Melbourne is the second-largest city in Australia, and the Greater Melbourne area is home to 5 million people, with the inner-city neighborhoods (Fitzroy, Carlton, Richmond) holding the cultural heart and the outer suburbs the residential zones.
Melbourne is famous for its laneway coffee culture, and the most photographed lane is AC/DC Lane (formerly Cherry Lane) off Flinders Street, with Hosier Lane being the most famous for the constantly changing street art.
The Queen Victoria Market is the largest open-air market in the Southern Hemisphere, and the Wednesday night summer market is the best time to visit for the food stalls and the live music.
The Great Ocean Road is a 243 km coastal drive starting 90 minutes from Melbourne, with the Twelve Apostles limestone stacks being the most photographed stop and the Loch Ard Gorge the most dramatic.
Melbourne's tram network is the largest in the world, with the free City Circle Tram (Route 35) being the easiest way to see the CBD, and the Free Tram Zone covering the central grid from Queen Victoria Market to Federation Square.
Melbourne is the sporting capital of Australia, with the Australian Open in January, the Formula 1 Grand Prix in March-April, the AFL season from March to September, and the Melbourne Cup horse race in November.
Phillip Island is 90 minutes from Melbourne and is the most reliable place to see the penguin parade, with the little penguins returning from the sea at sunset every day of the year.
Melbourne's coffee scene is a destination in itself, with the flat white invented here in the 1980s and the most awarded roasters operating from small laneway cafes in Carlton, Fitzroy, and Brunswick.
The Royal Botanic Gardens are 38 hectares on the south bank of the Yarra River, with the Aboriginal Heritage Walk being the most educational tour and the Ian Potter Foundation Children's Garden being the best for families.
Melbourne's weather is famously unpredictable, with the locals' saying 'four seasons in a day' referring to the warm morning, cold midday, rainy afternoon, and sunny evening that can all happen in a single spring day.