Classic Australia

despite being a big city, Adelaide is a pleasant and easy place to live, with spacious avenues and squares, ringed with parks that stay green even in the hot, dry summer. Italians make up the city’s biggest non-Anglo group, lending the city a vaguely Mediterranean air.

Kangaroo Island is Australia’s third-largest island after Tasmania and Melville Island. It boasts a spectacular coastline, forests, lots of wildlife, with koalas, kangaroos, echidnas, platypuses, penguins, fur seals, sea lions and occasionally southern right whales. And it’s still unspoilt, in spite of being one of Australia’s premier tourist destinations.

Long day of transfer to Mt Gambier. Departure in the early morning with the ferry to Cape Jervis. Arrival and continuation along the Fleurieu Peninsula and the Princess Highway to Mt Gambier. Arrival in the evening. (Approximately 550km / 7 hours + ferry). The gem of Mount Gambier is the Blue Lake, a lake formed from an ancient dormant crater, which is particularly vibrant blue in the summer months. Marking halfway into the journey, Mount Gambier welcomes you to South Australia. Here you’ll discover some natural wonders such as the Blue Lake which turns a vivid blue colour during the summer months or marvel at the Umpherston Sinkhole. For the adventurous, snorkel the crystal clear waters of the Piccaninnie Ponds which have been filtering through the limestone over thousands of years.

A day dedicated to discovering one of the most beautiful scenic roads in the world: the Great Ocean Road. Continuing through Port Fairy and the spectacular Port Campbell National Park. Arrival in Apollo Bay in the evening. (Approximately 350km / 5 hours). The Great Ocean Road was built in the first half of the twentieth century, it is 285 km long and runs along a spectacular stretch of coastline, particularly in the Shipwreck Coast, marked by the impressive rock formations known as the "Twelve Apostles", once less nobly called "The Sow and Piglets". Descend into the cave where the only two survivors of the most dramatic shipwreck along the coast of the state of Victoria sought shelter, the wreck of the ship Loch Ard towards the end of the 1800s. Continue on to the remains of the London Bridge and the Grotto. Along this route, you also venture into the beautiful rainforest of the Great Otway National Park, with towering trees, tree ferns, waterfalls, and lakes. The beautiful village of Apollo Bay is located at the foothills of the Otways. Hit the waters of the southern ocean, wander the coast and explore petrified rainforests full of waterfalls, lush fern gullies and crystal clear streams. Take a dip at the beach, climb aboard a surfboard or kayak, and get up close to local seal colonies. Fishing is an important local industry so seafood is always on the menu at the local cafes and restaurants. For dinner with ocean views, try Chris's at Beacon Point, which sits high in the hills overlooking the sea (280 Skenes Creek Road,, Apollo Bay). If you are looking for craft beers, delicious food, free live music or a place to watch some of Australia's best live sports, the Great Ocean Road Brewhouse has it all (29 Great Ocean Road, Apollo Bay). Weekend visitors will love the regular Saturday foreshore market for local crafts, artworks, curios and fresh produce.

From coastal town Apollo Bay, follow the Great Ocean Road into the lush Otway National Park, and turn off to the Cape Otway light station (about a 50-minute drive). Take a tour of the oldest surviving lighthouse in mainland Australia, climbing to the top to see where the Bass Strait meets the Southern Ocean. Laid out in a grid, the streets of Melbourne’s CBD are highly easy to navigate. A hidden gem in Melbourne is 333 Collins Street, an unassuming office building from the outside but housing a beautiful lobby and dome. From here, walk to the Block Arcade and Royal Arcade, a duo of historic shopping centers dating back from the Victorian era. As you are window-shopping anyway, might as well catch a ride on the free tram and head northwards to the Queen Victoria Market (open daily except Mondays and Wednesdays), the most well-known market in the city. If you are there at around noon, grab lunch in one of the specialty food stalls. Alternatively, if you’d like to explore more of Melbourne’s markets, you can check out Prahran Market or the South Melbourne Market. Make your way down via tram or foot to the State Library of Victoria: the building is known for its highly instagrammable La Trobe Reading Room which has an octagonal shape.Head south via the Swanston Street tram to Flinders Street Railway Station, a city landmark. Other notable attractions such as the St. Paul’s Cathedral and Hosier Lane are within reach from here. The latter is especially known for its graffiti and at any given time, you’ll find people spraying paint all over the walls – making for a new scene with every visit. While Hosier Lane is probably the most well-known, Melbourne has several interesting lanes and some other examples include the following: Centre Place – very photogenic due to its many neon signs lining either side of the narrow path that mimick busier places like Tokyo or Hong Kong. You’ll find plenty of restaurants, cafes and bars here. Hardware Lane – atmospheric area filled with restaurants and cafes, giving off an European vibe. AC/DC Lane – tribute to the Australian rock band. You’ll find some bars and night clubs here dedicated to rock and roll. For dinner, I would recommend heading to Rice, Paper Scissors (19 Liverpool Street). It is a Southeast Asian restaurant with a distinct Australian twist.

Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park includes Uluru and Kata Tjuta (once respectively known as Ayers Rock and the Olgas), a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Uluru/Ayers Rock is arguably one of the world's natural wonders; Kata Tjuta is just as magical, a groupof rounded domes divided by narrow valleys.

The quintessential Aussie city, Sydney with its surroundings is truly a world in itself and the only city in Australia to show its two hundred years of European history in the old stone walls of The Rocks. A unique city that lives beyond its sparkling harbour and beaches, and shows its true soul in the diverse neighbourhoods, with a sophisticated cosmopolitan population, but also the largest Aboriginal community of any Australian city.