Melbourne has earned a fantastic reputation for being a fun and friendly cosmopolitan city. Not only is there an endless amount of excitement to be had in wandering amidst the alleys and laneways, but Melbourne has also been christened the culinary capital of Australia too!
So if you’ve got a limited amount of time in this thriving metropolis, what are the key things to check out? Here are some quick tips: what not to miss.
Quick Recommendations for Attractions, Food, Culture and Shopping in Melbourne
Attractions
Heading up to the Eureka Skydeck is probably the best way of getting a good view of the city. But if you don’t fancy being 297 metres above Melbourne, then taking the City Circle Tram is a great way of getting your bearings, and the little history lesson that’s piped through the speakers can give you a good grounding of how the city grew.
If you’re feeling a little more energetic, then taking a walk along the Yarra River is another great way to see the sights that range from the magnificent skyscrapers of the CBD to the lush Royal Botanic Gardens.
Food
What better way to treat yourself for all of that sightseeing than by checking out Melbourne’s incredible culinary heritage. The CBD is a great place to find a chic cafe or restaurant with funky places like the 1000 £ Bend being particularly popular amongst the locals for its great brunch options.
Culture
Melbourne is full of fun cultural attractions too. Whether it’s checking out the famous street art on Hosier Lane or seeing a concert at legendary live music venues like The Corner Hotel, it seems that people in Melbourne really know how to have fun.
But one of the best options has to be to go to the Southbank and Arts Centre that incorporates theatres and performance spaces, and even has a cool arts and craft market every Sunday to give you chance to pick up some great takeaway street food.
Shopping
And finally we couldn’t miss out some of Melbourne’s awesome shopping attractions. From the foodie delights at the legendary Queen Victoria Market to some newer outlets like the DFO South Wharf, there are plenty of places where you’ll get the opportunity of picking up a bargain.
In addition to this, the Fitzroy area is packed with plenty of cool vintage shops, and with chic streets like Brunswick Street giving you another chance to enjoy some great takeaway food, it seems like there’s no end of fun to be had in Melbourne.
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Photo credits: Yarra River by Diliff via Wikipedia Commons. Southbank Mural by Bernard Spragg. NZ.
28 Comments
Melbourne is a great city to spend time in. The people of Adelaide will undoubtedly contest which city is the country’s culinary capital but there’s no doubting Melbourne is a fine place.
Haha guessing you’re from Adelaide? Also a fine city, which we love :) Glad you’re a fan of Melbourne! We’re now in Tas, so we enjoy a nice long weekend when we have the chance :)
HI There,
Had applied for visit visa but failed,I will try next time with hope to get success .
Regards,
jawed
Sorry to hear that Jawed. I hope you have better success obtaining a visa next time :)
I loved Melbourne when I visited- especially that it has this hipster vibe in some areas with vintage and boutique stores, street art (so amazing- I have way too many photos of it), and the cafe culture. It felt like a very livable city.
Definitely one of the most livable cities in the world – so glad you enjoyed your time here :) And yes, Melbourne has a very big hipster scene / vibe as well as a big cafe culture – it’s a really down to earth, vibrant place to be :)
I’d love to visit melbourne! It’s the flight that puts me off a little (we’re in London) but it definitely looks gorgeous! Really lovely post :)
Ah yes I’ve done the Melbourne to London flight many times! It’s a long one for sure. But definitely worthwhile, especially if you make the trip worth it and spend a couple of weeks :)
I’ve never really explored Melbourne properly – work trips aren’t always the best way to see a place properly. However, we DID spend a week in Melbourne’s west – but weirdly, the top attraction (for my birdo partner) – the Western Treatment Plant – never seems to make it onto the ‘top things to do in Melbourne’ lists. I don’t understand it, haha!
Haha, well you gotta do what interests you! Yes, work trips are always difficult to incorporate proper sight seeing into. Hope you have the chance to take a leisure trip soon :)
I lived in Melbourne for a few months, loved the city but hated the rain. The tram was a highlight though, unique way to see the city.
Haha yes, as they say, wait 5 minutes for the weather to change right :D The weather is Melbourne is pretty wishy washy, always has been, so checking the forecast is something I would definitely advise.
Glad you enjoyed your time!
I spent 3 weeks in Melbourne and I loved it. Hossier Lane was one of my favorites. SUper cool alley and lots of street art. I also enjoyed the attractions you could reach for a day like Great Ocean Road and the Penguins. I seriously enjoyed my time in Melbourne.
So glad to hear you had a fabulous time Karla! Yes, the day trip options are quite incredible too, the Great Ocean Road being the top of those – we’ve recently moved to Tas, so journey up to Melbourne just for the Great Ocean Road – it’s one of my favorite parts of the country :)
Melbourne is one of my favourite cities! I hope to make it my third home one day. I love the arts and beer scene in Melbourne and I have that exact same Melburn picture from my visit. Great article :)
Awesome Katherine! It’s an incredible city indeed – very easy to fall in love with the lifestyle and atmosphere. I’m sure they would love to have you as your third home (as long as Sydney’s not #1 lol there’s a healthy Melb – Sydney rivalry there :D)
I did some research into Melbourne for a project a while back and as a result it’s been on my list for ages! The food capital of Oz sounds so good!
Hope you have the chance to visit soon! You definitely won’t be disappointed by its food :)
That sky deck sounds so cool! But you know for me, it’s always going to be about the food. I would love to visit Melbourne soon. It sounds like such an amazing city.
Well if one thing’s for sure, you won’t be disappointed by the food! Hope you have the chance to visit soon :)
I would definitely do the sky tower in Melbourne. I would love checking out the street art too, seems like there is a lot to see and do here. I love vintage stuff so I would enjoy checking out those shops
Definitely a lot to see and do! Hope you have the chance to visit soon :)
Melbourne looks like a fun and industrial city. When I was reading your post I was thinking of London and NYC.I still haven’t had a chance to visit Australia. I am not sure if I am going to Australia, I should go to Cydney or Melbourne. Do you have any suggestion?
If you have the time to visit both Sydney and Melbourne, I definitely recommend it. You can find very cheap flights between the two cities, and get a taste of both :)
I have a friend who recently visited Melbourne and she really loved it! More than the place, the people there made her vacation an awesome one. I think your quick tips plus the locals who are very willing to help will make someone’s travel in Melbourne amazing, Meg!
Melbourne definitely has an amazing sense of community which is for sure a memorable part of the city experience. So glad to hear your friend had a fab time!
Perfect fit for someone like me who’s fascination is reading blogs. I can mostly relate. Keep sending them please!
Glad you enjoyed the post :)