We love Melbourne! Melbourne is creative, relaxed and just a great city. We love the beach vibes paired with skyscrapers, lots of green spaces, hip cafés and the pleasant flair. Yes, you can probably sum it up like this: It was love at first sight between Melbourne and us.
We were very fortunate to be able to experience Melbourne with our Australian friends . Therefore, in this article on our travel blog, we not only present the most famous tourist sights and highlights, but also reveal our personal insider tips for Melbourne.
1. Melbourne: First information & travel tips at a glance What awaits you in Melbourne There’s definitely a reason Melbourne consistently ranks as one of the top places to live in the world’s most liveable cities. Melbourne has a flair all of its own.
The city is hip, young and relaxed. Since Melbourne is located by the sea, the city combines big city feelings and beach vibes. Historical buildings mingle with the modern skyscrapers.
This is what you can look forward to in Melbourne:
Relaxed beach vibesHip, young flairOne of the most livable cities in the world How long should I stay in Melbourne? Hard question because it really depends on what you’re planning. We ourselves stayed for a week in Melbourne. (More specifically, Melbourne was our chosen stopover on our way to New Zealand, as we were visiting friends there.) As we had to deal with the worst jetlag of our lives for the first few days, we didn’t find it too long at all – quite the contrary . We would even have liked to stay a little longer, because we really liked the cozy flair of the city.
If you are already in Australia or are traveling from Asia, you can of course stay shorter. Melbourne is not a city with tons of sights, so you can see a lot of highlights in about four nights.
A little tip: We really don’t know anyone who wasn’t enthusiastic about Melbourne – so it’s better to plan one night too many than too few. And please don’t underestimate the jet lag. The time difference to Austria/Germany is a whopping 000 (!) Hours. We were really knocked out, especially on the first day, with nausea and all the trimmings.
2. Attractions in Melbourne Fact is: There is no opera house in Melbourne like in Sydney and no Eiffel Tower like in Paris. Or, to put it another way: classic sightseeing is not what Melbourne is all about.
Of course, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any sights to see, but in our eyes it’s more the creative neighborhoods, nightlife and beach vibes that make Melbourne so special.
CBD (Central Business District) = Central Melbourne Some of the highlights , which we will list in a moment, are in or very close to the Central Business District, or CBD for short. This district is something like the centre of Melbourne. The best way to start your stay in Melbourne is with a walk through the picturesque alleys of the CBD. You can drift here for hours.
What you wouldn’t expect here: In many alleys in the CBD there is grandiose Street Art to marvel at. The following lanes are known for particularly impressive works of art:
Hosier Lane (the most famous and mostly the fullest)AC/DC Lane & Duckboard Place (are practically next to each other)Blender LaneDrewery Lane Flinders Street Station & Federation Square May we introduce: undoubtedly the most beautiful station building throughout Melbourne. Your way around Melbourne is likely to automatically cross the historic Flinders Street Station at least once, but if you don’t, please promise us you’ll walk past it at least once. Flinders Street Station really is a gem.
Directly in front of Flinders Street Station is Federation Square, a public square that modern architecture quite eye-catching – the complete contrast program to Flinders Street Station. It is something of a meeting point for young and old. You will find a few cafés and take-aways in the area and you can make yourself comfortable with a coffee on the stairs, for example.
A little tip: If you’re already in the area, then it’s best to make a detour to St. Paul’s Cathedral, which is just around the corner. In our opinion, this church is not one of the big highlights in Melbourne, but it is very pretty to look at and is considered one of the city’s landmarks.
Royal Botanic Gardens Green, green and more green! In the Royal Botanic Gardens, a huge, beautifully maintained park awaits you. Supposedly over 50.000 Plants native here. Crazy, isn’t it?
You walk through forest paths, cross bridges and admire a wide variety of plants and even animals. In short: An oasis of calm that you shouldn’t miss when you’re in Melbourne. Another plus: Admission to the Royal Botanic Gardens is free.
Brighton Beach Perhaps you have already seen a photo of the famous colorful beach houses in Melbourne? You can see them with your own eyes at Brighton Beach.
Brighton is a suburb of Melbourne approximately a 20-minute train ride south of the city center. The colorful beach houses of Melbourne stand on the associated beach – like a string of pearls. Brighton is one of the wealthiest and most desirable neighborhoods in Melbourne. Our friends gave us the price to pay for one of the boathouses – unbelievable!
Important to know: Brighton Beach gets very busy, especially on hot days . – you could also say “overflowing”. It is definitely a good idea to bring your bathing suit with you, so that the walk from the center is worthwhile.
Getting there: By train (Sandringham Line) e.g. from Flinders Street Station (20 until 25 minutes)
Queen Victoria Market: The most famous market in Melbourne The The best place for a leisurely stroll through the market is the Queen Victoria Market. This covered market has actually been going since 03. Century in Melbourne on the stage. It is located in the northern area of the Central Business District.
