Places To Visit In Melbourne, Australia
All you need to know for an exciting and fun-filled holiday in the city of Melbourne, Australia.
Guest Post by Agness and Cez of eTramping.com
Melbourne is considered one of the world’s most liveable cities, so naturally Agness and Cez intrigued to see what it has to offer. It certainly didn’t let them down. This city is a truly amazing place full of history, culture, and bursting with colourful life and festivals. There’s something to interest everyone, from art, to history, to nature, and fine food. No matter the weather (and Melbourne is famous for experiencing all four seasons in one day!) there’s always going to be something interesting to do. The only challenge you will find when planning a visit to Melbourne is deciding what activities to cram into your itinerary. Here’s a few of the places they selected to visit in Melbourne.
To Market, To Market…
The Queen Victoria Market is an ideal place to start. It is a vibrant community of fresh fruit and vegetable sellers, but it also has rows and rows of stalls containing clothing, watches, souvenirs, and affordable Australian keepsakes. Take a stroll through the aisles and enjoy the rich sounds of sellers and bustling crowds, and busking musicians. Pick up a few Australian souvenirs, and enjoy some fresh market food. There is a fun, playful liveliness at the market, and something to delight your senses at every turn.
Melbourne’s Federation Square
There’s always something going on at Fed Square (as the locals call it). Huge screens provide an outdoor setting to watch sporting matches. In addition, there are galleries to visit that give a nice glimpse of Melbourne’s artistic culture. It’s a great place to start when you want to be introduced to Melbourne.
Royal Botanical Gardens
The Royal Botanical Gardens, dating back to 1846, are a big part of Melbourne’s history and daily life. Hundreds of people jog around the perimeter on their lunch break (mind the big hill at one end!). In one section of the gardens you will find the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, where concerts and the famous Christmas Eve Carols by Candlelight take place. In the summer months, people book in to watch open air cinema and theatre productions in the extensive grounds. It’s a beautiful place to visit. There are so many varieties of plants. Enjoy a stroll through the extensive grounds, then stop at the café to enjoy some of Melbourne’s famously good coffee.
Experience The Gold Rush
If History is your thing, then a trip to Sovereign Hill will be perfect for you. It’s approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes drive from Melbourne City – but we think it is well worth the visit. This town is set up to look just like a town during the gold rush era. Visitors can have a go at panning for gold, interact with costumed volunteers, visit olden-days shops, an old school room, and even get dressed up to have a vintage photograph taken. It’s a wonderful day out and gives a great hands-on experience of Australia’s history. Definitely set aside an entire day to wander the dirt streets of Sovereign Hill, and allow yourself to become lost in another time.
Meeting Some Of Melbourne’s Aussie Animals…
There are many amazing zoos in the world, but Healesville Sanctuary is filled with native Australian animals. A visit here allows you to experience Australia’s wildlife up close. If you’ve ever wanted to see a wombat, a kangaroo, a wedged-tailed eagle, or any number of Australian creatures, then this is the place to go. You can see them all, and learn about the amazing animals that call the harsh Australian habitats home.
A Day In The Dandenong Ranges
The Dandenong Ranges are about an hour’s drive out of Melbourne city. Here you’ll follow winding roads through thick, green forests of eucalyptus trees and dense ferns. There are so many walking tracks hidden amongst the trees. You could go for a walk amongst the forests, then sit down to an amazing coffee or tea, or some delicious food at one of the delightful cafes nestled into the hilltop villages. One such village is Sassafras. Its streets are lined with little gourmet shops, and superb cafes. Two worth mentioning are Ripe and Miss Marples. Ripe is a gourmet café with shelves filled with jams and sauces, and they have a menu to make your stomach rumble. You can sit at a long table by the fireplace or enjoy a seat out on the balcony where you can look out at the forest. Miss Marples (named after the famous Agatha Christie character) is THE place for scones. They are the fluffiest, most tastiest delicacies you could ever hope to find. Let the flavours melt in your mouth while snuggled into this cosy, vintage-style café.
Strolling the Arcades
A visit to Melbourne would not be complete without a stroll through the arcades. Melbourne is famous for its appealing laneways and arcades, where hundreds of cafes and boutique shops wait to be discovered. It is easy to spend a number of hours just wandering through the arcades. You will find cafes and boutique little shops tucked away out of sight – easily missed if you’re not on the lookout. This city really is a city of hidden gems. Strolling the arcades is an activity for either a rainy day or a day of warm summer sun.
