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Victorian Food and Wine
become a hip and happening place, its Victorian architecture enhanced by striking works of modern design, its streets alive with boutique hotels, trendy shops and cafés. You'll spend two nights in town at the Lyall, in the cosmopolitan South Yarra neighbourhood. The rooms, all with contemporary Oriental looks, range from open-plan studios to one and two-bedroom/two-bathroom suites. There's also a bistro with a terrace, a lounge with open fireplace, a gym, a spa and a library.
Days 3 and 4
Mornington Peninsula
Collect your hire car and head down to the Mornington Peninsula, with its sandy beaches and rolling green hills. You'll spend two nights at Woodman Estate country house. The Mornington is
We have divided Australia into the four key regions most acclaimed for their food and wine. Pick whichever whets your appetite and let us weave it into a broader itinerary that encompasses other Australian experiences. Or, should gastronomy feature high on your list of travelling priorities, you could combine all four regions on the same trip. We begin with Melbourne, the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula, which form a compact triangle of foodie pleasures.
Days 1 and 2
Australia's newest and fastest growing boutique wine district, with more than 50 wineries opening their cellar doors.
Day 5
The Yarra Valley
Victoria's answer to the Barossa (although with far fewer visitors) produces coolclimate wines, and its wineries, mostly boutique in scale, are especially prized for their pinot noir. The Yarra is just a halfhour drive from Melbourne but it's more interesting to spend the night on the spot, at the heritage-listed Chateau Yering bordering the Yarra River. In the morning you might want to consider a crack of dawn ride by hot air balloon (£126).
Melbourne
kitchens, skippered in many instances by some of Australia's most acclaimed chefs. There's even the option of dining while sightseeing aboard the historic Colonial Tramcar (£51). Widely acknowledged to be the country's cultural heart, Melbourne has also Price from £499 per person, including five nights' accommodation, with breakfast, private arrival transfers and four days' car hire.
As well as relishing a rich ethnic diversity of cooking, with Greek, Italian, Chinese and Vietnamese communities each heaving with restaurants, Australia's second largest city offers a wide choice of restaurants with modern, innovative
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