Melbourne & Auckland

When I got rostered for Melbourne and Auckland I was very excited as it was going to be my first time in Australia and New Zealand. We would call these flights multi- sectors and we would have a 24 hour layover in Melbourne and then the next day we would fly to Auckland and had another 24 hours there. Different time zones, jet-leg, and tiredness were challenges I had to face regularly as a cabin crew. Nevertheless, they could not prevent me from exploring a new country, trying a new cuisine or shopping local products.

Melbourne

Melbourne, the capital of Victoria, is a coastal city in south- east Australia. It is the city with the fascinating history, with many significant cultural and architectural landmarks, sandy beaches, and a lot of great places to eat and shop. For many years it has been consecutively ranked the “world´s most liveable city”. The city is a unique blend of historical buildings and modern skyscrapers, of green spaces and sandy beaches. It´s diverse, vibrant and trendy. In the past Melbourne was the capital of Australia for 26 years.  

I was looking for some relaxing activities in Melbourne, since I had only a few hours available to enjoy this city. To get some of the city´s atmosphere I walked in the city centre and enjoyed some of the famous sights and then strolled in a park. For me nothing is more relaxing than a stroll with a cup of coffee in the city or in the park. By the way, there is something about Australian coffee, not sure if it is the way they make it or coffee itself, but I can say from all the places in the world a coffee in Australia is the winner.

Before going to Melbourne I had googled a bit more about this city as I knew literally nothing about it. I compiled a list of things worth visiting based on my taste: What I am looking for in every new city I visit is to be able to explore the city on my own pace, without tour guides, having freedom to sit for a coffee or quick snack whenever I like; then I love strolling in the city centres and looking at the historical buildings (I usually never go inside); visiting the parks and shopping. I absolutely love beaches but when I have limited time in the city I usually don´t go there because if I go I spend the whole day lying on the beach and I don´t see anything else. My layovers as cabin crew were almost all just 24 hour long. I always tried to see as much as I could, but yet not rush myself or make myself too tired because I would always had to work afterwards. So my activities were generally the relaxing ones; they would charge me up with the energy, rather than rob me of it.  

If you are a similar kind of a “relaxed traveller” as I call it, you can use this article as an inspiration for what to see and do in Melbourne. I organized all the things worth visiting in the categories so that it is easier to decide what to choose. If you are not planning to go to Melbourne any soon, you can use this article just to broaden your horizons and learn some basic information about Melbourne and Australia as such.   

Green spaces

From little I have seen in Australia I can say Australia has many native plants and animals which are not to be found anywhere else but Australia and Oceania. For this reason I would definitely recommend visiting Melbourne zoo and a botanical garden. Probably the most famous botanical garden in Melbourne is the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria where you can see all sorts of native and exotic plants. To get in touch with Australian nature there is this wine region, called Yarra Valley. There are many different Yarra Valley tours offered on the internet offering wine tasting, and other culinary experiences such as trying local food, regional beer or cider. An adventurous experience would be exploring the Yarra Valley´s forests, mountains and vineyards aboard the Puffing Billy steam train, which is one of the oldest steam trains in Australia.

Another relaxing green place to visit would be Fitzroy Gardens. Because of those, Melbourne is often called a “garden city” of Australia. The Fitzroy Gardens have a historical significance as well, because of the Captain Cook´s Cottage which is located right there. The cottage was a house of the parents of famous Captain James Cook, and it is said to be the oldest building in Australia. James Cook was an 18th century British explorer, famous for the voyages across the Pacific Ocean and for mapping the eastern coastline of Australia, New Zealand and many other islands of Oceania.

Beaches

If you open the map of Australia you will see Melbourne is located all around the east coast of the Port Phillip Bay, and therefore it has many beaches. They are all sandy beaches, with some grass areas and trees providing the shade, indigenous species and wildlife (always watch out from sharks in Australia!). Generally, every beach would have a promenade with restaurants, cafés, and small shops where you can buy a swimwear, sun lotions, beach towels, souvenirs, or anything you might need if you are spending a day on the beach. Sandridge Beach, Port Melbourne Beach, South Melbourne, St Kilda Beach, and Elwood Beach are the most popular beaches in Melbourne.

Sightseeing

I did not have time to go sightseeing but if I had I would definitely visit the following places to get to know a bit of Melbourne architecture and history. The Parliament House of Victoria looks like a very interesting building, and as far as I know it is the largest 19th century building in Australia. They offer tours where you can learn more about Australian government and history as well. Melbourne has two famous theatres: Regent Theatre and Princess Theatre, both stunning historical buildings.

Another interesting sight would be St. Paul´s Cathedral, 19th century neo-Gothic cathedral which is the seat of the Archbishop of Melbourne. The building of State Library of Victoria is also an architectural masterpiece. It is not only the library, but museum and bookshop as well. It is beautiful from outside but has a lot to offer from inside as well; exhibitions, millions of books, Australian art, reading rooms, and cafés. I can imagine it must be a paradise for anyone who loves literature and history. Shrine of Remembrance is a World War I memorial, visited by tourists mainly because of the historical significance of place, as well as the landscape it is set in. 

Federation Square, locally known as Fed Square is probably the most famous contemporary square in Melbourne. It is a modern place with diverse cultural attractions, cafés, restaurants, and shops. There is always something going on, it is visited by many tourists, it hosts world-class events, and it is a great place to hang out as well. 

If you are not afraid of heights, you can visit Eureka Skydeck 88 which is a famous observation deck, located on 88th floor and enjoy the view of Melbourne. Eureka Tower belongs to the tallest buildings in the southern hemisphere.

Shopping

I love Australia for its markets, fresh local products, natural cosmetics and Australian wine. Queen Victoria Market is the most famous market in Melbourne. It was built in 19th century and is well- preserved until nowadays. It has cultural and historical significance and as such it is a popular touristic attraction. It is definitely worth visiting, either for its unique atmosphere, or to do the shopping as it offers wide range of fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, all sorts of hand-crafts and many other products.

Auckland & Waiheke Island

The layover in Auckland was an unforgettable experience. We did not go much into the city of Auckland as we were recommended to do a daytrip to a nearby Waiheke Island and we just did not have enough time for everything. We took a ferry from the centre of Auckland and in maybe less than 40 minutes we were in Waiheke. The island was so beautiful; the clear azure waters of the ocean, sandy beaches, green forests and a small quiet city centre felt like an escape from the world. People on the island were friendly and welcoming; everyone and everything looked so calm and quiet. We were told the island is famous for its wine production so we sat in a nice restaurant with a sea view and tried Sauvignon Blanc. After having a glass of wine and small accompanying snack we walked a bit around the island and visited some of its many beaches. We were there in winter, so unfortunately we could not swim. Visiting Waiheke Island was a great way to experience indigenous Australian nature, hospitality of local people, as well as locally produced wine and food.   

Auckland, New Zealand.

 Some pictures from Waiheke Island: 

Photo gallery