It happens in almost every nation of the world… two cities that vie for the “Best” title. And Australia is possibly one of the most notorious with elegant Melbourne and breathtaking Sydney consistently in cut-throat competition.

Melbourne’s coffee culture is hard to beat, while Sydney’s harbour is unbelievably picture-perfect. Melbourne’s museums have been beautifully curated for kids, while their trams are a fun and easy way to get about town when you’re a tourist. Sydney on the other hand, is built around beach after gorgeous beach, and the weather is warm enough year round to allow for a daily dose of outdoor play in one of these stunning locations.

Over the past ten days, we’ve been privileged enough to visit both – in Sydney we visited LifeInStyle with its boutique designs and cutting edge cool, while Melbourne was host to the Australian Toy Fair showcasing hundreds of international brands from the brash to the bespoke. Attending these two shows reminded me of the discussion about which city is best.

The fact is, they’re incomparable. Each has its own incredible personality and flavour and you would have no concept of what one is by merely visiting the other.

So, long and short – next time you’re planning to travel to Australia and are pondering which city to opt for, there is no comparison. You have to do both!

In the meantime, we will reveal our pick of the shows next week. Luckily we get to choose 12 from each, so not quite as difficult as trying to choose a favourite city…