Melbourne is literally one of my most favourite places, ever. It won the Sydney vs Melbourne debate for me. Honestly, if you ever get me talking about it, I might not shut up. I lived there for 11 months when I was doing my working holiday visa, and fell in love. I was only meant to be there for 5 months, but I ended up there almost the entirety of my second year. For me it's not just the mixture of pretty brunch spots, hidden bars, hipster neighbourhoods and friendly people, it's also the easily accessible public transport system, the culture, and the fact that there's always something to do, be it going to a sports event, the theatre, gigs or pop-up festivals. I basically couldn't rate Melbourne enough.
Being at the top of the 'the most liveable city' in the world list (currently number 2) means that there are an abundance of articles telling you what you should do when you visit. These are just my own. I'm not here to write exhaustive lists that'll take you ages to read, so it's just a simple list of things to do in Melbourne to help you get the most out of this amazing city.
Visit cool bars and quirky pubs for a day drinking session in Brunswick, go and be ridiculously hipster for the day in Fitzroy (well let's face it, this is a common theme everywhere in Melbs), go on a huge charity shopping spree on Chapel Street in Richmond, grab an amazing coffee absolutely anywhere in the city, or go to the beach in St Kilda. The possibilities are literally endless. Just make sure you grab a Myki (Melbourne's version of an Oyster card), and be on your way!
You'll pass people sitting outside bars chatting happily, people walking their dogs and street performers playing to the crowds, plus you'll get a great view of the city skyline. There was always something about going for walks around Melbourne that just made me inexplicably happy, I think that it was because it seemed peaceful and happy despite most of the time being pretty crowded. Walk far enough and you'll only be a short distance from Fitzroy Gardens, which is another beautiful (and actually quite peaceful) place for a wander. There's plenty of events that happen in Southbank too - lots of food and drink festivals, for one thing... and they're the best kind.
It would be ridiculous of me to not mention this, considering this is what I did a lot of in Melbourne. My top picks would have to be Retro's, Pawn & Co, The Swan, Laundry Bar, and I'd be a fool not to mention Revs.
There are a never-ending amount of cafe's in Melbourne that do one thing better than anywhere else, and that is brunch (and coffee, obv). You can literally be anywhere in Melbourne and you are guaranteed to be within 5 minutes of an adorable cafe that does a cracking Eggs Benedict (among many other combinations). The Best Breakfasts in Melbourne even has it's own article in Time Out, although trust me when I say you can really find a great breakfast everywhere.
From the incredible street art of the laneways, to the art galleries and the street performers, Melbourne has something for everyone. Personally it was more my thing to wander the laneways or sit with a coffee and listen to a busker, but Melbourne is your oyster when it comes to art. I don't even know if that sentence made sense, but let's go with it. I was there for White Night, which was incredible - the entire city was pedestrianised and it came alive with all manner of lights: neon, bright lights, UV street displays, light shows... it was honestly one of the most incredible nights.
From quirky speakeasy's to award-winning cocktail bars, Melbourne is adorned with amazing places to grab a drink, whether it's in the middle of the CBD, under a bridge or behind a fridge. Melbourne always have a few bars that make their way into the 'Top 100 bars in the World' every year, and I'm not surprised. Check out my list of five bars you must visit when you're in the city!
Melbourne is known as the sporting capital of the world, so it'd be rude not to get stuck into the sports scene while you're there - it's an experience, whether you're in to it or not... and the atmosphere is always electric. You've got the AFL at the MCG (Richmond Tigers were my team when I was there - with their unfortunate yellow and black merch I looked like a bee), or if you're lucky enough to be there when the Australian Open is happening then that's a proper event with all the bells and whistles. You've also got the horse racing (The Melbourne Cup) which, much like Ascot, is mainly an excuse to dress up fancy and drink during the day - and who doesn't enjoy that?! That's about as far as my sports knowledge went when I was out there, but it's a lot of fun, so get involved!
Being a coffee fiend - and Melbourne being well-known for its coffee wizardry - I feel like coffee deserves its own spot on the list. I think you'll be hard pressed to find anywhere that serves shitty coffee in the city tbh, but the top 3 for me are definitely: Brother Baba Budan, Lune (also the maker of the world's best croissant, FYI) and Industry Beans.
Being backpackers at the time, me and my friends were always on the lookout for wallet-friendly places, so when we found out about Lentil As Anything in St Kilda, we were obsessed. They're a veggie restaurant that operates on a 'pay as you feel' basis, and offers up an all-around good vibe. They have a foods without borders program, where they work with the community on a variety of projects, and are currently working to #FeedAustralia with free meals where it's needed most. They're just good eggs serving tasty food!
This market is good any time of day, but if you go on a Wednesday to their Summer/Winter night market (5-10pm) you get to see it in a whole different light - fairy lights and buskers, street foods and local crafts... it's all going on!
So there you have it, my top 10 things to do in Melbourne - you can't go wrong if you tick these off! If you haven't visited yet, get it on your list because it's an incredible city that really has a special place in my heart. For all other Australia travel bits, blogs, guides etc head to my Australia travel page.
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