I was born and bred in Melbourne Australia and no matter how far I roam I still believe Melbourne is one of the best cities in the world. From epic food, to incredible nightlife and fantastic natural sites a stones throw away. Here are the 9 best things to do in Melbourne Australia. These will keep you entertained for days.
1. visit the great ocean road
The Great Ocean Road is not only one of the best things to do in Melbourne. It’s one of the most incredible sights in Australia. About an hour’s drive out of the city this stunning road winds along Victoria’s south-west coast passing golden beaches, world-class surf-breaks, dense rain forest and the famous 12 Apostles (sheer limestone rock formations created by the battering ocean). It’s the perfect spot to spend a long weekend exploring the quaint local pubs, small dairy farms with incredible cheese, stunning waterfalls and the breathtaking rock formations that jut out of the ferocious ocean.
2. explore the street art in the cbd
If you’re wondering what to do in Melbourne city all you have to do is look around you. Melbourne is home to some of the world’s quirkiest and best street art. Spend an afternoon wandering down the city’s lane ways peeking behind bins and restaurants and you’ll find some amazing sights. If you really love graffiti you can take the famous Melbourne Street Art Tour.
3. hunt down quirky bars, high and low
You can’t go to Australia without treating yourself to a few beverages. Just like the locals. Lucky for you you’ve landed in Australia’s drinking capital. Melbourne has fantastic bars hidden under the city and high on rooftops. Feel like sipping Pimms while looking out over a stunning Melbourne sunset? Try Madame Brussels. Or head to State Of Grace pull a book from the hidden bookshelf and you’ll follow the stairs down to a hidden speakeasy bar.
4. picnic in the royal botanic gardens
One of the top things to do in Melbourne on a balmy summer’s day is to head to the Royal Botanic Gardens for a picnic. Shoot over to the Queen Victoria or South Melbourne Markets before where you can find a plethora of amazing fresh produce to fill your picnic basket. If you hang around after dark, there is also an outdoor cinema that shows a different film every night over the summer.
5. shop all the boutiques
Amongst us Aussies Melbourne is famous for its shopping. And an afternoon perusing the boutiques of the CBD or Chapel street is one of the best things to do in Melbourne. My pick of the bunch is Incu, Lady Petrova, Design A Space, Zimmerman and Camilla and Marc.
6. sip coffee in one of the famous laneways
You can’t visit Melbourne without trying the fabulous coffee. Melbournians take their coffee really seriously. And you can see this from the sheer amount of cafes bursting with people every weekend. Do as the locals do and settle in for a Saturday morning brunch at one of Melbournes epic cafes. Some of my favourites include Industry Beans in Fitzroy, Kettle Black in South Melbourne and St Edmonds in Prahran.
7. take a wine tour
If you’re from Europe you may not have tried too much Australian wine. However let me assure you, we can kick it up there with some of the best French wine makers. About an hour out-of-town you will find two amazing wine regions. The Yarra Valley to the East, and the Mornington Peninsula to the South. Each region has hundreds of little cellar doors where you can pop in, do a wine tasting and indulge on some fine fare. A lazy day exploring any of these wineries is definitely one of the best things to do in Melbourne.
8. cheer for your fave team at a footy game
Yep, I’ll admit it. Melburnians are obsessed with sport. We even have two public holidays every year so we can watch it. and if you’re wondering what to do in Melbourne an afternoon or evening at an AFL game is one of the best ways to fill your time. The season runs from March to September and you can find all ticketing and information on upcoming games here. Just make sure you don’t support Collingwood as you’ll be boo’d out of the stadium. Just kidding… But srsly. Support the Saints. They’re the best!
9. eat some of the world’s most incredible food
Not only is Melbourne serving up some amazing brunch. The dinner scene is second to none. With new innovative and delicious restaurants popping up every day you can’t visit the city and not treat yourself to an incredible dinner. A quick stroll down Flinders Lane is the perfect place for any foodie to start. And with most top restaurants not accepting bookings you can usually get a table after a little bit of a wait. An insider tip from a local is to head to the city at about 6:30, pop your name down at one of the restaurants and then head to one of the local bars for a drink while you wait for your table. A few of my faves include Chin Chin, Longrain, Lume and Cumulus.
THE BASICS
WHERE to stay: There are a number of awesome hostels and hotels to stay at in melbourne. I’d recommend getting a spot in the cbd as it’s quite central to everything and Melbourne’s public transport system is excellent. to check the latest rates on booking.com click HERE.
DAILY BUDGET: AROUND $50 USD PER DAY.
GETTING IN AND AWAY: JETSTAR and TIGER AIRWAYS offer incredibly cheap flights around australia and are the best option for getting around unless you have a car.
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