Localing Tours is outstanding! They were highly recommended by the concierge staff at our hotel and…read moreexceeded our expectations. We booked a Great Ocean Road tour and were so pleased with the tour and our fantastic guide, Eli, that we called the office at lunch time and booked a tour of Melbourne with Eli for the next day. The service from Sue in the office was excellent. She provided expert guidance in helping us select the proper tours given our limited time in Melbourne and made the logistics seamless. The Great Ocean Road tour is a once in a lifetime experience; really worth the long drive, which didn't seem so long with Eli's interesting conversation. Having driven much of the Pacific Coast Highway in California, we thought the Great Ocean Road might be redundant and almost didn't book it; so glad we did - fantastic sights and beautiful animals. The Melbourne tour was fascinating - Eli was especially helpful getting our two college age boys oriented to Melbourne's plentiful offerings. There are so many interesting alleys and hidden gems in Melbourne that we would not have found them without Eli's insider knowledge. Localing Tours is an excellent choice when visiting Melbourne. They really helped make our trip to Melbourne a memorable experience - highly recommended.

Eliot!!! We enjoyed an Unbelievable day in wonderful Yarra Valley with your guide, Eliot M. He…read morecustomized our day around our tastes while engaging in fantastic conversation and providing us with information we would have otherwise overlooked. The professionalism and intentionality cannot he matched. Great food, wine, and views were accentuated by the host with the most! Can't wait until next time.

Como House is a National Trust property in South Yarra. The house was built in 1947 and is…read moresurrounded by beautiful gardens inc a veggie patch with chickens! As well as being able to take tours of the historic house, Como also showcase exhibitions, provides function and wedding facilities as well as a year round cafe. The cafe provides quality food which is reasonably priced, as well as a dog bowl if you doggy friend has joined you to enjoy the garden. Throughout the year Como hosts a variety of events from vintage clothes sales to french festivals and all kinds of interesting bits and pieces. A perfect destination for locals to enjoy on a Sunday afternoon.

Absolutely sign up for a guided tour to view this building. You start the tour at the museum next…read moredoor and then walk over to the Royal Exhibition Building. You get to walk in and take as many pics as you'd like. Then, you go down stairs into the basement. And then, on the way back you go up to the rooftop. The rooftop has great views of the city and surrounding areas. I took a ton of pics up there and we had a great time. After that, you'll walk back down to the 2nd floor and take more pics inside. I can't believe how much original stuff is still here. Great way to spend an hour.

Beautiful Heritage listed building that ins now over 140 years old. Great for photos. The…read moreMelbourne Museum is nearby, and there are many excellent cafes and restaurants just short walk away, Garry Image by Aspect Property Photography https://www.aspectpro.com.au/

Absolutely amazing service and heard scratches coming from walls and heard a voice say "get out of…read moremy prison" whisper in my ear when I was only one in the gaol doing ghost investigations I contacted Ned Kelly

Melbourne's oldest prison, historic Magistates Court & former police city watch house. Step back…read morein time and walk the road to the gallows in a 19th century prison, be arrested in a modern-day Police Station or put yourself on trial in court. Home to Melbourne's oldest prison, historic Magistrates' Court and former Police City Watch House, Russell Street has been at the heart of crime, law and order in Melbourne since the 1840s. Most of Australia's infamous characters, including iconic bushranger, Ned Kelly and notorious gangster Squizzy Taylor have spent time within the walls of this amazing precinct. A ticket to the Old Melbourne Gaol grants you visiting rights to the past, present and future of crime and justice in Australia. Now a museum with self & guided tours, this storied tri-level jail once housed notorious inmates. https://www.oldmelbournegaol.com.au

I'm a Melbourne local but had a friend in town who wanted to do a walking tour. I was pleasantly…read moresurprised by how knowledgeable the guide was and how much I learnt (even I as a local). I'd recommend this tour for visitors as a great introduction to Melbourne.

