Three Perfect Days: A trip to Melbourne

Know before you go

Getting around: The main areas of the city are very walkable, and there are also affordable, reliable public transit options to get you around town.

• To use public transit around Melbourne, you’ll need a “myki” card, which you can buy at convenience stores like 7-11, or at certain stations.
• You don’t need to load more than $11 onto your myki card per day; fares for all public transit within the Melbourne area are capped at this amount.
• There’s also a “free tram zone” that covers most of Melbourne’s Central Business District (the CBD), so you can simply hop on and off within that zone.

Weather: Melbourne residents will tell you their hometown is famous for its climate that can cover “four seasons in a day.” This is a result of its coastal position on the far southeastern corner of the continent, so be prepared for a little bit of everything. Even during the warmer months (November to March), consider packing one or two warm layers and a light jacket that can stand up to rain and wind.

For your first day in Melbourne, there’s no better area to wander through than St. Kilda. Technically a “suburb” of the city proper, St. Kilda sits along the shore just south of the Central Business District (the CBD). Its landmark beach and adjacent walking paths – called the Esplanade – are perfect to stroll through on a nice day. You’re likely to see plenty of boats, surfers and even windsurfers taking advantage of the bay’s strong winds and legendary waves while walking past some of the city’s more quaint landmarks.

Luna Park: You won’t miss the entrance to this amusement park that sits right along the Esplanade. Luna Park was built in 1912 with help from the designers of the original Luna Park in Coney Island, New York, and the resemblance between the two is easy to see. Melbourne’s version hosts what’s said to be the world’s oldest continuously active roller coaster, and could be worth the admission fee if you’re into that sort of thing. Otherwise, it’s at least a great spot to take a funny photo.

The Esplanade Hotel: “The Espy,” as locals call it, is one of St. Kilda’s many architectural landmarks built in the Victorian-era style. While you can get a room for the night here, it’s now known more as a lively pub and restaurant with multiple floors, near around-the-clock live music and plenty of local beer on draught.

If you want to try your hand at kite surfing, standup paddleboarding or any number of other activities along the beach, you can find plenty of places along the shore to give it a shot. If you can’t pick up surfing right away, don’t feel bad; these blokes have been at it a while.

Whrere to eat

The Galleon Café: Whether you’re jetlagged or just enjoy a good cup of coffee, you’ve come to the right place. Australia is known as the birthplace of the flat white (like a latte but with a bit more coffee and less foam). Australia is also known for its café culture in general. So, either way you’re bound to stumble into a nice cup of joe on just about any corner of Melbourne. To sample a mix of local coffee, great food and laid-back vibes, try the Galleon Café for breakfast or brunch. Their menu runs the gamut from American diner-style classics to sandwiches piled high with eggs, meat and more.

Fitzroy Street: For lunch or a casual dinner in St. Kilda, check out Fitzroy Street. You’ll find something for any craving, whether you’re into kebab, banh mi or pizza. This is one of the “main drag” corridors of St. Kilda, and also may be worth returning to later to sample the area’s nightlife, if you’re up for it.

Alternatively, the aforementioned Esplanade Hotel’s restaurant has a wide-ranging menu that can satisfy almost any craving if you’re hungry during your visit there.

Melbourne may be the “cultural capital” of Australia, but its CBD is hardly lacking in prominence, either. In fact, with some 77 skyscrapers of at least 150 meters in height, Melbourne has the most high-rises of any Australian city. That might make it sound imposing, but that’s hardly the case. You’ll find it quite easy to get around the CBD and enjoy no shortage of cultural landmarks, DIY art galleries and quirky concept restaurants.

Things to do and see

Yarra River cruise: There’s no better way to tour the CBD’s almost gravity-defying towers and other historic landmarks than a cruise through the river at its heart. The Yarra River splits the CBD in two before emptying into Hobson’s Bay at the city’s port. Its long history as a landmark and mode of transport predates European contact with Australia. The narrated tour provides an excellent overview of the Yarra’s historic role in Melbourne’s development, and details how some of the CBD’s skyscrapers came to be. If you can reserve a sunset tour in advance, you and your Instagram followers won’t be disappointed by the scenery in the least.

Queen Victoria Market: Among the city’s main attractions is this 17-acre open air market, said to be the largest in the southern hemisphere. Smack dab in the middle of the city, it was built only about 3 decades after Melbourne’s founding by European settlers, and it’s almost as if the rest of the city was just built around it. Today, it still hosts farmstands and vendors of all sorts of goods, and is even open later at night sometimes for visitors to peruse an array of bars, eateries and live entertainment.

State Library Victoria: On a weekend or holiday, nearly every nook and cranny of the CBD can feel jam-packed with people. The State Library Victoria may be an exception to this if you’re looking for a momentary escape from the hustle and bustle. It’s also a beautiful building to explore. The crown jewel is the La Trobe Reading Room, built in 1913 with a 114-foot diameter glass dome overlooking the stacks.

