Melbourne’s Top Five Sensations

Stimulate your Senses in Melbourne

Melbourne and surrounding Victoria offer a feast for the senses, with delectable cuisine, awe inspiring landscapes, rejuvenating experiences and more.

Five top taste sensations in Melbourne

1. Melbourne Food and Wine Festival – held annually in March
2. Day of wine tasting in the Yarra Valley or Mornington Peninsula
3. A fine dining experience at the exquisite Botanical in trendy South Yarra, new style Japanese at the renowned Nobu on Southbank, or fusion cuisine at Federation Square’s Taxi Dining Room
4. Queen Victoria Market – taste the local and international cheeses, meats and antipasto at Melbourne’s most famous market, operating since 1878
5. Chocolate tasting from some of Melbourne's finest chocolate specialists hidden away in the city's ornate arcades.

Five vibrant visuals in and around Melbourne

1. Great Ocean Road – miles of sensational scenery, thundering surf and breathtaking views
2. 360° views of Melbourne from Eureka Tower's 88th floor, the Southern Hemisphere’s highest observation tower
3. Victorian Arts Centre and stunning Federation Square - architectural icons
4. Australia's largest labyrinth of cobblestone laneways and art deco arcades
5. Stroll along the palm-tree-studded St Kilda Boulevard and watch the sun go down over Port Phillip Bay.

Five super sounds in Melbourne

1. Roar of the crowd from the Melbourne Cricket Ground or Etihad Stadium on an Australian Rules football match day in the heart of the city
2. Revs of the F1 motor racing cars in Albert Park during the Australian Grand Prix in March
3. Sultry tunes from Melbourne's river precinct during the Melbourne Jazz Festival each May
4. Known as one of the best music cities in the world, enjoy original live music any night of the week
5. The ‘ding ding’ sound of the bell of an iconic Melbourne tram as it transports the city's residents and visitors around the compact grid system.

Five arousing aromas in Melbourne

1. Smell the hops and experience the pride, spirit and tradition of one of the world's great brewers by taking the Carlton Brewhouse and Brewery Tour
2. The perfume of the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show held annually in March/April
3. The stimulating smell of coffee – one of Melbourne's obsessions
4. The mouth-watering Italian aromas on Lygon Street, Melbourne's Little Italy; the sweet spices of China Town on Little Bourke Street; or Victoria Street's Little Vietnam with exotic Asian herbs
5. Breathe in the salty ocean air on one of Melbourne's beautiful sandy beaches.

Five touching moments in Melbourne

1. Be pampered at one of Melbourne's inner-city spa retreats or take off to Daylesford Spa country for a weekend of romantic indulgence
2. Visit a wildlife sanctuary and get up close and personal with Australia's native animals
3. Choose your textile and make your own spring carnival hat with a Melbourne milliner
4. Go strawberry picking in rural Victoria then experience the area's colonial past with afternoon tea at a country farm house
5. Feel  the textures of the latest fashion as you explore Melbourne's unique shopping scene.