Canberra - Capital of Australia
When Australians wanted to choose a capital city, they had two successful options: Melbourne and Sydney, but it was difficult to choose between them. In order not to deprive either one, they decided to establish a new city located between them, and indeed in 1911 they declared a new territory in Australia:
Australian Capital Territory – ACT, where the capital city Canberra would be established. The name was likely taken from the Aboriginal word "Cambera", meaning "meeting place".
Since the city did not exist at all, Australians had an opportunity to plan the city from scratch and choose the most suitable location for themselves. Indeed, they held an international competition among architects from all over the world to design the new city. The winning proposal was by Walter Burley Griffin from the USA, whose design was influenced by that of the capital, Washington. He designed the Capitol at the top of a hill, with wide avenues radiating from it. Special areas were designated for embassies, various public buildings, residential areas, recreation, and sports—in short, as a proper city should be, rather than a patchwork built over time. In the center of the city is a large lake surrounded by a beautiful promenade and many green spaces. In the heart of the lake, a tall fountain was installed, operating daily between 14:00 and 16:00.
A detailed explanation of the city planning and models of the city can be seen on a tour of the Australian Capital Exhibition building – National Capital Exhibition, located before the bridge leading to the Capitol.
Model of the city of Canberra:
Canberra can be reached by a flight of about 50 minutes to an hour and a quarter from the following main cities in the eastern part of Australia: Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. The city does not have an international airport (despite being the capital of such a large country). Only two airlines fly to the city's small and intimate airport: Qantas and Virgin Blue. A taxi from the airport will take you to the city in about 15-20 minutes.
Recommended Hotels in Canberra
About ten hotels in the city are located on the avenue leading to the Capitol, called Northbourne Avenue. About five more hotels are located at the end of this avenue near the city center, and about a dozen more hotels are located about a kilometer southeast of the Capitol.
♦ Midnight Hotel, Autograph Collection
5-star hotel in the city center. Indoor pool, restaurant, bar, sauna, gym, parking, free internet.
4-star hotel, restaurant, bar, free internet and parking.
4-star apartment hotel. Fully equipped 2, 3, and 4-room apartments with kitchen, dining area, and washing machine. Outdoor pool, gym, free internet and parking.
4-star hotel, restaurant, bar, gym, parking, free internet.
Attractions for Visitors in Canberra
The city is large and spacious with many walking and cycling paths.
♦ Guided tours in Canberra (available for purchase on Viator):
To see most of the interesting attractions, it is recommended to first join a guided daily bus tour, which allows you to get off at stops along the way and hop back on during its next loop. The bus also stops at hotels (upon request) and departs from its main station (Stop #11) in the city center five times a day. It is called: Explorer Bus.
The attractions along the bus route are: Australian War Memorial – an impressive and large war museum. The site is located on a hill overlooking Anzac Parade, which is lined with numerous monuments dedicated to Australia's fallen service members, and in a straight line from this avenue, you can see Capitol Hill.
Australian War Memorial:
View from the War Memorial towards the Old Parliament House (closer) and the New Parliament House:
The next stop on the route is the National Library of Australia, followed by the science museum, named Questacon—a large, interactive museum especially suitable for children. Next is the National Portrait Gallery, featuring paintings and sculptures of Australian figures and personalities from various eras. Further along, you reach the High Court of Australia building, the National Gallery of Australia, the National Archives, and then Capitol Hill, home to the New Parliament House and nearby Old Parliament House. It is worthwhile to join one of the guided tours on site (free!) and also tour independently in other areas not included in the guided tour, such as the building's roof, which offers a fine view of the surroundings.
The Old Parliament House (above) and the New Parliament House (below)
Adjacent to the Old Parliament House, which resembles a Southern American manor building in structure, an Aboriginal protest camp was established with many tents where they reside, along with protest messages explaining their demands alongside their characteristic art and symbols.
From the Capitol, the tour continues to the Royal Australian Mint, where you can observe the production process of Australian coins and receive explanations about the process, including the minting of various medals. Admission to the Mint, like most of Canberra's national museums (except for the science museum), is free.
From there, the bus takes a tour through the embassy district, where various embassies are designed according to each country's characteristic architectural style. Unfortunately, the Israeli embassy was characterized by high gates and fences with security including a guard tower, cameras, and police cars...
Particularly impressive are the embassies of China, Thailand, Greece, South Africa, and the USA, which is also the largest of them all.
Afterward, you can join (for an additional fee) a lake cruise or continue to the National Museum of Australia.
Then the bus continues to the National Botanic Gardens.
After completing the tour above and becoming more familiar with the city, it is recommended to rent a bicycle and explore the many additional attractions located around Lake Burley Griffin. Bicycles can be rented near the lake, right before and adjacent to the bridge leading from the city center to the Capitol.
Renting is available for an hour, two hours, 4 hours, or a full day. Riding is easy as there are no inclines, and there is a variety of bicycle types available, including four-person pedal surreys suitable for young children.
For those interested in a high vantage view of the city, it is recommended to take a bus/rental car or taxi to Telstra Tower, also known as the "Black Mountain Tower," located on a hill overlooking the city. The elevator will bring you to an observation deck at a height of about 60m from the base of the tower. The site features an enclosed observation deck and an open deck above it. For those interested, there is also a revolving restaurant at the top of the tower.
Telstra Tower and the view facing the city
♦ Renting a car from the reliable and convenient Booking.com site: Booking.com
Animal lovers are invited to visit the Canberra Aquarium and adjacent to it, Canberra's excellent zoo, where special small-group tours can be arranged (for an additional fee) that include feeding animals, meeting a cheetah, and more.
Shopping can be done at the huge shopping center in the city center called Canberra Centre. A nice and interesting open market on Sundays from 10:00 to 16:00 is located east of the Capitol, adjacent to Wentworth Avenue near the lake, named: Old Bus Depot Markets.
At this market, many producers showcase their goods with plenty of samples available to taste before purchasing: cakes, jams, spreads, honey, and more. There is also a variety of handmade crafts, paintings, etc.
Adjacent to the market in a building that previously served as a power plant, there is a large glass workshop, Canberra Glassworks, where you can watch glassblowers hard at work.
Summer weather ranges from warm to very hot days. In winter, daytime temperatures are cool, around 10 degrees, and drop close to zero at night. Winter mornings can be foggy, but it later clears up, usually leaving blue skies and a cool sun.
Here too, the most pleasant seasons to visit are spring and autumn, but Canberra is undoubtedly a great destination to visit all year round.