Melbourne is the capital of Victoria, and it’s not hard to see why its top museums, markets, gardens, and stadium so happen to be crammed into the heart of Melbourne CBD and the old Hoddle Grid. We’re talking right in the middle of the city, on the traditional lands of the Kulin Nation – a rich history whose legacy still echoes through the city to this very day.
If you’re new to Melbourne, the obvious things to tackle first are the CBD, Federation Square, and the Yarra River. From there you can branch out and explore Carlton and Fitzroy to the north, and St Kilda to the south. But what’s also pretty cool is that Melbourne is just a stone’s throw from the rest of regional Victoria – you can easily get to the Yarra Valley, Phillip Island and the Mornington Peninsula.
Popular Destinations
Landmarks And City Sights
Start off by heading to Federation Square, which is slap bang opposite Flinders Street Station. ACMI and the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia are based there, and the streets surrounding the square take you straight into the thick of the central business district.
But that’s just the beginning – Hosier Lane is the first of many cool laneways you can explore. Centre Place and Degraves Street lead off into the arcades and shopping, with the Block Arcade and Royal Arcade on your way to Bourke Street Mall and Melbourne Central.
If you’re after a view of the city, then the Melbourne Skydeck at Southbank is the place to go. And if you want to get a sense of the city’s history, the route north takes in some pretty important spots like the Old Melbourne Gaol, the State Library Victoria, Parliament House, and Melbourne Town Hall.
And let’s not forget Queen Victoria Market – where you can really take your time and browse the food halls and produce stalls. If you’re visiting during the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, then you’re in for a real treat. And if you don’t want to keep walking, the free City Circle tram is always a convenient way to get around without backtracking.
Riverfront, Arts And Entertainment
The Yarra River runs right through the middle of Melbourne – and from Federation Square it’s a simple matter to take a stroll through Birrarung Marr or pop across to Southbank.
The NGV International, Arts Centre Melbourne, Hamer Hall and Australian Centre for Contemporary Art are based south of the river. But if you head west, you’ll find the Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex, South Wharf, and the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, more on the commercial side of town.
If you keep going along the river though, you’ll eventually come to Docklands – where you can see the Bolte Bridge and the Port of Melbourne – and get a real flavour of the working waterfront. Alternatively, a river cruise will give you a similar view from the water and can even take you all the way out to Port Phillip Bay for a longer trip.
Inner-City Neighbourhoods And Culture
Carlton Gardens gives you a couple of the city’s biggest draws in one spot: the UNESCO-listed Royal Exhibition Building alongside the Melbourne Museum, whose collections are a real mix of everything from natural history to First Peoples cultures and the social history of Victoria.
Lygon Street is just a short hop for lunch and doesn’t even warrant a separate trip out on its own, and the University of Melbourne campus is just beyond that too. Head on down towards the east & the streets change character pretty quickly. Bruno Street, Gertrude Street and Smith Street are where it’s at for art galleries, second-hand shops, little independent retailers, pubs and some of the best street art in the city.
Beyond Collingwood, the Abbotsford Convent and Collingwood Children’s Farm are nestled right by the Yarra River. If you’re really into contemporary art and architecture, then Lyon House Museum is worth a visit. It’s a bit of a trek, but if you’re really into this sort of thing, it’s worth it.
Heading south of the city, you find the Royal Botanic Gardens & the Shrine of Remembrance; they both take up a pretty big stretch of green space along St Kilda Road.
On the other side of the Yarra is Melbourne’s answer to sporting mecca: the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Not only is the area home to the AFL, Cricket & the Australian Open, but Rod Laver Arena and the surrounding venues also host some of the city’s biggest events on the go. And if that wasn’t enough, the Australian Sports Museum inside the MCG has the whole country’s sporting history written all over its walls.
Keep going, and you hit Port Phillip – St Kilda is where the beach, the pier & Acland Street all meet up. With Luna Park just up the road and its historic Coney Island area just a short walk inland,d you can see why it’s one of Melbourne’s most popular spots. And the beach is just the start – the waterfront continues on down through Elwood to Brighton and the famous bathing boxes.
You’d be mad to miss South Melbourne Market for shopping. Between the CBD & the bay, it’s a real gem of a place to find fresh produce, seafood and some real Melbourne street food.
Melbourne’s layout makes it a great spot to launch from into regional Victoria, especially on a longer East Coast Australia trip.
The Great Ocean Road really requires a full day to do it justice, you see. As you make your way along it, the surf towns and forest trails just melt into the limestone coast around the Twelve Apostles. Then there’s Phillip Island, a totally different vibe: Wildlife, open coastline, and the famous Penguin Parade usually take centre stage in the evening—you might also want to swing by the Koala Conservation Reserve, Churchill Island, or The Nobbies.
The Yarra Valley is where you head if wine is the plan. You’ll find cellar doors scattered all over Yering, Yarra Glen, Coldstream and Healesville. But it’s not all just wine tastings, either — you’ve also got the Healesville Sanctuary and the TarraWarra Museum of Art to explore.
Starting from the city and heading south, the Mornington Peninsula offers a mix of beaches, coastal walks, wineries, and the towns of Sorrento and Mornington. Meanwhile, the Dandenong Ranges are a bit closer and a whole lot greener — think gardens, forest walks and steam railways like Puffing Billy.
