Less than an hour’s drive from Melbourne, Victoria, the Yarra Valley is home to some of the world’s finest cool climate wines. Yet the region is so much more than just a wine love’s playground. The Yarra Valley is filled with year round natural beauty, inviting accommodation to suit all visitors and more experiences than you could ever hope to enjoy in just one visit.

Collecting a basket of produce fresh from the fields at one of many local farmer’s markets is a favourite day out for many. Others revel in the challenge of the region’s picturesque championship standard golf courses. Or a riverbank stroll to enjoy romantic vistas of rolling hills and rich green pastures might be high on the agenda. With so much to offer visitors soon discover the Yarra Valley is the ‘valley of plenty’ in so many ways.

The birthplace of the Victorian wine industry, the Yarra Valley is today home to over 70 wineries. Regional specialties include sparkling wines, chardonnay and pinot noir; shiraz and cabernet sauvignon styles also command plenty of much deserved attention. Whether the region’s wineries are discovered by car, bicycle or as part of a wine tour, the romantic atmosphere of hill tip vineyards and cosy cellar door experiences will prove irresistible.

Staying in the Yarra Valley places visitors in one of Melbourne’s premier wine and food destinations. Each day’s activities can be mapped out at a rustic cafe while breakfasting on farm fresh local offerings. Many wineries offer everything from light tasting platters to fine dining experiences for lunch. And dinner at one of the Yarra Valley’s many award-winning restaurants will illustrate why the region has lured so many top city chefs to its innovative kitchens. The Yarra Valley is surprisingly close, yet a world away.