Sydney

Sydney, with the population of more than 4.5 million inhabitants is considered as one of the most beautiful cities of the world. Together with Melbourne it is the economic and cultural centre of the country. Its cultural life is very exciting with numerous events throughout the year. There are artistic and community projects and manifestations in many suburbs. This is why the International Festivals and Events Association has acknowledged Sydney as the world’s most outstanding city in the over one million population category.

You’ll never be bored in this lovely city. There’s plenty of fun to be had with outdoor festivals whilst special events abound. In the area of The Rocks, Circular Quay and Darling Harbour you can easily discover themed markets, musical performances and free family events. You’ll be able to find plenty of fantastic seasonal and permanent exhibitions in our many museums and art galleries including the Australian Museum, Australian National Maritime Museum, Art Gallery of NSW, Museum of Contemporary Art and many more.
Those who love great theatre will also be satisfied as the Sydney Opera House, Capitol Theatre and Theatre Royal offer everything from musicals, comedy and drama productions as well as opera and ballet.

Apart from the cultural activities residents of Sydney enjoy living a healthy, outdoor lifestyle. There are more than 120 amazing beaches, such as the well-known Bondi Beach, many green and beautiful parks, places for jogging, barbecues, and social meetings. Thanks to all that Sydney is the perfect mix of cosmopolitan city and unspoiled nature and a perfect place to study and work.

Located on the south-east Australian coast, Sydney has a temperate climate. Summer here is warm and sunny. Winters are mild with cool nights but and the temperatures are far higher that winters in most other, e.g. European cities. Minimum temperatures reach 7-8 degrees in the coldest months.
Sydney’s climate is pleasantly temperate all year round with more than 340 sunny days a year. In summer (December to February), average maximum temperatures in Sydney are around 26°C. It can also be humid at this time with an average humidity of 65 per cent. Average maximum temperatures in the winter (June-August) are around 16°C. Sydney’s rainfall is highest between March and June.

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and with the population of 4.35 million the most populated city in the state of Victoria, and the second the biggest city in Australia. Melbourne is an international cultural centre, with cultural straddling major events and festivals, drama, musicals, comedy, music, art, architecture, literature, film and television.

It is Australia’s best place for shopping, for those with a lively passion for eating and drinking, and a flourishing interest in the arts. Melbourne is an international centre for performing and visual arts. It is home to many of Australia’s largest and oldest institutions such as the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Zoo, Melbourne Museum, the National Gallery of Victoria and the Royal Exhibition Building.

The city also hosts three major annual international sporting events: the Australian Open (tennis tournaments), the Melbourne Cup (horse racing) and the Australian Grand Prix (Formula One). It was proclaimed the “World’s Ultimate Sports City”, in 2006, 2008 and 2010, and several times has been ranked as the world’s most liveable city, the best place to live in, etc.

Melbourne was ranked the world’s fourth top university city in 2008 after London, Boston and Tokyo. The most known are the University of Melbourne and Monash University.

Melbourne has a moderate oceanic climate and is known for its changeable weather conditions. This is mainly due to Melbourne’s location situated on the boundary of the very hot inland areas and the cool southern ocean. In summer (December to February), average maximum temperatures in Melbourne are around 25°C. Average maximum temperatures in winter (June-August) are around 14°C.