There are worse ways to spend an afternoon

It is safe to say that Melbourne, Australia is one of the most livable cities in the entire world. While it has been voted in the top-ten in Forbes magazine for this exact superlative multiple times, upon one visit, travelers will understand why. Though Melbourne is quite a large city, what makes it so great is that it somehow keeps a small town feel. Visitors are welcome, getting around the city is easy and besides having to blow through your travel budget, Melbourne is a great place to visit.

It is easy to get lost in the café culture, or spend your days recovering on St. Kilda beach before heading out for some great night life. One of Melbourne’s not so well kept secrets is that the town is ridiculously active. If you take a look at the streets, though there is the regular city traffic, bikes seem to be ubiquitous. Runners and joggers fill sidewalk paths, and workout attire is just as abundant as Melbourne’s unique fashion. With that being said, one way to break into the active culture is to hop on the Main Yarra Trail.

Following the Yarra River that runs through the city, the Main Yarra Trail is a biking and running trail that runs for kilometers to and from Melbourne’s Central Business District. While the trail intersects with the Capital City Trail, which dumps off at the South Bank area of the city, it also heads out toward many of the surrounding suburbs, and into the countryside to sights like Dight Falls.

The trail’s length and intersecting paths offer more kilometers than most people know what to do with. While there are many ways to explore the Yarra Trail, biking and walking seem to be the transportation of choice. With parks, lakes and stunning houses lining the trail, there is always something to see and look at while exploring the massive riverside trail.

If you are looking experience a different side of Melbourne, a trip down the Main Yarra Trail is an essential activity for a visit to the pleasant city.

Photo courtesy of Yelp