There are so many interesting facts about Australia that I’m just hitting the surface with these top tips on cultural attractions. No matter which part of the country you wish to visit, you’ll have to make some hard choices of what to see the next time—Australia will always have you wanting to come back for more. With eight different and distinct states and territories making up the country, I’ll keep your interest this week by starting with just three.

Most visitors start with the iconic Sydney Opera House in Sydney Harbour, located in New South Wales. This magnificent structure got its signature shell design from Danish architect Jørn Utzon, who solved the problem of how to make the shells a reality after watching an orange being peeled. The visionary design was ahead of its time, and Utzon grew so frustrated he left midway through construction and wasn’t there when the finished product was dedicated. For his efforts, though, he won the Pritzker Prize in 2003 and became the second living person to have a building of his to make the World Heritage list.

Slightly smaller than the much-celebrated Sydney, Melbourne, in Victoria, became a boomtown during a Victorian-era gold rush and was once Australia’s capital (Canberra took over in 1927). Today it remains a financial center as well as a melting pot of cultures, with large numbers of immigrants from Asia and Europe. Melbourne is home to the Australian Open, one of tennis’s four major tournaments, and is the gateway to Phillip Island, famed for its nightly procession of little penguins.

There’s a whole lot of Outback separating Adelaide in South Australia from Perth, the capital of Western Australia. Perth, the fourth-largest city in Australia with about 2 million inhabitants, is the gateway to the Margaret River wine region, succulent seafood, and black truffles just as good as any you’ll find in Europe. These factors contribute to Perth having the most restaurants per capita of any Australian capital plus a great bar scene.

Next month I’ll focus on some of the lesser-known cultural attractions in the Northern Territory, Queensland, and South Australia (and maybe an island or two). Until then, if you’d like to reach out to me to start planning your Australian adventure for 2022 and beyond, I’d love to chat with you and share some of my insights into why Australia will stay on your list of “Where Next”.