MELBOURNE & YARRA VALLEY WINE TOUR, VIC
(10 DAYS/9 NIGHTS)


This itinerary may be operated on a private or self-drive basis, choice of 3, 4 or 5 star accommodation, may
be customized in any way to include wineries of your choice and other wine areas and leisure touring activities
in Australia and New Zealand 

DAY 1        LOS ANGELES/MELBOURNE
Depart Los Angeles for Melbourne on Qantas 747

DAY 2        EN ROUTE
Lose one day in traveling over the international date line.

DAY 3        MELBOURNE/YARRA RIVER
You will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel in downtown Melbourne by private car; stay overlooking the Yarra River, in a trendy South Yarra boutique property or in the city center at an historic hotel built in 1883 and faithfully restored.  After a rest, enjoy a cruise on the Yarra River and a stroll along the river at Southgate with its myriad activities and restaurants.  Take a taxi or a horse and carriage back to your hotel.  Tonight, an early dinner on a tramcar with transfers back to the hotel.

DAY 4        CITY SIGHTS/CITY DINING
Discover the highlights of Melbourne, the garden city, and its varied cuisine.  See the city's highlights and continue to Carlton with its magnificent collection of terrace houses and iron lace verandas, as well as small restaurants and coffee shops.  Visit the colorful Victoria Market and Captain Cook's Cottage in the beautiful Fitzroy Gardens.  The afternoon is at leisure to explore more of this fascinating city.

DAY 5        YARRA VALLEY/CHATEAU YERING
The Yarra Valley was established as a wine growing area in the latter part of the 19th century and is currently a premium wine growing district.  With a cool climate and soils suited to the production of dry red wine, and exciting chardonnays and pinot noirs. Several small wineries are St. Hubert's, Coldstream Hills, Yarra Yering, Yeringberg and Seville Estate.  Visit a few of the wineries and vineyards in the Yarra Valley with your private tour guide, e.g. Domaine Chandon (sparkling wines), de Bortoli and Yarra Yering.  Lunch at one of the wineries, selecting perhaps an Aussie or northern Italian cuisine.  Accommodation tonight at a deluxe boutique hotel.  Dinner tonight in the hotel restaurant.

DAY 6        HEALESVILLE SANCTUARY
More wineries and perhaps hot air ballooning with breakfast at one of the wineries.  Continue to Healesville Sanctuary to meet some of our indigenous animals, koalas, kangaroos, platypus and wallabies.  This afternoon continue to the Mornington Peninsula with its 30 wineries, just south of Melbourne. Accommodation at a boutique manor house with fine dining and views of the country side and garden.

DAY 7        MORNINGTON PENINSULA
Wine tasting in the morning at Karina Vineyard and Dromana Estate where you'll also have lunch.  A strong influence from the nearby sea, cool climate, some fertile volcanic soils, producing chardonnay and pinot noir for the most part.

DAY 8        GREAT OCEAN ROAD
Drive to the end of the peninsula and take the ferry to Queenscliff for a tour along the Great Ocean Road.  Accommodation at a deluxe B&B or guest house.

DAY 9        MELBOURNE
Return to Melbourne at your leisure.

DAY 10        MELBOURNE/LOS ANGELES
Transfer to the airport for your departure flight. 

WINE TOURS AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND
PO Box 927136, San Diego Ca 92192-7136
Tel: 858-550 9696
e.mail:
mike@winetoursaustralia-nz.com
In conjunction with Down Under Answers CST:207623340