20 days in Oceania & London Itinerary

The state of Victoria crown jewel, Melbourne boasts shaded streets, leafy residential neighborhoods, vibrant street life, and a picturesque city center.

Eschew the tourist crowds and head to National Gallery of Victoria and Shrine of Remembrance. The adventure continues: browse the collection at State Library Victoria, don't miss a visit to Flinders Street Station, tour the water at your own pace with Melbourne Boat Hire, and examine the collection at Melbourne Museum.

To find traveler tips, maps, ratings, and other tourist information, use the Melbourne day trip tool.

London, UK to Melbourne is an approximately 24.5-hour flight. The time zone changes from Greenwich Mean Time to Australian Eastern Standard Time, which is usually a 10 hour difference. Traveling from London in September, Melbourne is little chillier at night with lows of 7°C. On the 21st (Thu), wrap the sightseeing up by early afternoon so you can fly to Cairns.

A neat, cosmopolitan city of shaded plazas and laid-back neighborhoods, Cairns serves as a popular base for exploration of the surrounding region and the Great Barrier Reef, as well as a center for watersport activities like surfing or waterskiing.

Explore hidden gems such as Botanical Gardens and Esplanade Boardwalk. Spend the 22nd (Fri) among aquatic life with a scuba or snorkeling tour. There's more to do: have fun at Esplanade Lagoon Pool.

To see more things to do, reviews, ratings, and tourist information, refer to the Cairns online tour planner.

You can fly from Melbourne to Cairns in 5 hours. Other options are to drive; or take a train. Traveling from Melbourne in September, you will find days in Cairns are a bit warmer (33°C), and nights are much hotter (22°C). Wrap up your sightseeing by early afternoon on the 24th (Sun) to allow enough time to travel to Airlie Beach.

Very much a town with an emphasis on the tropical lifestyle, Airlie Beach offers exotic surroundings with palm trees and charming, sandy beaches.

Get ready for a full day of sightseeing on the 26th (Tue): kick back and relax at Airlie Beach Lagoon and then zoom along the surf with a waterskiing or jet-skiing adventure.

To find maps, photos, ratings, and other tourist information, refer to the Airlie Beach road trip planning site.

You can do a combination of flight and ferry from Cairns to Airlie Beach in 4.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or take a bus. When traveling from Cairns in September, plan for a bit cooler days and about the same nights in Airlie Beach: temperatures range from 29°C by day to 23°C at night. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 27th (Wed) early enough to fly to Sydney.

Lent iconic status as a result of its famous bridge and opera house, Sydney has a down-to-earth charm that enhances its spectacular setting and functional efficiency.

On the 27th (Wed), go for a walk through The Opera House to the Botanic Gardens Walk and then catch a live performance at Sydney Opera House. Get ready for a full day of sightseeing on the next day: take in the dramatic natural features at Mrs Macquarie's Chair, take in nature's colorful creations at Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, then snap pictures at Sydney Harbour Bridge, and finally take a stroll through The Rocks.

To see ratings, maps, photos, and more tourist information, go to the Sydney visit website.

Traveling by flight from Airlie Beach to Sydney takes 4 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or do a combination of bus and train. Traveling from Airlie Beach in September, things will get a bit cooler in Sydney: highs are around 25°C and lows about 14°C. Cap off your sightseeing on the 30th (Sat) early enough to catch the flight to London.

Vibrant and noisy, London is one of the world’s leading cities, an international capital of culture, education, fashion, music, finance, trade, and politics.

You'll discover tucked-away gems like Trafalgar Square and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. There's still lots to do: contemplate the long history of Buckingham Palace, walk around Hyde Park, take in the spiritual surroundings of Westminster Abbey, and admire the striking features of Tower of London.

To see photos, traveler tips, and more tourist information, use the London driving holiday planner.

You can fly from Sydney to London in 25 hours. Traveling from Sydney to London, you'll gain 10 hours due to the time zone difference. Expect slightly colder temperatures when traveling from Sydney in October; daily highs in London reach 19°C and lows reach 10°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 5th (Thu) so you can travel back home.