Melbourne to the Max

Gerard and Michele Murphy from Bon Voyage Cruises & Travel hit Melbourne for a weekend of soul-feeding entertainment and indulgence.

“Our weekend getaway to the cultural capital of the world definitely lived up to its name!  From The Jersey Boys musical extravaganza to the vibrant artworks of Salvador Dali to creamy gastronomic delights in St Kilda, we’re buzzing to share a fantastic option for a local-yet-cultural weekend experience.

The excuse for the trip was to be at the opening night of the hit Broadway musical “Jersey Boys” – the story of Franki Valli and the Four Seasons. It was special to be there on opening night and Melbourne did it proud. The city was dressed up for the occasion and it was fun to actually walk the red carpet… lights, cameras and Kiwis!

The show which will is on sale to mid-November, (but is expected to go into 2010) is slick, polished and dazzling.  The story is told in their music with all their hits, ‘Sherry’, ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’, ‘Rag Doll’, ‘Oh What a Night’ and ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’. plus more.

Then it was Michele’s turn to take me along to the Salvador Dali exhibition – the first comprehensive retrospective of the Spanish artist ever to be staged in Australasia.  Expecting to just “pop in”, we stayed for nearly four hours!  Not only a visual feast for the mind, the exhibition draws on vibrant Spanish rhythms for a live music and performance on Wednesday nights as part of the gallery’s ‘Art after Dark’.   The exhibition is on until October at the National Gallery of Victoria.  

If the Arts is your thing, find accommodation in the South Bank and set out to explore.  Visit the Museum of Moving Image for something different or try the Museum of Victoria for a more traditional experience.  If you’re taking the grandkids for a holiday, the latter has some great child-friendly exhibitions on now:  A Day at Pompeii depicts the daily life of an extraordinary city lost to the world for 17 centuries or head to the Star Wars exhibition with excited kids to learn the technology behind the light sabre.

Michele and I opted for a weekend of luxury at the 5 star Sofitel Hotel.  Located in the heart of the city close to the premier shopping district, it’s a heavenly spot for a keen window-shopper like Michele.   She explored the Paris end of Little Collins St, awed by the likes of Gucci and Louis Vuitton as well as high-end Australian designers – but thankfully left the credit card with me!

For more budget-friendly shopping, we browsed the treasure trove of wares at Queen Vic Market.  As Melbourne’s premier open-air market, the Queen Victoria Market boasts 130 years of popularity with its old world charm, shopping bargains and cosmopolitan atmosphere.

The flatness of Melbourne is a tourist’s Godsend – the city makes walking a pleasure and turns the least-fit tourist into an adventurer.  As typical Aucklanders cynical about public transport, we were impressed by the quick and easy transport options about town.  We recommend buying a Metcard from A$6.80 for a day of unlimited train, tram and bus travel.

















Being a truly cosmopolitan city, Melbourne is renowned for its gastronomic flair.  We walked into St Kilda and, having worked up a hunger with a stroll along the beach, were drawn to one of the many cake shops in the area.   Heading back to our hotel fatter rather than fitter, we can definitely recommend from experience the tempting creations from Monarch Bake Shop – baking many of the same loved recipes since 1934!”

• Cheap and quick to get to, Melbourne is a great ‘Weekend Away’ destination.  Regular low fares on Air New Zealand from Auckland and Christchurch are around $450 and from Wellington $650 with specials often available.

Check the current offers to Melbourne by clicking here. 

For great cruise deals and information about cruising worldwide visit www.bonvoyage.co.nz, or call our travel experts on 0800 266 869 or 09 368 6800

print