eight; the small rocks in front was once a tall stack before it collapsed due to erosion. The Twelve Apostles is the most iconic, but there are other places to visit along the Great Ocean Road such as the Loch Ard Gorge and the Grotto, among others.

Part of the limestone stacks known as the Twelve Apostles

4. Diverse Wildlife

Get familiar with the local fauna. Australia is teeming with wildlife. You’ll most likely encounter one as you travel around the area, from little penguins resting in St. Kilda Beach to friendly koalas roaming at night.

A camera-shy little penguin in St. Kilda Beach tried to hide behind the rocks.

A new acquaintance. A koala paid a friendly visit to our place while in Wilsons Promontory.

Of course, if you want to see even more animals, why not go to the zoo? The Melbourne Zoo is the nearest, while Werribee Open Range Zoo and Healesville Sanctuary are also good places to visit. The zoo has many animal species, starting with this mob of meerkats that is definitely a bundle of joy to watch.

A “mob” of meerkats

And this hungry lemur too.

A lemur enjoying its lunch

There are definitely more reasons to travel to Melbourne, but these four reasons should be more than enough to consider the city for your next out-of-the-country escapade.