Australian football is a local ritual in Melbourne, where the game was invented. In fact, ten of the sixteen teams in the Australian Football League come from Melbourne and big matches regularly draw up to 100,000 fans. To outsiders, the game can look rough – no protective gear is used and almost anything goes when tackling – but it’s all part of the fun and mayhem of Aussie Rules “footy.” You can catch games during the winter at the Melbourne Cricket Ground or Etihad Stadium.

Melbourne is the cultural capital of Australia and on any given night you can take in live performances at dozens of theatres, bars, and clubs around the city. Your best bets for comedy are The Comedy Lounge, where stand-up shows are filmed for Aussie TV, or at The Comedy Club; both offer dinner packages.
If you’re looking for music, the best venues are in Fitzroy, Collingwood, and St. Kilda. Check the listings in the free entertainment magazines Beat or Inpress, available at most bars.

Melbourne’s only UNESCO World Heritage is the exceptional 26-hectare Carlton Gardens, where you’ll also find the spectacular Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne Museum (the largest museum in the southern hemisphere), and an IMAX Cinema. The Gardens are of a Victorian-era landscape design, incorporating European and Australian trees and flower beds. Manicured tree-lined paths lead you to exquisite fountains and man-made lakes.

St Kilda is where you’ll find Melbourne’s beachside nightlife. Once a mecca for bohemians, punks, and queers, and home to a bustling red-light district, the area has gentrified in recent years but still maintains a lively scene and an alternative edge. The beach area is very popular, and the St Kilda Esplanade is a lovely place to stroll and skate on sunny days.

Keep your eyes peeled for Melbourne’s famous street art, which UK artist Bansky has called Australia’s “most significant contribution to the arts since the Aborigines’ pencils were stolen.” You’ll find the best tags in laneways and alleys, so don’t be shy to poke around during the day.