For a taste of Germany:
Hahndorf, SA.

Situated in the stunning rolling Adelaide Hills, the town of Hahndorf is Australia's oldest surviving German settlement.

The delightful main street of this heritage village is lined with smallgoods stores selling bratwurst and bloodwurst, while a bakery offers authentic strudels.

Humbugs of Hahndorf, a lolly shop, sells imported sweets such
as German chocolate, and you can sink a brew at the town's two German pubs, the Hahndorf Inn and the German Arms.

A couple of Lutheran churches still stand in this picturesque town and there's a souvenir shop to buy trinkets as a reminder of your European experience on Adelaide's doorstep.

Exhibits in the German Migration Museum at the Hahndorf Academy depict the town's settlement by Prussian Lutherans in 1839.

The academy also showcases the drawings of Hahndorf's most famous son, Sir Hans Heysen. The acclaimed landscape artist, who died in 1968, donated a number of his drawings to the academy, and they show the lively town around the turn of the 20th century. You can also take a guided tour of Hans' house
and working studio, The Cedars.

If you intend to stay in Hahndorf for a couple of days, you could also pick some berries at the Beerenberg Strawberry Farm. This family-run business dates all the way back to 1839, when the Paech clan arrived from Germany and settled here.

Nearby is the Hahndorf Farm Barn, a children's petting zoo and wildlife park. And if the adults like to tour wineries, they will enjoy the selection of cellar doors in the area.

To Go Visit www.southaustralia.com/AdelaideHills.aspx

For a taste of Spain:
New Norcia, WA.

The monastic town of New Norcia, two hours' drive north of Perth, was founded in 1846 by two Spanish Benedictines, Rosendo Salvado and Joseph Serra.

A genuine slice of Spain, this peaceful hamlet welcomes up to 70,000 tourists a year.

Since settlement, Benedictine monks have lived a simple life of prayer at New Norcia and invite tourists to join them in their daily mass. In recent years, traditional crafts of self-sufficiency, such as olive oil production and breadmaking, have been revived.

The best way to explore New Norcia is on a guided town tour, which allows visitors to see behind closed doors and hear stories from the past 160 years. Highlights include visiting the monks' own chapel within the monastery and the beautifully frescoed interiors of the town's college chapels, not otherwise accessible to the public.

You can also take a self-guided walk. Trail maps are available from the museum and art gallery, which houses religious paintings by various Spanish and Italian masters.

To Go Visit www.newnorcia.wa.edu.au

For a taste of Italy:
Mildura, Vic.

A five-and-a-half hour drive from Melbourne, Mildura's laid-back atmosphere is ideal for those wanting to sample la dolce vita.
The region is not only famed for its citrus groves and vineyards 
it also grows most of the country's almonds, olives, pistachios, carrots and asparagus.

Chef Stefano de Pieri and his TV series A Gondola on the Murray put this Victorian country city on the map as Australia's Mediterranean.

The show shone a light on the food traditions of the locals, including himself - his restaurant Stefano's is located in the basement of the historic Mildura Grand hotel.

Originally from Treviso, near Venice in Italy, Stefano's passionate about Mildura. He's even the co-founder of the Mildura Wentworth Arts Festival, held every March and featuring local writers and artists.

With Mildura located on the banks of the meandering Murray River, there are plenty of other attractions too. Paddleboats steam, houseboats dawdle and canoeists bob along. Tourists can disembark to play golf on one of the many beautiful courses.

To Go Visit www.visitvictoria.com

For a taste of Scotland:
Maclean, NSW.

The 'Scottish Town of Australia' is better known as Maclean, on the New South Wales north coast.

The village was laid out in 1862, and settled mainly with farmers
of Scottish descent. The tradition continues, with many street signs written in Gaelic and handpainted Tartan telegraph poles lining streets.

The Scottish Cairn - a conical pile of stones from around Australia and Scotland - is situated on a lookout and offers views of the Clarence River, while Australia's oldest Free Presbyterian Church still holds services for the descendants
of the early settlers.

There's also the Scottish Shop, which sells tartan and Scottish souvenirs.

For an intriguing snapshot of Maclean's history, architecture and some of its characters, take the Heritage Trail. You can pick up the Maclean Heritage Trail Guide from the Clarence Coast Visitor Information Centre in Maclean or Clarence River Tourism in nearby Grafton.

At Easter, the town celebrates its Scottish heritage with the Maclean Highland Gathering. The celebration features pipe bands, solo piping, drumming and highland dancing, while popular highland sports such as log wrestling and tossing the hammer really get the juices flowing.

To Go Visit www.visitnsw.com and http://www.macleanhighlandgathering.com.au/

For a true multicultural experience:

Broome, WA.

On the north-west coast of Western Australia, Broome is a melting pot of cultures.

It was shaped by its pearling history when Japanese, Malay and Filipino pearl divers all arrived to make their fortunes. Pearling remains huge, with many showrooms thriving in the heart of the town.

The Japanese Cemetery dates back to the very early pearling days when hundreds of young Japanese divers died either from the bends or by drowning. This is Australia's largest Japanese cemetery.

Aboriginal culture is also a significant aspect of life in Broome, especially in relation to art. Numerous galleries are dotted throughout the town.

In late August every year, multiculturalism is celebrated with the Shinju Matsuri festival. The 10-day event includes the waking of Sammy the Dragon, tributes to Broome's history, a float parade, concert, food festival and fireworks display. The 2008 festival will acknowledge the impact of Filipinos in the community.

To Go Visit www.westernaustralia.comand www.shinjumatsuri.com

Are there any amazing cultural experiences on your door step? Share with other New Idea readers below