Travel Cluster

Wonderful art galleries, a rich theatre scene, world-class sports centres and top notch boutique shopping: it’s no surprise Melbourne remains a hot destination for travellers around the world. On top of all this, Melbourne has also become a foodie’s paradise with a dynamic restaurant scene and thriving café culture.

Melbourne’s marvellously multi-cultural population is largely responsible for why food in Melbourne has a reputation for quality and diversity. Along with the fantastic coffee for which Melbourne is known, waves of Italian and Greek immigrants were the first to make an impact on the type of food available. Later, immigrants from around Asia arrived and enriched Melbourne’s culinary scene with a host of exciting cuisines from their homelands.

Whether you’re looking for rustic Italian fare, authentic Thai cuisine, budget friendly Vietnamese eats or fine dining of the French variety – food in Melbourne has it covered. While you can find restaurants catering to every taste all over the city, it’s helpful to know what neighbourhoods specialise in specific cuisines.

Lygon Street in Carlton is the heart of the Italian community in Melbourne and chock full of pizzerias and Italian bistros. The atmosphere is vibrant and a little noisy with some establishments encouraging waiters to solicit business on the street. If you’re in the mood for the food but not necessarily a bustling street vibe most places do takeaway pizza and can deliver it to your door.

Chinatown in Melbourne’s CBD has a mix of cheap Cantonese canteens and high class restaurants serving some of the best Cantonese cuisine in the world. Sunday lunch Yum Cha remains a favourite with locals and visitors alike. Make a reservation or get there early to secure a round table complete with lazy susan and be prepared to try one of everything!

Victoria Street in Richmond is almost entirely made up of Vietnamese restaurants. There are some great soup kitchens serving Pho – the deliciously stocky and herbaceous Vietnamese noodle soup and many others offering the every Vietnamese dish you could hope for.

Because it is a relatively small city, Melbourne food delivery covers a vast array of cuisines and suburbs, meaning you can chill out at your hotel, serviced apartment or friend’s house and feast on an international smorgasbord without having to brave the temperamental weather. After all, Melbourne may have culture and cuisine offerings in spades but when it comes to weather this hip, urban centre has a few things to work out!

Guest Post by Kate Bloomsbury from http://www.deliveryhero.com.au

Images: Pizza by Pink Sherbet Photography, Vietnamese Pho Soup by Calagary Reviews and Yum Cha by eugeneflores

It was once stated to me in a nonchalant and uncaring way, that a name is just a name, and that that was the end of the matter. A philosophy lived perhaps, because that they had never known their parents, or their ancestral background. When any one of the human race is born, we are given our individual name from birth, but what this individual would never be able to come to terms with, was that they would never be able to investigate their ancestry.

A deep instinctive need most of us eventually experience, especially when we are faced with genetic similarities brought back through the generations of our families.

Once we start searching, it is inevitable that at some point we have to try and piece together with our logic, the missing parts of the puzzle. This is where intentionally or otherwise, legends and myths are born, because all matter, living or not has to start from somewhere from the past, but no matter hard we try to stay true, sometimes we have to make educated guesses, and hopefully record this in the results of our search.

In reality, the future generations who have been fortunate enough to have been born with their family name, and who read the results we have written, can very easily transform them into the myths and legends we all love to drift into once in a while. This fascinating human trend extends to all we come into contact with, where a perfect example can be found in The Canary Islands, where one of these Islands has been given many names since mankind first inhabited it.

Originally named by the islands aboriginal inhabitants, the Guanche race, as ‘Snowy Mountain’ because of its towering and snow peaked dormant volcano, Mount Teide.

The volcano, In the Guanche language is Echeyde, or Echeide, or even Achinet, with the typical variants from antiquity in its spelling, and names. The Romans named the island as Nivaria, which is the Latin word of nivis or nieve meaning snow, a clear reference to the white topped Teide volcano.

To further confuse the issue, Teide, in the Benehaorits nations language, natives of La Palma, is Tene, their term for mountain, and Ife, their term for white, thus separately worded was then Tene – Ife. It was only when the Spanish nation took control of the island in the late 1400’s, that due to their own language structure, they added the r and joined the two names together into Tenerife.

In contrast to this now well known name, early Spanish maps of this island referred to it as ‘Isla del Infierno’, meaning The Island of Hell, clearly referring to the volcano’s activity. In complete contrast, and due to the wonderful climate there, the modern counterpart of the islands name is widely known as ‘The Island of Eternal Spring’.

The beautiful, quaint little Spanish town Nerja is rightly world famous as a tourist resort. It is the perfect place for couples and families alike to journey to for a lovely week or two in the warm Spanish sunshine. The town has fabulous luxury villas and super stylish modern apartments to satisfy even the most discerning holiday maker as well as countless fantastic restaurants.

