Melbourne, Australia

With its more famous and glamorous sister city Sydney grabbing all the attention, Melbourne has long seemed like the shy, pretty wallflower at a high school dance. That’s not the case now. The city is strutting its stuff after being named one of the world’s most livable cities. Stroll the beaches in St. Kilda and sip cocktails on a patio with an ocean view. Shop in the historic city center chockablock with elegant Victorian-era architecture. And discover the newest area for tourism—Melbourne Docklands. Once just swampland, it has been reinvented as cultural and business hub. Take a boat cruise from here or sign up for a few lessons on the art of sailing yachts. Or head to the sky aboard the Melbourne Star Observation Wheel (similar to the London Eye) to marvel at the beauty of the city skyline at night.(Photo: Thinkstock/iStock)Read the original story: The Next Big Thing: 10 Awesome Comeback Cities to Visit by Michele Sponagle, who is a regular contributor to SmarterTravel