International First Class Flights to Melbourne, Australia
Before you finish planning your dream trip to Melbourne, Australia, consider purchasing a first class ticket rather than a business class or coach ticket. Use one of the many travel websites that are available to compare ticket price information before you buy. International first class tickets to Melbourne, Australia can be very affordable. There are tickets to work with any budget and even last-minute travelers are finding cheap and inexpensive prices on first class tickets to Melbourne.
To begin your travel plans, find a travel website that you like. Flights Lux is a website that specializes in first class and business class travel. They have experts ready to help you find the best deals on first class tickets to Melbourne, Australia. Compare the cost of first-class travel with economy or coach and then consider the added benefits and luxuries that come with first class tickets to Melbourne.
Why First Class?
Beginning from the moment you walk into the airport you will feel the difference that is first class travel. No more waiting in the long, slow-moving, coach line, with first-class tickets to Melbourne, you will use the shorter first class line and you will be able to check in additional luggage without having to pay additional fees. Also, your luggage can usually weigh more without a penalty fee too (but this depends on the airlines and the aircraft, so check restrictions before you arrive at the airport.) After checking in, move to the shorter, first-class line through security.
Use the Club Lounges
This is a serious no-brainer. Your first class tickets get you into the Club Lounges at the airport. These VIP-type centers usually have a bar, serve amazing hot food, are packed with a buffet of snacks and desserts, and alcohol and sodas are free. Everything in the lounge is included with your ticket price. You can sit at a table and finish work, lounge in a recliner and nap, or sit and the bar and mingle with other first class passengers. The lounges are a great way to begin your vacation! An attendant will check you into the lounge and this attendant will also keep an eye on your flight and notify you when it’s time to preboard or if there is a delay or change of gate. It’s really nice to let someone else do the work!
Ten Things to do in Melbourne, Australia
1. Explore the street art – Inner-city neighborhoods are full of unique character. Melbourne is known the world over for having a robust street art culture. Street art or artistic graffiti is actually legal in designated areas throughout the city by city council. It changes regularly. Citizens have noticed that it has actually cut down on illegal graffiti elsewhere. It definitely adds to Melbourne’s urban vibe that brings many tourists. Walk around and keep an eye out yourself or join a street art tour run by local street artists to get the specifics on how it was made and it what it represents.
2. Flinders Street Station – This is Australia’s busiest railway station. However, on the outside it looks like a historical museum or palace. This magnificent building was opened in 1910 and is listed on the Victorian heritage register. Inside you will a busy train schedule but also great shops and cafes full of great food. Just across the road is Melbourne’s Federation Square with its special and artistic architectural design.
3. Drink the coffee! – Melbourne is often rated as having the best coffee in the world. At least that is what thousands of users said in a recent “booking.com” poll. So, move over Rome and Vienna as apparently baristas are flocking to Melbourne. Coffee shops are easy to find in small neighborhoods on narrow laneways of the city. You can even take a tailored coffee tour from places like Hidden Secret Tours.
4. Scienceworks – Most locals grew up going to Scienceworks. It’s a science exhibit, workshop, planetarium, has a lightning room and a mini-metropolis called Nitty Gritty Super City, that demonstrates how a city work operates. The famous Lightning Room offers 30 minute live shows that include a gigantic Tesla Coil that generates over two million volts of electricity and a 3 meter actual lightning bolts. A great time if you have small children.
5. Wander the “laneways” – Melbourne is known for having walking paths with no cars allowed on very quaint streets lined with shops, bars and restaurants. They are often cobblestone and meandering which show the uniqueness of each of its neighborhoods. A great way to explore the city, do some shopping and waste the day away. There are some famous laneways like Centre Place and AC/DC Lane named after the famous Australian rock band.
6. Visit the Melbourne Cricket Grounds – The largest stadium in all of Australia. It is actually the 10 th largest stadium in the world. The stadium holds approximately 130,000 people. It hosts international soccer tournaments, rugby matches and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It regularly calls itself “Australia’s Favorite Stadium”. It was built in 1853 and has seen many renovations. It is also home to the Australian Gallery of Sport and Olympic Museum.
7. The Botanic Gardens – This is a very popular spot for locals. You will find a lot of locals walking and jogging through the park. There is a good chance you will also find a peaceful meditation session. The Gardens is convenient in that it is only a short walk from the city center and offers a ton of greenery just outside of the busy urban city center. There are over 8,500 plant species that provide a very peaceful oasis.
8. Enjoy the Greek life – A little-known fact is that Melbourne has the largest Greek population of any city outside of Athens. It has a thriving Greek community and culture. Many of this manifests itself in the Greek Precinct where you will find great Greek cuisine as if you were in Greece itself. There are Greek restaurants, shops and cultural events going on in the neighborhood. The Hellenic Museum is located in the neighborhood. In March, you can check out the Antipodes Festival or if you are there in September, you can go to the Greek Film Festival.
9. World Class Shopping – Melbourne is a world class destination for high-end shopping. Many international celebrities travel the world to Melbourne to visit its high-quality boutiques and first-class brand shopping. There is a bit of everything from the “Beverly Hills” glam shopping to more reasonably priced but chic vintage clothing shops. All makes for a wonderful day of walking the streets and getting your shopping fix in. One of the most famous areas is Chapel Street for high end shoppers. There is also the former Melbourne Government Post office which has been renovated into a popular shopping mall. There is Fitzroy for the more vintage crowd or Bridge Road for outlet shopping and food stalls.
10. Old Melbourne Gaol – Melbourne’s most famous prison. It opened in 1842 and operated until 1929. It housed Australia’s most notorious criminals like Ned Kelly. It was also the site of 133 executions including Ned Kelly. It has been turned into a museum right in city centre. The tour offers people a look into what it might have been like to be housed at this prison in the 1800’s. The prison was known for its harsh conditions which can seem shocking by modern standards. Unfortunately, the prison also housed homeless and mentally ill patients during its operation and they too suffered the tough conditions and treatment. The old prison is considered by some to be haunted and ghost tours are offered on the site. Think “Australian Alcatraz”.