Romantic Melbourne - Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Two steady eagles stand sentry at the doors of your luxury accommodation at the recently refurbished 5-star Grand Hyatt on Russell Street.

Grand Hyatt / Melbourne

RU-CO / Grand Hyatt

The Guardians, two large sculptures, welcome you to the 5-star iconic hotel, which has undergone a $45 million redevelopment. Wander through the gleaming, tasteful lobbies, bar and dining spaces to discover the rest of the exciting art collection. Dine on authentic food using local and organic produce at Collins Kitchen, or have a drink in RU-CO, where you can choose from martinis, margaritas and classic cocktails. Indulge in some shopping in the newly opened luxury retail precinct, or a massage or treatment at the hotel's Sanctuary spa.

Head down the hill to the National Gallery of Victoria to see the strange visions of Dali, the Spanish Surrealist artist with the flamboyant moustache.

NGV International

Salvador Dalí: Liquid Desire brings together more than 200 works by Spanish surrealist Dalí. The exhibition, the sixth in the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series, is drawn from the two largest collections of Salvador Dalí in the world. See the famous Lobster Telephone, drawings, paintings and Dalí's collaborations in film with Alfred Hitchcock and other directors in the 1940s.

Dalí is best known for his strange visions that include melting pocket watches, burning giraffes, and disembodied limbs floating in empty 'dreamscapes'. A prolific artist, he produced paintings, drawings, sculpture, fashion, jewellery, cinema and photography, a TV ad, and the design for the Chupa Chups logo.

Stop for lunch at Il Solito Posto, a cafeteria, enoteca and trattoria that serves good quality Italian food in a warm bistro setting. Peruse the bistro menu or settle in for a fine dining experience. Step off busy Collins Street and look out for the retro bicycle that marks the entrance to this lower level bistro on George Parade (opposite the neon pink sign of Jamie Oliver's Fifteen).

An evening of art and entertainment starts dining under the murals on the walls of the popular Grossi Florentino.

Grossi Florentino

Jersey Boys / Original Broadway Cast

Grab a pre-theatre meal at Grossi Florentino, an iconic Italian restaurant that combines food, art, and wine. Choose a table in the restaurant, the more modern grill or the bustling cellar.

It is a short walk to the historic Princess Theatre to see the all-singing, all-dancing musical JERSEY BOYS, the story of how four ordinary boys escaped the mob and became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time.

Imposing sculptures loom over the bar in RU-CO, in the recently refurbished Grand Hyatt on Russell Street. Choose from martinis, margaritas and classic cocktails, as well as an impressive list of single malt whiskeys and cognacs, and a wine list drawn from the 2700 premium bottle wine room.

Begin the new day with breakfast in the comfort and privacy or your own room or perusing the choices on the menu at Collins Kitchen.

Collins Kitchen / Park Hyatt

Park Club Health & Day Spa

The Grand Hyatt's new open kitchen offers five different dining concepts, and simple, authentic cuisine using the finest local and organic produce. Take a seat in the a la carte restaurant for a continental or Collins Kitchen breakfast overlooking Russell Street.

Find respite from the bustle of the city at the Park Hyatt spa. The Park Club Health and Day Spa offers guests beauty, pamper and fitness facilities. Play a game of tennis or take a dip in the magnificent aquamarine pool set amongst a Grecian mural, domed ceiling and sandstone colonnades. Choose from a long list of indulgent treatments, including body and facial treatments, massages, manicures, pedicures and lifestyle consultations.

Emerge refreshed and rejuvenated, ready for a unique lunch experience.

Federation Square

The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia

Located in Federation Square, Tjanabi serves quality Australian game foods and native produce. Tjanabi's menu features kangaroo, emu, crocodile, wild boar and seafood, and is based on Melbourne's traditional six seasons.

Wander into The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia to see the life work of one of Australia's favourite twentieth century artists, John Brack. More than 150 paintings, including the iconic Collins Street 5p.m. and The bar, which was recently added the NGV's collection, are on show in this retrospective exhibition.

The Crown Complex, Southgate, is home to the Roman trattoria-style restaurant of Giuseppe, Arnaldo and Sons, a great place for a pre-show meal.

the Arts Centre

Curve / the Arts Centre

Look up and make a beeline for the twinkling lights of the 160-metre spire that tops the Arts Centre, the focal point of Melbourne Southbank entertainment precinct. Choose from symphony and chamber orchestras, concerts by big-name popular musicians, circus and physical theatre, operas, ballet and contemporary dance, and works by Shakespeare and new FULL TILT performance works.

Make sure you take the time to check out the art lining the corridors – the Arts Centre has an important collection and hosts touring exhibitions.

Get a bird's-eye view of early morning Melbourne from the basket of a hot air balloon.

Image courtesy of Global Ballooning

Mark an anniversary or make a moment memorable; take to the skies and experience the tranquility and scenery of drifting silently above the city. Join a one-hour hot air balloon ride over Melbourne at sunrise for unique views of the waking CBD, Port Phillip Bay and distant mountains and surrounds.

Come to ground for a breakfast that includes sparkling wine hosted at city public gardens or luxury hotels.

It's time to seek refuge from the outdoors and escape to ancient Pompeii.

Two Pairs of Earrings / Photo: William Starling, Alabama, USA

Two Pairs of Earrings / Photo: William Starling, USA

Garden fresco / Photo: William Starling, Alabama, USA

Pots and serving dishes / Photo: William Starling

Melbourne Museum recreates the Roman city and tells the story of its demise in A Day in Pompeii. Take a seat in the 3D theatre and experience the spectacular eruption of Mount Vesuvius that buried the city. The city's art, architecture and the belongings of its citizens lay preserved under volcanic ash and debris for almost 2,000 years, until rediscovered by archaeologists in the early 1700s.

See more than 250 objects – many never shown before in Australia – that were unearthed and that tell of food and dining, shopping, medicine and religion in the ancient city. Exquisite objects include marble sculpture, gold jewellery and delicate frescoes.

The clock is ticking. Before you racing off with your suitcase, treat yourself to a glass of something special with a view of some of Melbourne’s finest gold rush architecture.

Supper Club / Spring Street

Siglo / Spring Street

Step off Spring Street and enter the unmarked Supper Club door to climb several flights of stairs into a European setting. Siglo is a rooftop salon at the top of the city with great views, a bar sheltered under a metal and glass pavilion, and a graceful rooftop terrace paved in checkerboard squares set against the stunning backdrop of the Princess Theatre. Order a cognac, a cigar or a glass of something European.