It's the Year of the Superlative for Melbourne and Victoria

World's Best 'Large' Sports City

It seems that there are few 'hot lists' or 'best of' lists these days that don't include mention of Melbourne. The city has held the number one spot as the world's Most Liveable City by the Economist Intelligent Unit for three years, now a spate of further accolades place the city firmly on the global radar as a world leader for food and wine, creativity, arts and culture, sporting events and spa and wellness.

World's Best 'Large' Sports City 

– Melbourne was named the world's best 'Large City' for sports at the 2014 SportsBusiness Ultimate Sports City Awards in late March. Melbourne also won the title for best city in the world for Sports Venues, and best Events Strategy. From much loved annual events such as the Melbourne Cup Carnival and the Australian Open Tennis Championships to one-off sports events, Melbourne delivers an event for every kind of sports lover.

Australia's Best Major Festivals and Event, Visitor Information and Services and Standard Accommodation

– three Victorian tourism operators walked away with gold honours at the 2013 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards which were held in Sydney Friday 7 February. The Frankston Visitor Information Centre (Visitor Information and Services), the Mornington Peninsula's Blue Moon Cottages (Standard Accommodation) and the Melbourne Cup Carnival (Major Festivals and Event) were all recognised as 'best in category', winning Gold at the awards.

Australia's Best City, Best Winter Holiday and Most Romantic City 

– Melbourne took the top gong as Australia's 'Best City', 'Best Winter Holiday' destination and 'Most Romantic City' at the Australian Traveller Magazine awards which were announced in December 2013. The regional town of Daylesford, famous for its abundance on spa and wellness options, was also named 'Best Town' in Australia at the awards. In March this year Daylesford was also recognised by Lonely Planet as the 'Best Place in Australia for an Indulgent Escape' in their list of Ultimate Australian Weekend Escapes.

Australasia's Best Restaurant 

– Melbourne's Attica restaurant has once again been recognised as one of the best restaurants in the world at the San Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants awards. Located in the suburb or Ripponlea and led by head chef Ben Shewry, Attica was ranked as the 32nd best in the world. It is the only Australia restaurant to feature on the list. Since opening seven years ago, Attica has garnered the attention of top food critics from Australia and beyond.

World's Best Pizza 

- Melbourne's vibrant Lygon Street strip was put on the world map when local pizza maker Johnny Di Francesco, owner of 400 Gradi, had his margherita pizza named the best in the world at the World Pizza Championships in Parma, Italy in mid-April. Soon after winning the award Di Francesco announced he would be opening a second outpost of his popular restaurant at the Crown complex at Southbank.

World's Best Coffee 

World's Best Coffee

– Melbourne has long been known as the coffee capital of Australia – now according to one of the world's leading travel websites, booking.com, Melbourne has the best coffee in the world. A recent survey found that Melbourne beat both Rome and Vienna to take out the coveted position – an accolade coffee loving locals will happily agree with. Popular haunts for coffee include Brother Baba Budan, Dukes Coffee Roasters and Market Lane Coffee.

World's Best Street Art 

– leading online newspaper the Huffington Post has named Melbourne as the third best city in the world when it comes to contemporary street art. From hidden laneways, to murals, to pieces adorning city building walls – colourful and creative street art can be found throughout Melbourne's city centre and surrounding inner city precincts. Visitors can undertake public or private tours to discover the best the city has to offer, or they can simply follow their nose through the myriad of laneways throughout the city.

Word's Best Luxury Mineral Spring Spa 

– the Peninsula Hot Springs on the Mornington Peninsula was named the Best Luxury Mineral Spa at the 2014 World Luxury Spa Awards. The Peninsula Hot Springs are Australia's first natural geo-thermal springs, here visitors can immerse themselves in the heated, soothing mineral waters and unwind amongst the tranquil bushland setting. The venue is home to more than 20 varied bathing experiences in the social Bath House area, and a private area for personal time out with luxurious treatments, baths and pampering in the Spa Dreaming Centre.

Australia's Best Aboriginal experience 

– Worn Gundidj @Tower Hill, located in Victoria's Great Ocean Road region was named number one in a list of ten essential Aboriginal Tourism experiences by Australia and New Zealand Travel Magazine in March this year. Victoria's Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve is one of Australia's most unique landscapes, an ancient geological landform nestled inside a dormant volcano formed more than 30,000 years ago. It's also one of the country's most fascinating Aboriginal environments and Worn Gundidj Tours at Tower Hill offers guided bush walking tours through the reserve with local guides offering insights into the areas flora and fauna and Aboriginal significance.

Award winning marketing initiative 

– it's not only our tourism products and services that are being recognised, Tourism Victoria has also been recognised internationally for its innovative and creative Melbourne Remote Control Touristtourism marketing initiative. Most recently the campaign was named the best Social Media Campaign at the Webby Awards - the leading international award honouring excellence on the Internet. At the 35th Australasian Writers and Art Directors Association (AWARD) Awards the Melbourne Remote Control Tourist won the Film and Video and Digital categories and took out the prestigious Best in Show category. This award follows the campaign's recent international success at the 2014 South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive awards, in Austin Texas, where the initiative won the Technical Achievement category. The awards recognise those on the cutting edge of technology, creativity and innovation globally.

For more information go to Tourims Victoria's media portal www.piecesofvictoria.com/international
or www.visitmelbourne.com