If you're someone who's looking for a place that feels like it could be home, the capital of Australia will not disappoint.
The cheeriness and natural beauty of Canberra's landscape will drain away all fatigue. Canberra is unique in that it is one of the few purpose-built planned cities in Australia - construction began in 1913 and was heavily influenced by the garden city movement, which resulted in significant areas of natural vegetation being retained.
In Canberra, your spirit will be refreshed - the nature lover within you will revel in Floriade and your worries will diminish in a hot air balloon flight. Discover romance in a vineyard, have an adventure in the white snowfields at the Snowy Mountains and indulge in good food, wine and company at the Fireside Festival.
By the end of your trip, you'll be rejuvenated.
Floriade festival
The anxieties fly like pollen in Spring
Canberra is an idyllic gem - there is nothing quite like sunshine and vibrant colours to elevate one's soul.
The best time to immerse yourself in Canberra's flora and fauna is during Floriade, the largest Spring festival in the Southern Hemisphere which boasts over a million bulbs spanning over 10,668 square metres.
It typically takes place in the first half of the southern spring and there could be no better place to have a picnic with your loved ones.
Floriade, whose name is derived from the latin word floriat, means "to design with flowers". Each year, the immense garden beds in the Commonwealth Park depict a different theme - the theme for this year's event from September 12 to October 11 is Mind, Body, Soul.
Work to bring forth the meticulous designs commences 18 months ahead of the event, and its one million bulbs are cultivated with the greatest care to ensure blooming on cue.
Colours tend to change, so do visit more than once during this 30 day-long festival if you can, to soak in the full glory of the blooms.
Activities are also on-going - adults may sneak off for some quiet time with a glass of wine amongst the tulips while the children remain enthralled at kids' gardening workshops, story telling sessions, and patting the baby animals. Or simply allow roaming performers come to you with their music and dance while the whole family kicks back at a cafe on a verandah overlooking the stunning garden displays.
Float along like a cloud
Get a bird's eye view of the Capital City and be captivated by Canberra's natural beauty with a ride in the hot air balloon.
Hot air ballooning over Parliament House
Prepare to get up at the break of dawn as this is the time when winds are most stable, assuring a tranquil flight. Ascending up to 3,500 feet above sea level is the best way to appreciate the lush landscape in its totality. For a moment, experience true detachment from your earthly concerns as you soar across blue skies in a Kukuberra shaped balloon watching as the sun softly fills the valley and lakes with its morning light.
The best time to go ballooning is during Canberra's Festival Balloon Spectacular that occurs every March. It is a spectacular showcase of hot air balloons soaring in the sky.
Canberra is one of the few places in the world to allow hot air balloons to fly close to buildings of significant importance, much to the glee of trigger-happy photographers - there is hardly a more picturesque spot to release a balloon than right next to the capital's Parliament House.
Up to 50 balloons are inflated from 6:30am daily throughout the duration of the festival, and will fly over the lake and city after a gentle lift off. Balloons originate from all over Australia and overseas and take all shapes - you could be floating along in a flying house or a cheery ladybug.
Balloon flights last about 45 minutes, costing between AUD$290 to AUD$340 per person or AUD$210 to AUD$250 per child aged 6-12 depending on the time of the flight. All participants will be granted a commemorative certificate and a glass of champagne to top off an already amazing experience.
If you would rather watch balloons float upwards from the ground rather than in the basket, fret not! There will be entertainment on the ground which continues even after landing with band performances until 10am. There is no fee for being a spectator.
Do note that ballooning occurs as weather permits - for safety reasons, there will be no take offs when the weather is wet, foggy or too windy.
Dionysos and all his friends
For a touch of romance, consider driving down to the quaint rural community of Wamboin where you will find a group of passionate wine-makers. A vineyard that even Dionysos himself, the Greek god of wine and pleasure, would recommend for a wonderful meal and session of wine sampling is Lambert.
A leisurely 25-minute drive past the Canberra Airport and up Norton's Road, Lambert Vineyard awaits you on a quiet little hill. Lambert's lovely hospitable hosts, Steve and Ruth Lambert take pride in their extensive range of wines that have been rated 4½ stars out of 5 by Halliday, a renowned wine critic.
Lambert's renowned Shiraz wines and wagyu beef are highly recommended.
A perfect venue to chill out for all seasons, curl up for a romantic evening with a fireplace in the room in winter, or, opt to lounge on the vendetta for a lazy afternoon sipping award-winning wine while enjoying the view of the vineyard and surrounding hills.
White magic
A plus side for the adventurer in you is the proximity of Canberra to the mountains - don't restrict yourself to the city alone!
Kosciuszko National Park, Snowy Mountains
Explore the Snowy Mountains, a mere two-hour drive from the Capital, where you are offered the chance to frolic in lush snow and get out your winter wear for snow boarding and skiing.
Recommended ski resorts are Perisher Blue, Thredbo and Selwyn Snowfields that aren't just restricted to Winter activities - in the Summer, Thredbo offers golfing, bushwalking and bobsledding.
Be sure to visit Mount Kosciuszko - the highest peak in mainland Australia. Its national park offers beautiful views of unique alpine plant species, lakes and historic mountain huts; in short, the perfect landscape for a bout of hiking.
At the Yarrangobilly Caves, wonders of nature abound. Frozen waterfalls, limestone caves and underground pools provide a visual feast not to be missed.
Should you decide to head to the Snowy Mountains by car, the "Alpine Way" highway grants you a view of Australia's highest peaks and beautiful alpine scenery.
Other main roads to the Snowy Mountains include Snowy Mountains Hwy, Monaro Hwy and Elliot Way. Do, however, check on the seasonal information for road conditions - in the case of snow, roads become slippery and four wheel drives or snow chains become mandatory.
The Promethean heat
Canberra is also a city of festivals and a favourite event is the Fireside Festival, happening from August 1 to 31.
With 23 businesses from around the reigion working together to create events, each weekend promises to showcase a myriad of activities by the fireside, which include tastings of some of the finest wines in the region, music performances, indulging in dinners and hot chocolate, hot rock massage therapy, horse rides, as well as the chance to tour the studios of local artists.
Getting there: BY CAR: If driving, drive south on Northbourne Ave should bring you to Commonwealth Park just before the bridge across Lake Burley Griffin. Follow the directions and there should be allocated parking spaces close to the floral displays. At certain periods, it may take some time to find parking space when particularly large crowds head to the festival. ON FOOT: It is a five-minute stroll from the city centre. Public transport is also available.
When: September 12 to October 11
9am - 5pm Monday to Friday
8am - 5:30pm weekends and public holidays
Last entry to the event is 30 minutes before closing.
Getting there:
The meeting place is in the foyer of Canberra's premier five star hotel, The Park Hyatt, which is located on Commonwealth Avenue, Yarralumla, just two minutes from Parliament House.
When: March 6 to 14, 2010. Flights are available the whole of the year, however.
