If food and wine is your thing and you have a couple of days to spare then the Yarra Valley is the place for you. Chock full of picture postcard rolling hills, there are few better things to do than eat, drink and be merry... all less than a 1 hour drive from central Melbourne. Such beauty and proximity to the city make it a popular weekend destination so be sure to book accommodation and restaurants in advance. Weekday mornings are best if you want to avoid coach loads at cellar doors, however a lot of places are shut Tuesday and Wednesday. Visit all year round but if possible avoid the heat of mid summer - early autumn is prime time with the grape harvest, glowing sunsets and a little nip in the air at night an incentive to cosy up to the fire. Once there, everything is pretty much within a 10 minute drive... perfect for a lazy escape!
