Nestled at the South Eastern tip of Australia, Victoria is Australia's second smallest state, covering 227,600 square kilometres, roughly the size of the British Isles.

Compact it may be, but Victoria has a wealth of diverse regional areas and attractions, from sweeping coastline and pristine beaches to national parks and forests teeming with wildlife, from mountain ranges to beautiful lakes to Australia’s largest city, Melbourne.

Melbourne is the state's capital and it sits on the Yarra river and around the shores of Port Phillip Bay.

Some claim that Melbourne is the style capital of Australia, Melburnians certainly seem to think so and who am I to argue?

Lauded for its sense of style and elegance, Melbourne boasts glamorous festivals and events, Australia's best shopping, a lively passion for eating and drinking, and a flourishing interest in the arts.

Restored and preserved nineteenth-century architecture, built following the discovery of gold, provides a heady reminder of a prosperous age, while beautifully tended parks and gardens present a therapeutic respite from the pace of city life.

Victoria in general, and Melbourne in particular, plays host to some of Australia’s (and the world’s) most famous sporting events including the Spring Racing Carnival culminating in the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday in November, the Australian Open Tennis Championships in January and the Formula 1™ Australian Grand Prix in March not to mention the various football codes and, of course, the cricket at the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground, affectionately known as the MCG, or even just "the G".

Melburnians are known for their passion when it comes to sport but there is also a very lively arts community and you’ll find that the Melbourne International Arts Festival in October, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show in March and April will also provide the ‘arty’ visitor with an abundance of things to see and do.

Melbourne is a melting pot of cultures, a fact reflected in its cafes, bistros and bars.

Fashionable, eclectic and eccentric - Melbourne's dining spots offer a dizzying spread of the world's great cuisines, serving meals from the substantial and classic to the truly exotic.

An epicurean heaven, Melbourne has something to delight every palate, right across the city.

In the southern suburb of St Kilda there are fabulous Jewish cakes in Acland Street (a.k.a. the Boulevard of Broken Diets).

There is inexpensive, fresh and gorgeous Vietnamese cuisine in Victoria Street, which runs through inner-suburban Richmond.

You can dine on something as simple as fresh bread, local cheese and olives at the Queen Victoria Market in the city or the Prahran Market on Commercial Road for minimal cost.

If you like food, and let’s face it, who doesn’t, you’ll find all manner of fare to suit any taste and any pocket.

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