In addition to these beautiful features, the town boast many other spectacular attractions and sights to see. Among these attractions are the beautiful ruins of the Napoleonic period fortress and the fantastic and ornate Church of El Salvador. In Nerja, of course one of the foremost attractive features of the area is the spectacular natural beauty of the surrounding natural environment. This includes the sparkling blue Mediterranean Sea and the fabulous white sandy beaches on its shore. However, a more understated but no less impressive feature of Nerja’s natural environment is the resorts extensive system of caves.

The caves were discovered by accident in August 1959 when a group of 5 young people were enjoying a cooling swim in one of Nerja’s natural lakes and discovered one of the caves 2 natural entrances through a narrow sink hole. Since that time they have been transformed into a wonderful tourist attraction. The cave is now known locally as ‘La Mina’. A purpose built entrance to the cave was constructed, and on this site today is a fascinating museum detailing the caves formation and history.

The cave is estimated to be over 5 million years old, having been formed by the movement of underground glaciers and rivers during the Upper Miocene period. The cave is over 5 km in length and comprises of 4 large sections. Fossilised and skeletal remains in the cave indicate that the cave was inhabited by humans from around 25 thousand BC until 10 thousand BC. Scientists believe that during this time the inhabitants of the cave kept animals as remains of rabbits, fish, chickens and small cows have been discovered. Another interesting discovery in the caves has been that the human occupants only lived within the cave seasonally ( most likely during the Winter) and that during their periods of absence the cave was occupied by cave hyenas.

Today the one section of the cave which has formed naturally into the shape of a theatre is used for theatrical productions and music concerts. The magnificent natural setting means that the venue is extremely popular and everything from Shakespeare to Wagner has been performed there.

Ibiza, located just off the southern coast of Spain, offers an idyllic location for travellers who wish to enjoy all that Spain has to offer. Although small, this island attracts tourists from all over the world with its pristine beauty and innumerable entertainment options. When planning a visit to the local area, one accommodation option you may wish to consider is one of the large number of Ibiza villas to rent.

Villas in Ibiza offer many advantages to travellers that simply are not possible with other accommodation options, such as the ability to save money while at the same time enjoying more facilities and privacy. One of the most common complaints of many travellers staying in even high-end hotels is the lack of privacy. This can be a particular problem if your hotel room is situated near to an elevator or other common area. If this is the case you may likely be subjected to noise throughout the night. There are no such worries when you take advantage of renting a villa in Ibiza. You can enjoy complete privacy and quiet throughout the night in your own villa.

In the image below is an example Ibizan villa. This one is located in the Cala Llonga near Santa Eularia and has 3 bedrooms and sleeps up to 6 people:

Furthermore, you are able to benefit from far more space as well as facilities when you choose to rent a villa in Ibiza. Renting a villa offers the opportunity to enjoy not only accommodations for sleeping, but also a living area for relaxing and entertaining as well. If you prefer the idea of being able to prepare your own snacks and even meals, you also have that capability with a fully-equipped kitchen. This is also another great way to save money on the cost of your travels. Rather than dine out at every meal, you can easily shop some of the wonderful markets in Ibiza and then return to your villa to prepare your own meal.

Are you planning to do some entertaining with new friends you meet in Ibiza? Renting your own villa makes it easy and convenient to do so. You will be able to enjoy far more space in a villa than could ever be possible in a hotel. Most travellers also find that renting a villa in Ibiza is far more economical than a hotel, especially if staying on this gorgeous island for an extended period of time.

Planning to travel with children or a large group? If so, villas in Ibiza are an excellent money-saving option to consider. You will find that Ibiza villas to rent are quite spacious and are perfect for large groups. Whether you are travelling with your family or a group of friends, renting a villa in Ibiza can provide you with the space and the privacy you desire at a price you can afford.

Ibiza villas are also typically located quite conveniently to all of the wonderful charms of Ibiza. You will only be a few moments from the festivals, clubs and more that make this island so popular. In addition, most villas for rent in Ibiza offer private pools as well as an array of other modern conveniences and amenities. You will lack for nothing when you rent one of these spacious and affordable villas in Ibiza.

Ibiza villas for rent also present you with the opportunity to truly soak up the local culture in a way that staying in a hotel could never provide. If you have always dreamed of what it would be like to live in Spain, there is truly no better way to absorb the local culture and mingle with the locals than renting a villa in Ibiza. You will get a first-hand look at Spanish culture and all of the wonderful nuances of this beautiful island paradise.

This page was prepared by Alan Horton, December 2011.