Where to eat and drink

Fortune Dumpling: If you’re spending time in the city center, you can’t miss out on Chinatown. Melbourne’s Asian district gives famous Chinatowns in the U.S. a run for their money. Situated at the east end of Little Bourke Street between Swanston and Spring streets, this section of the CBD makes it clear just how diverse Melbourne is, with nearly every Asian country’s cuisine represented many times over. While you can hardly go wrong with any pick in this neighborhood, Fortune Dumpling is one example of Chinatown’s solid, more traditional Chinese fare. But dumpling lovers (which I assume includes just about every human on Earth) won’t be disappointed here.

HER: During golden hour on a nice day, you can’t beat the rooftop views at HER, a bustling and exquisitely trendy establishment right in the CBD. During happy hour, you’ll probably need a reservation to find space on the rooftop cocktail bar, where you’ll be treated to gorgeous views and well-crafted drinks all over the sensory spectrum. But this multi-level space also offers a Thai barbeque “canteen” on the third floor, or a “music room dedicated to the love of sound” if you’re in the mood for late-night revelry.

Melbourne is a city with personality, where you can find enough to see and explore in a few city blocks to fill almost a whole day. Fortunately it’s pretty easy to bop around to different parts of the city or the greater Melbourne area thanks to the area’s enviable walkability and public transit options. Perhaps this is why Melbourne often ranks near the top of the world’s “Most Livable Cities.”

Things to do and see

Melbourne Central: Before you leave the CBD, it’s worth strolling through Melbourne Central, which hosts the city’s major rail station among several other interesting sights, including Coop’s Shot Tower. As a minor architectural marvel, Melbourne Central is capped by a 20-story tall glass dome to cover the 19th-century, 160-foot shot tower. It’s an impressive thing to behold from the inside of the complex, but it’s just one attraction you can find in this massive shopping center and multipurpose public space.

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria: If you’re ready to venture a bit outside central Melbourne, the Royal Botanic Gardens are a short tram ride away. Spanning over 90 acres, you’ll find thousands of species of plants ranging from local flora to exotic endangered specimens from Asia, Africa and more as you wind through the walking paths. If you’re at all interested in botany and ecology, you could easily spend a whole day here learning how certain plants have been used in ancient remedies, or how to tell a succulent from a cycad. But even if plants aren’t your special interest, exploring these gardens could occupy almost an entire day itself.

Fitzroy: Another keystone neighborhood of Melbourne, Fitzroy might be your first stop if boutique shops are your thing. Known for its eclectic, bohemian vibe, you can walk all throughout Fitzroy to peruse numerous art galleries and studios (such as the Rose Street Artists’ Market), not to mention street art and more than a few performances out on the sidewalk whenever there’s a crowd. Architecture buffs will also enjoy another heavy dose of Victorian stylings on the terraced apartments along Nicholson Street, for example. For a lively evening (or afternoon) of music, drinks and dancing, Fitzroy is hard to beat.

Where to eat and drink

Melbourne’s “laneway bars”: Some of this city’s many hidden gems are often quite literally hidden, at least from the street. But with a little googling or the aid of a local, you’ll stumble upon one of the city’s otherworldly “laneway bars” which combine the speakeasy experience (the entrance is often tucked away in a “laneway” which is how Aussies say “alleyway”) with state-of-the-art mixology and at times Hollywood-level set design. As an example, you can enter StoryVille through a nondescript door and find yourself in a veritable fairytale scene full of giant glowing mushrooms and eye-catching cocktails served in potted plants. Or you might enjoy Eau De Vie, a great spot with low-key lounge vibes, if you can find the entrance in the very well camouflaged laneway. There are many more in the CBD, Fitzroy and other spots around town, each with their own unique spin on things, so search carefully.

Attica: If you’re willing to venture further out from central Melbourne in search of top-class Australian cuisine, Attica should be near the top of your list. Just a short drive or transit ride away in the suburb of Ripponlea, it’s been on the list of the top restaurants in the world for many years running, renown for its mix of hyperlocal ingredients with cues taken from much further afield. For example, the barbecued saltwater crocodile ribs, hibiscus flower stuffed with emu-liver pâté, and even wallaby corn dogs could all grace the menu on a given evening. Paired with an eclectic and fun space with a carnival atmosphere, Attica is another instance of Melbourne’s unmistakable knack for turning every sensory detail up to 11 with amazing results.

If you think you’ve seen and done it all, a few days visiting Melbourne will likely prove you wrong. It’s a place buzzing with creativity from top to bottom, and it’s bound to only get better with time. Exploring every last thing there is to see within the city limits could take a few lifetimes, and believe it or not, there’s plenty more to experience just beyond its outer boroughs – along with whole herds of kangaroos (don’t worry, they mostly keep to themselves). Hop on over, stay a while and enjoy the show.