Lygon Street – Melbourne’s very own Italy
If food is your favourite thing (and Melbourne has a multitude of great foodie places) then Lygon Street really is the place to go. It is just a little outside the central city district and is famous for Italian food and the Italian community. A great place to visit to experience community, as well as delicious and affordable food. Try Papa Gino’s for excellent pizza and pasta dishes, then take a short walk to Brunetti’s for dessert – and let yourself be overwhelmed by the number of delectable and tempting desserts on offer. There are literally rows and rows of tempting desserts that look as if they just appeared out of a gourmet magazine. You may need to plan for more than one visit!
Aboriginal Heritage Walk
A great way to gain a deeper appreciation of Australia’s heritage and Indigenous culture, is to take part in the Aboriginal Heritage Walk. Here you will become immersed in an Indigenous cultural experience and gain great insight into the history of the first peoples of Australia. Follow the lead of your experienced guide and be prepared to learn about a significant part of Melbourne’s culture and history.
After a week in Melbourne, we can truly say that yes, this is rightly one of the most liveable cities in the world. It is a beautiful city, with a rich, diverse culture and such beautiful sights to see. There is always something to see or to do, always something to delight every one of your senses. With so much to take in, and yet so little time, we know we will definitely be back here one day. There is so much more to experience in Melbourne. We hope that you have felt the irresistible appeal of this city, and will perhaps plan your own journey through Melbourne sometime soon. You will not be disappointed. Just remember to pack an umbrella for rain, and a hat for the sun, and be prepared to embrace the city of four seasons in one day.
About The Authors: Agness and Cez are best travel companions and creators of eTramping.com – a travel blog packed with tips and tricks on how to travel intensively and uniquely around the world. They have visited over 50 countries together, including such mysterious places as North Korea or Tibet. Follow their journeys on Instagram, Pepo channel and Facebook to learn how to explore the world like pros.
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Aww I love that cute baby koala! The fresh food looks superb too and I’d love to do the Aboriginal Heritage walk
I love it too!
Melbourne looks like a city I need to visit soon! I’ve loved visiting the gold rush sites here in California, so I would definitely hit Sovereign Hill. Of course, I couldn’t resist visiting the animals at Healesville Sanctuary. The Aboriginal Heritage walk looks like must, and given that my favorite food is Italian food, you know where I would be heading next! 🙂 Seriously, everything here looks gorgeous, and I so want to see it all in person.
The Aboriginal Heritage walk is a must, that’s for sure! 🙂
The Arcades and the Queen Victoria Market look wonderful… I am not sure about those Killer Drop Bears though – could be dangerous 😉 Australia is on our bucket list. Thank for sharing these tips!
Great to hear Australia is on your bucket list. Let me know if you need some extra tips for other places than Melbourne.
Interesting list – I have to say Melbourne was one of the highlights of my trip to Australia. It’s perfect for a walking tour. My favourite place was Chinatown. Unfortunately the Queen Victoria Market was already closed when I wanted to visit. Maybe next time.
Nice, thanks for sharing. Hopefully you can make it to the Queen Victoria Market next time.
Thanks a lot for having us here. I really miss Melbourne these days and the coffee. Believe me or not but Australia has one of the best coffees in the world. It’s small and hipster looking! 🙂
I have yet to go to Australia but when I do, Melbourne will definitely be included in my places to visit. It seems like a beautiful city (tho expensive), esp during winter when they have ice skating in Fed Square and all those winter night markets.
A city that has been high on my list for a long time. I’ve heard so many great things about Melbourne from friends and fellow travellers, especially as a food/nightlife destination. The restaurant scene is supposed to be fantastic and would love the chance to get to explore it. Living in China now, I’m just a little bit closer, making a trip down under a high priority!
I really enjoyed my time in Melbourne. I did great ocean road too and the penguins. Also the alleyway with the graffitti.
I can’t believe I’ve still never been to Australia! I really want to go. Your post makes Melbourne look so awesome. I’ve heard lots of great things. I can’t wait to go for myself!
It sounds like there are truly so many amazing places to go in Melbourne. I would love to do the Aboriginal Heritage Walk. I have an anthropology degree and we had a huge section on aboriginals and dream time art and I’ve been so curious about it ever since! Thanks for sharing these awesome tips!
I’ve heard great things about Melbourne! I wouldn’t mind living close to those cute baby koalas!
I would love to visit Australia, and Melbourne looks like a great place to spend a few days. Thx for the great post.