Stay Local in Melbourne

Upon arrival in Melbourne, you’ll be met by your local guide at the airport and escorted to your hotel for a late afternoon check-in. The rest of the day is to be enjoyed at your leisure. A welcome dinner will be served at the hotel this evening.

Following breakfast, discover Melbourne's architectural treasures and cultural heritage on foot with your guide. Take a stroll past trendy cafes, eclectic boutiques, street art and a host of post-Gold Rush buildings, including the Victorian-style Block Arcade. After your walking tour, take some time to enjoy a guide-recommended lunch at any of Melbourne’s foodie favorites before reuniting with your group at the hotel for a rare and unique opportunity to observe wildlife in its natural habitat during a walking and coach tour of the You Yangs National Park. After driving to the park, your expert nature guide will take you through bushlands in search of koalas, plus free-ranging eastern grey kangaroos along with other Australian wildlife on these vast Western Plains. This unforgettable excursion ends with early evening wine and a casual, light dinner out in the wild bushlands.

Fuel up on an early breakfast before driving to the Yarra Valley to explore its exquisite beauty and award-winning wines. Enjoy a private wine tasting at the De Bortoli Winery, a fourth-generation family business. Traditionally known for its Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties, the estate also recently established vineyards to create Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Gamay Noir. Next, you’ll move on to the estate of ninth-generation winemaker, Dominique Portet, who chose the cool climate of the Coldstream Hills as home to the winery he founded in 2000. Here, you’ll indulge in a three-course lunch accompanied by Dominique Portet wines before driving back for a late afternoon drop-off in port to begin your Azamara® voyage, a journey that’s sure to be full of more great discoveries.