First time visitors to Melbourne should start their travels by jumping on the tram which circles the perimeter of the main business and shopping areas of the city. This gives you the chance to get an introduction to a lot of great places you'll want to visit properly later. It's recommended that once you finish your tram ride, you start out walking the famous Melbourne Golden Mile trail, which will ensure you get to see many of the best known and famous historic sites.



If you have a bit more time, consider taking a half-day bus tour to see some of the inner suburbs. For example, the Marvellous Melbourne Tour goes to Port Melbourne, Albert Park and Carlton, while the sports lovers amongst you should check out the Melbourne Sports Tour, which will allow you to see why Melbourne claims to be Australia's sporting capital.

The more upscale foreign travelers may try a river cruise or a hot air balloon trip to take in the city's sights. The more adventurous of them will thoroughly enjoy the experience of touring on a seaplane courtesy of Melbourne Seaplanes or Dog Scenic Flights.

There are also the so-called "tours with a difference" that offer everything from a ghost-hunting sojourn to a historical romp through the most prominent landmarks. The Haunted Melbourne Ghost Tour takes foreign guests on a walking tour to several areas known for their paranormal activity. The Melbourne Cemetery Tours and the Town Hall Tour provide a glimpse of the city's way of life during long bygone eras and includes interesting anecdotes about some of Melbourne's most popular historical characters.

Tourists with a sweet tooth will thoroughly enjoy these two excellent tours: the Coffee, Cake & Chocolate Walk and Chocolate & Other Desserts Walk. They will take you to all the best places in town to satisfy that chocolate craving. And while you've got food on your mind, try taking the Colonial Tramcar Restaurants tour which combines two of Melbourne's greatest loves, fine dining and trams.

If you're a shopaholic, you'll LOVE Melbourne's Shopping Spree bus tour. It takes you down all the backstreets and hidden alleys, to visit the bargain factory and warehouse outlets that Melbourne is famous for.

The Australian Aborigines have a rich past in the Melbourne area before the early settlers arrived, and you can absorb the culture and history of this on the Aboriginal Heritage Walk. While on this tour, you'll also get to see the world-famous Royal Botanic Gardens - well worth a visit.

While there is plenty to see in the city of Melbourne itself, if you're a bit of an explorer, you might also like to consider a day trip out of the city and see some of Victoria's best tourist spots. Places such as the Great Ocean Road, Philip Island, the Grampians National Park and the famous old gold mining towns of Ballarat and Bendigo will delight you. Also, wine lovers should definitely make plans to visit the Yarra Valley Wine region and enjoy the local drop.

To finish off a wonderful visit to Melbourne, you should definitely consider spending a day at one of the delightful spa resorts at Daylesford or Hepburn Springs. You'll be glad you made the effort while you're relaxing in a natural mineral springs bath.