If you haven't yet visited Australia then you probably don't fully appreciate what you're missing. It is an amazing country of contrasts, from busy cities like Sydney and Melbourne, to the unspoilt natural wonders of Kakadu Tours The National Park in the Northern Territory. A tour around Australia will be the experience of a lifetime.

Australia, the sixth largest country on the planet, is vast, and stretches 2,547 miles from east to west, and 1,975 miles from north to south, with about 18,600 miles of continuous coastline. Yes, Australia is massive but most of it is uninhabited, or more precisely, uninhabitable. The locals call it "the outback", which really means desert, or semi-desert land. Most of Australia's population (more than 22.5 million as at April 2011) is concentrated on the east coast, where the land is generally more fertile. 

Now let's start our tour around Australia. costa del sol holiday rentals

Although most international tourists fly in to Cairns, Brisbane, Sydney, or Melbourne, we'll start this tour around Australia right in the middle at Alice Springs. Known locally as "Alice", the town is best accessed by plane from a major city. If you want to really treat yourself, take the famous Ghan Train for Ghan Tours

, which runs from Adelaide in the south to Darwin in the North. For most tourists, the main reason for visiting Alice Springs is to see Ayres Rock (also called Uluru). Ayres Rock is truly spectacular and has to be seen to be believed.

A huge jump to the north-west coast of Australia is the town of Broome which is renowned for its pearls, camel rides, crystal clear turquoise water, white sandy beaches, and an average year-round temperature of 90°+ F (30° C).

Head south 1367 miles and you'll eventually reach Perth, the capital of Western Australia. Perth is a beautiful thriving city and the main service center for the mining industry (gold, diamonds, nickel, coal, iron ore, alumina, mineral sands, oil, and natural gas).

Head east on your tour around Australia 1,673 by car (or on the Indian Pacific Train) and you'll reach Adelaide the capital of South Australia. Adelaide is steeped in character, history and charm and it often called "The City of Churches."

Head south-east and you'll eventually, (yes, Australia is a big country) reach Melbourne, the capital of Victoria. Melbourne is a wonderfully cosmopolitan city and is known for its great shopping and delicious food. Melbourne has many restaurants and businesses run by descendents of early and recent immigrants from Italy, Greece and Asia. The city boasts the world's largest tram network which adds greatly the character and charm of Melbourne city. villa costa del sol

Travel 546 miles over the border north-east to the New South Wales capital of Sydney. This city is most famous for its Opera House and the Sydney Harbor Bridge. The city is built around one of the most beautiful harbors in the world and in 2010 was ranked as one of "the 10 most livable cities in the world." There's always something happening in Sydney and plenty to do, whether it's a visit to Darling Harbor, Bondi Beach, Hyde Park or the Royal Botanical Gardens, not to mention the various museums and other wonderful attractions Sydney has to offer.