| From world famous wines to fabulously fresh food and breathtaking scenery, the Yarra Valley is Victoria’s source of indulgent sensations.
Whether you plan to hide away in luxury and be pampered, or set forth on any number of exciting activities, this region of hidden delight will tempt you with each new experience.
With a majestic backdrop of blue ranges and beautiful rolling hills strung with vines, the Yarra Valley is only one hours drive from Melbourne. It offers visitors an ideal blend of country character and urban sophistication - a happy marriage between warm village hospitality and five star attention to detail.
Healesville and Yarra Glen have captivating personalities of their own. Located in this lush wine region, it’s well worth lingering in these small towns which offer such rewarding experiences including a wealth of shopping and plenty of comfortable places to stay. In fact, the whole area has an overwhelming range of accommodation choices which vary from five star opulence to self-contained cottages and fine hotels. Each one is uniquely “Yarra Valley” in charm, hospitality and attention to detail.
Staying in the Dandenong Ranges means experiencing all the dramatic changes of real seasons, the myriad hues of autumn and spring, summer’s shady coolness and the crisp misty surrounds of winter.
Dotted through the Dandenong Ranges are gorgeous villages with poetic names like Olinda, Ferny Creek, Kallista, Kalorama and Sassafras. Amongst majestic eucalyptus and giant fern trees, these little places feature cottage style homes and gardens, shops, galleries and cafes resplendent with roaring fires in winter and cool outdoor settings ideal for summer. Olinda is the highest of the Dandenong Villages. Clustered along the Mount Dandenong Tourist Road, this hilltop village is often shrouded in the mist that gathers at the top of the mountain.
Hidden among the hills are a mix of bed and breakfasts, garden fringed guesthouses and cottages and the legacy of more than 100 years of romantic getaways. The hills diverse climate offers such different experiences. Wake in winter to an open crackling fire in the hearth of your historic bed and breakfast, then rug up and venture into the brittle sunshine to sample roasted chestnuts from a village street vendor. Visit the Dandenong Ranges in the warmer months and enjoy a refreshingly cool and spacious atmosphere that is a world away from Melbourne.
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