Melbourne

Melbourne's cruise terminal at Station Pier is a 15-minute tram ride from the city centre, where modern towers rise above 19th-century facades. The Royal Botanic Gardens cover 38 hectares. The National Gallery of Victoria holds everything from Indigenous bark paintings to contemporary art. Queen Victoria Market sells olive oil, local honey, and hot jam donuts. The free City Circle tram loops the main sights. Outside the city, the Dandenong Ranges have eucalyptus forests and the Puffing Billy steam train. Melbourne runs on coffee. Start with a flat white at a café in Fitzroy, then browse the vintage shops and laneway murals. Chinatown, the oldest in the Southern Hemisphere, is the pick for dumplings and noodles. Collins Street has high-end shops; Brunswick has the independent ones. A Myki card covers trams, trains, and buses. Port Phillip Bay sunsets from a rooftop bar are a good way to end the day.