Lavender fields are something that more and more people are starting to add to their bucket list – and I don’t blame them.
Lavender fields are a perfect retreat, make for a fantastic photo opp, and a great way to spend a relaxing afternoon. With moving to Melbourne at the start of 2021, we have been making it our mission to explore the areas inside the city where we’re located and start to expand to the outside of regional Victoria as well.
After seeing the pictures of the Lavandula Swiss Italian Farm, we knew we had to go visit.
Lavandula Swiss Italian Farm is 100 acres of gardens that you can explore. At the Italian Farm, they have the La Trattoria Eatery & Bar onsite, a variety of farm animals, tours to learn more about the area’s history, and a wide selection of aromatherapy products to choose from.
Things to Know
Getting There: The drive from Melbourne is a little under 1.5 hours. During the drive, you’ll pass through a lot of a few small towns, but mostly it’s straight on the highway for about an hour. Once you arrive, there’s free parking available right out front.
Cost: It costs $5 per adult and $1 per school-aged child to enter the Lavandula Swiss Italian Farm. You can pay right at the counter in the gift shop, and they do accept credit cards. However, service isn’t necessarily the best up there, so cash is definitely more effortless.
You can also plan on bringing your dog as well, as long as they stay on a leash the whole time.
This makes it a perfect outing for the entire family!
La Trattoria Cafe
The La Trattoria cafe is a beautiful warm-toned brick building that instantly transports you to Europe. The building itself is decorated with stunning chandeliers, luscious vines, and a lot of Mediterranean-inspired character inside and outside the cafe.
After hearing that they serve lavender champagne and lavender scones, we knew that it was a must-see in the area and that it was! The line to order food and drinks was a bit long, and the staff seemed a bit frenetic while we were there.
It’s a small cafe, and their menu reflects that with limited choices of main meals and options.
I wouldn’t necessarily expect a full dinner when visiting La Trattoria. Still, a lovely grazing platter, some lavender champagne, and a couple of lavender scones with jam and cream are definitely possible and recommended!
We each got an order of the lavender scones, and I decided to try the lavender lemonade, which was quite delicious!
There’s seating available both inside and outside. However, the building is so gorgeous we knew that we wanted to get a spot inside to admire all the character.
Also, you’re more than welcome to bring your own picnic and blanket and enjoy a picnic inside the lavender fields!
The Gardens
After getting our bite to eat, we started to wander through the gardens. From the photos, the Swiss Italian Farm looks absolutely incredible and gorgeous it was!
That being said, there are definitely better times of the year to visit than others.
The farm is open Friday through Tuesday every week from 10:30-5:30 pm, but different seasons are better when the flowers are blooming.
We didn’t see the stunning photos that instantly transport you to some Italian village. However, we did see a lot of gorgeous lavender that was still vibrant and smelling incredible.
After having about 20 minutes wander through the gardens, taking what seemed like hundreds of photos along the way, we had seen pretty much all there was to see at the gardens.
You’ll also find a few farm animals throughout the gardens, including chickens, emus, and if you’re lucky, Mirella the Highland Cow!
The Shop
Located at the front of the gardens is the Lavandula Swiss Italian shop. Here they have a collection of local aromatherapy products that come straight from the garden itself! Everything from lavender bubble bath, body oil, hand soap, and more, all lavender and all incredibly delicious.
You can even purchase these items online through their online shop. They also have various other home knick-knacks and local products in the area.
Overall, it is a charming shop – definitely worth a wander!
I decided that I couldn’t leave without purchasing a $6 dried bunch of lavender, and I wish I left with 10x the amount. I added the bunch in the guest room next to the nightstand and throughout our home. Not only does it look lovely, but it fills the room with a hint of lavender – perfect for a relaxing way to fall asleep.
Overall, a trip to the Lavandula Swiss Italian Farm is a great way to spend the afternoon. The garden wasn’t nearly as big as I thought it was going to be, but how it’s set up, it’s an incredible place to invite friends and family to have a picnic and spend the afternoon eating and enjoying the beautiful scenery around you.
Especially if you’re looking for a mini escape from the city, a trip to Lavandula Swiss Italian Farm is a great way to do just that!
