Australia's second-largest city is the one with the cultural energy. There always seems to be showy new developments at the fringes of the city centre, but the cafe-filled laneways stealing the best ideas from around the globe are what gives Melbourne its personality.
8am: On the right track
There are two great options for that morning jog – the first of which is the scenic 3.8-kilometre Tan Track circuit round the Royal Botanic Gardens, which gives prime views of trees and plants from all around Australia. The second should allow petrolheads to at least partially live the dream – Albert Park is home to the Formula One Australian Grand Prix. But for most of the year, the 5.3km circuit is a public thoroughfare. Running alongside it will take you past sailing clubs, cricket pitches and the lake that forms the track's watery centrepiece.
10am: Australian introduction
The city has several interesting cultural attractions, but the best all-rounder is the Melbourne Museum. It flits about on topics, from natural history to Aboriginal belief systems, but the presentation is almost always inventive and engaging. So in one section, you might have time-lapse maps of how Melbourne has grown, while another has skeletons of giant marsupials that once roamed Australia, and a third has 3-D grids showing how the indigenous people in this part of the country are part of 11 separate language families. Entry costs 14 Australian dollars (Dh40).
12pm: Cool cuisine
Central Melbourne has a great selection of buzzy lunch spots, but Cumulus Inc perhaps best captures the spirit. For those in a hurry, there are posh takeout sandwiches, while you can stretch things out for an hour or two by delving into charcuterie plates or tapas-style small dishes. Or go the whole hog, and plump for the 75-dollar (Dh216) chef's selection menu, which includes a whole roast lamb shoulder to share.
Seating to fit the mood is available, too – including bar seating for solo diners and a big communal circular table in the centre.
1.30pm: Meander through the murals
Melbourne has a strong claim to being the Southern Hemisphere's street-art capital, and this is partially because of its laneways culture. Tiny alleys that would have once been used for storing bins and not much else are now full of small indie shops and cafes. And the would-be gloomy settings have been brightened up considerably by Melbourne's squadrons of street artists.
And some of them are guides for Melbourne Street Art Tours, which runs three-hour walks through some of the more interesting laneways. They know which artist did what, but also have a good eye for spotting works that would otherwise be missed high up on walls or peering behind pipes. Scrap-metal figures and situation-specific alterations of signs are among the things that a novice might miss.
The tours finish with cheese and nibbles at the artists' workshop/gallery space, and cost 69 dollars (Dh198).
4.30pm: Hit the credit card
On the way back, there is a good opportunity to nosy around the shops. Most of the more interesting options are around Collins and Little Collins streets – with the ever-so-Victorian Royal Arcadean architectural highlight. Jewellers and chocolatiers are among the specialists found inside.
6pm: Look down (or don't)
The Eureka Tower is Melbourne's tallest building, and the Skydeck observation platform gives predictably imperious views of the city, Port Phillip and the distant hills. Some parts are behind glass, but there's an open-air section for anyone wanting to get a good photo.
It is possible to ramp up the vertigo factor considerably, however, with the "Edge" experience. This is essentially a glass box, with see-through walls and floor, that protrudes from the observation deck. It leaves you standing 297 metres above the city, and looking down is practically guaranteed to have you gulping.
Tickets including the Edge cost 32 dollars (Dh92) – and it is open until 10pm if you prefer a night view.
8pm: Lima of the laneways
Melbourne's dining scene is fantastic, and a major reason for this is that it will happily purloin ideas from around the world. This often leads to great Asian fusion dishes, but a Latin-American influence is creeping in. The best example is Pastuso, a phenomenally atmospheric Peruvian joint buried down an otherwise unpromising laneway. There is a separate cevicheria to one side, while main dishes include alpaca ragouts, lemon-juice pepped snapper and tender beef and fish skewers. Mains – or small dish equivalents of mains – cost about 40 dollars (Dh115).
Midnight: Rest your head
The Lindrum shows that Melbourne can pull off heritage as well as modern cool. It is a former billiard hall and tea house, which is hinted at by the green-baize-esque runner carpets and massive selection of speciality teas behind reception. But the original wooden floorboards, a full-sized snooker table at the back of the restaurant and locally hand-stitched bed linen add to the feeling of careful curation. Studios cost from 295 dollars (Dh847).
The flights
Etihad and Emirates both fly direct from the UAE to Melbourne, from Abu Dhabi and Dubai respectively, from Dh4,990 return, including taxes.
For more information, visit www.visitvictoria.com
__________________
Read more:
A luxury guide to Sydney
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What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, semi-final result:
Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona
Liverpool win 4-3 on aggregate
Champions Legaue final: June 1, Madrid
MATCH INFO
Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)
TV: Abu Dhabi Sports
EMIRATES'S%20REVISED%20A350%20DEPLOYMENT%20SCHEDULE
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
ANATOMY%20OF%20A%20FALL
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
ALRAWABI%20SCHOOL%20FOR%20GIRLS
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
MATCH INFO
Azerbaijan 0
Wales 2 (Moore 10', Wilson 34')
KLOPP%20AT%20LIVERPOOL
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UAE tour of the Netherlands
UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Fixtures:
Monday, 1st 50-over match
Wednesday, 2nd 50-over match
Thursday, 3rd 50-over match
UAE%20PREMIERSHIP
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How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Brighton 1
Gross (50' pen)
Tottenham 1
Kane (48)
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Rajasthan Royals 153-5 (17.5 ov)
Delhi Daredevils 60-4 (6 ov)
Rajasthan won by 10 runs (D/L method)
BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
UAE%20set%20for%20Scotland%20series
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The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Power: 480hp at 7,250rpm
Torque: 566Nm at 4,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: L/100km
Price: Dh306,495
On sale: now
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Company%20profile
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The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh1,100,000 (est)
Engine 5.2-litre V10
Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch
Power 630bhp @ 8,000rpm
Torque 600Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined 15.7L / 100km (est)