From the owner: Melbourne Walkabout is a discovery and learning experience through captivating walking tours of…read moreMelbourne. Come with us to unearth Melbourne's lively and energetic culture - from its hidden network of lanes and arcades, vibrant street art, heritage architecture and the multitude of food, shopping and entertainment opportunities. Immerse yourself in real Melbourne life with knowledgeable, truly local guides who will help you fall in love with our beautiful city. Tours avilable: City Cultural Tour - $35 Laneway Luncheon Tour - $75 Little Italy & Urban Bohemia Tour - $45 Custom, School & Private Bookings available (we can make a tour specific to your interests - coffee & food, churches, street art tours). Most tours meet at Federation Square - opposite Melbourne's main train station (Flinders Street Station).

Melbourne is a truly multicultural city, as it is Australia's most populous city. Since World War…read moreII, large-scale immigration from Vietnam, Lebanon, Turkey, Sudan, Italy, and Greece has added to the cultural richness. There is a rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney that extends beyond this city's 5.2 million population, from sporting events to fashion trends and economic influence. We could see just by driving around the city that Melbourne's distinct European charm and feel come through in interactions with both strangers on the street and working people, and that Melburnians emphasize their high quality of life. Below the city's towering skyscrapers (the tallest building is 108 stories high) is a grand mixture of well-preserved Victorian architecture, tree-lined boulevards, expansive gardens, and parks that adds a historical elegance. After visiting one of the city's historic and expansive gardens (Fitzroy Gardens) and passing by numerous green parks within the city's center, our group was taken to the Eureka Skydeck, AKA Melbourne Skydeck, to get a bird's eye view (well, 91 stories is higher than most non-migratory birds' flight) of this bustling city. The Melbourne Skydeck, on Level 88, is the highest observation deck in the Southern Hemisphere and offers a 360° panoramic view of the city and beyond. There is a glass-bottomed "cube" called "The Edge" that extends from the Sky Deck, but we didn't dare walk out onto it. Instead, we braved the OUTDOOR OBSERVATION DECK. We felt the wind and chill blowing through the observation deck as we snapped photos and braced ourselves against the guardrails and chain-link fence. After getting our fill of photos, we stopped to grab a snack at the Skydeck's concession stand. We tried the Australian Steak and Gravy Meat Pie ($10 AUD) and the Sausage Roll with Red Sauce ($10 AUD). Both food items were tasty, and their pastry was flaky and tender, though not the very best. However, I knew that we'd be trying more meat pies or sausage rolls as we continue our way through Australia to New Zealand.

The sky cleared enough for us to walk here and get outstanding views of the city. Adult tickets are…read moreabout $43 and allow you to ride the elevator to the 88th floor and walk around to 360 degree views of the city. We found sitting spots in every direction so that we could relax and enjoy the view. I thought it was cool to see an aerial view of where they play the Australian Tennis Open. Don't forget to step outside. There is a free gated area so you can experience the wind and chill of the air so far up. We grabbed a drink and sat and chatted and probably spent about an hour up there. Good stop.

Our walking tour with Rian was excellent. He was very personable, had a great sense of humor, and…read morea vast knowledge of the city which he delivered in an entertaining way. We had 31 tourists in our group, but it seemed smaller. He gave us time to take photos, but didn't make photos the overwhelming reason for our tour. Instead, he gave us a real sense of the city. Rian kept up our pace making sure we were all safe crossing streets. I would highly recommend this tour.

Sam whisked about 40 of us through many sights in 3 hours. We met him at 10:30 in front of the…read morelibrary and wandered through the city until 1:30. Sam gave us a lot of history and background to his city. Some points of interest visited were: - Old Melbourne Gaol, a former prison where Ned Kelly (a bushranger who was considered both a hero and a villain) was hung, and it's now part of RMIT University and a museum - Princess Theater, where a seat is always left unoccupied in honor of Frederick Federici, and the theater is supposedly haunted by his ghost - Chinatown, the oldest Chinatown in Australia and filled with cheap eats - Federation Square, a large public space great for televising live sporting events as well as for rioting - Flinders Station, the largest and busiest metro station in Melbourne - various alleyways that have cute cafés and restaurants that are prefect for bunch and lunch - street art that's legal at some alleyways