Sydney or Melbourne: How to Choose Your Vacation Destination

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Australia offers vacationers one of the most scenic and diverse holiday destinations. Before getting into the country, be sure to have an itinerary ready that includes packed with a variety of activities such as high tea Chadstone.

Most tourists are spoilt for choice between Sydney and Melbourne as the best vacation destination. Each of these cities and their surrounding regions offer diverse vacation spots that are different in every possible way.

How to Choose Your Vacation Destination

There is no one-size-fits-all formula for choosing between Sydney and Melbourne. The Economist has ranked Melbourne as one of the top Most Livable Cities year-after-year, while Sydney has the best weather all year round.

The main factor to consider is where you fall as a traveller. There are many types of travellers, including:

1. The Bucket Lister

If you are drawn to one-of-a-kind sights and great architecture, Sydney will do it for you. From the sky, you will see jaw-dropping views of the Sydney Harbour with the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge being some of the iconic attractions.

You could also take the ferry to some of the lesser crowded beaches that provide privacy and intimate vacations away from Bondi neighbourhood.

Melbourne, on the other hand, has subtle icons, but it is the only Australian city with a widely used tram system. You can even have dinner on an old fashioned tram as it cruises through the city. The city authorities have taken great care in preserving the ancient theatres, memorial, libraries, and other historical buildings to give visitors a feel of the region’s culture.

For the bucket list traveller, Sydney offers you more vacation destinations than Melbourne.

2. The Sun Seeker

Sydney is renowned for having favourable weather all year round. Melbourne weather can change from sunny to cool, windy, rainy, and back within a few hours, especially in spring and fall. However, for the sun seeker traveller, Sydney offers the ideal climate for a vacation.

It experiences gentle and mild winters as well as pleasantly humid and balmy summers. Moreover, Sydney offers beach-friendly weather for eight months in a year.

3. The Culture Seeker

Are you the type of traveler that seeks to understand the culture and history of a people? Melbourne retains the undisputed status as Australia’s cultural capital. Art, theatre, and culture are a big part of Melbourne’s everyday life. Be sure to catch new and crowd favorite plays, concerts, musicals, as well as exhibitions.

However, Sydney does not have much of traditional culture, but it is shaping the Australian urban culture. It has several theatre companies, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, among others.

Melbourne will offer you the best look into the Australian culture. Most of the cultural events are held at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, the National Gallery of Victoria, among other museums in the city.

4. The History Buff

Until 1901, Every Australian state was a separate colony, and this means that each of the cities has unique stories to tell. Melbourne was Australia’s capital between 1901 and 1913, and you should plan to visit the Old Melbourne Gaol.

Sydney’s Rocks district offers traces of history that seem to be stuck in time. Heritage buildings overlook the Circular Quay that shows the settler’s way of life when they first came to Australia. You should also make a stop at Hyde Park Barracks to learn more about the colony’s history.

However, Sydney is Australia’s oldest colony, and it is the best vacation destination for a history buff. You could always make trips to Melbourne to catch come of the heritage sites it has to offer.

5. The Food Traveller

The temperate climate in Australia means that you can get a variety of world cuisines in both Melbourne and Sydney. Despite the country’s love affair with coffee, do not order drip coffee. In Melbourne, good food is associated with good living, and they have a list of the must-visit restaurants in the city.

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You will even find the oldest Chinatown in Australia, offering classic Chinese dishes with a contemporary twist. You must try having dinner at one of the oldest trams in town. Sydney, too, has its fair share of restaurants and café’s but Melbourne culture-rich environment offers the best ambience to enjoy good food with great people.

6. The Day Tripper

If you have limited vacation time in Australia, spending your time in the big cities will not be the best use of your time. However, there are nearby attractions that you can assess easily from both cities.

In Sydney, the Blue Mountains are the best destination for a day trip that offers sweeping views and some of Australia’s native animals. You could also go north to Hunter Valley, which is home to Australia’s best wine region.

From Melbourne, you can go on a trip to Philip Bay via the Great Ocean Road that offers a breathtaking experience. However, lease a car instead of taking the tour bus.

Conclusion

Sydney and Melbourne will offer fantastic vacation destinations. However, it is practically impossible to experience the wonder and splendour of both cities in one trip. With the above traveller types, you will know where you should visit first.