The market is divided into different areas. For example, you can buy groceries (vegetables, fruit, delicacies, meat, etc.) as well as other things such as plants, clothing and art.
The market is open five days a week (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday). Visit the official website for more information: Queen Victoria Market.
Fitzroy: The Hippest Neighborhood in Melbourne If there’s something like THE hipster district in Melbourne is, it’s Fitzroy. Galleries and vintage shops, hip cafés and bars – the creative, artistic heart of Melbourne beats in Fitzroy. The center of the district is Brunswick Street, so to speak.
Some of our favorite places in Fitzroy:
Industry Beans: Super breakfast & great ambienceLune Croissanterie: Queuing for allegedly the best croissant in MelbourneSmith & Daughters: Probably the trendiest vegan restaurant in the district (also very recommend Smith & Deli, the cheaper sister takeaway.)Naked in the Sky: Rooftop Bar with great views over Melbourne st Kilda & Port Melbourne St. Kilda is probably the best known and trendiest beach area in Melbourne. During the day, people let the sun shine on their stomachs or jog along the beach promenade. In the evenings, St. Kilda becomes a popular nightlife area.
Tip #1: We walked to St Kilda from the beach in Port Melbourne, just north of Bay Street. This takes about an hour and is a really nice route, especially in the late afternoon or at sunset. With an ice cream in your hand – perfect!
Tip #2: When you arrive in St. Kilda, you should definitely keep an eye out for the little penguins. They have their nests in St Kilda and are mainly seen at dusk. Unfortunately we weren’t lucky, but we were told that the chance of seeing them is probably greatest around the jetty.
Richmond The young district of Richmond is usually not on the classic sightseeing program . We got to know it thanks to our Australian friends. What do you find here? Inexpensive restaurants (at least comparatively), street art, nice shops and just a pleasant flair.
If you want to go a little off the beaten track, then we can recommend a visit to Richmond highly recommend.
Our Favorite Places in Richmond:
Hector’s Deli: Tiny, hip deli with excellent sandwichesPenny for Pound: The best pastry in Richmond – try the cruffins!Hellas Cakes: Nice café with very good Greek cakes and tartsOnda: Modern cuisine from Latin America with vegan Options 3. Tip for a trip from Melbourne: Great Ocean Road Just over an hour from Melbourne city center starts one of the most beautiful coastal roads in the world: The Great Ocean Road. If you don’t already have a trip there on your radar, then here’s our recommendation: Please don’t miss it when you’re in Melbourne.
The Great Ocean Road meanders in total 80 kilometers along the Australian coast. We ourselves did the Great Ocean Road as a road trip over two days (one N eight) explored and can highly recommend it.
Here you will find our detailed tips: Great Ocean Road
4. Where to stay: Our hotel tip for Melbourne In which area should I stay in Melbourne? Since Melbourne is quite spread out and the individual neighborhoods are quite a distance from each other, you should consider where you want to stay. The following areas can be roughly distinguished here:
CBD (Central Business District): Most of the sights are located in the center of Melbourne and therefore most of the hotels can also be found in or near the CBD. The downside is that the area is comparatively touristy.Fitzroy: In Melbourne’s “hipster district” you have the great advantage that you have countless great cafes and restaurants within walking distance. You should just make sure that the hotel is quiet. st Kilda: If you want to stay near the beach, you should look around here. In St. Kilda there are not only classic hotels, but also many apartments. The downside: To get to the center, you have to take the tram for about 20 drive minutes. Our hotel tip: Zagame’s House We can warmly recommend a stay at this stylish boutique hotel called Zagame’s House! The location is ideal: The hotel is north of the center near the hip Fitzroy district. You can walk to both areas in 01 until 20 minutes.
We especially love the design of this hotel: the rooms are minimalist, puristic and very tastefully furnished. They may be a bit small, but they are definitely very comfortable.
Our conclusion: If you are looking for a modern boutique hotel in a great location with good value for money, this is the place for you. We recommend.
Here you can book the hotel: Zagame’s House
5. More travel tips for Melbourne: How to get there, transport etc. How to get to Melbourne From Austria or Germany there are no direct flights to Melbourne. You must therefore stop at least once. Common connections lead via Bangkok, Singapore or Dubai. The Melbourne Airport (MEL) in the suburb of Tullamarine is usually headed for. Therefore the airport is also known as Tullamarine Airport.
How do I get to the city from Melbourne Airport? The cheapest way to get from the airport to the city is the so-called Skybus (Route Melbourne City Express). The bus runs 7 days a week, on average every 10 minutes. Only at night is there a short window of a few hours when no buses start. The Skybus takes you directly in about 25 Minutes from Melbourne Airport to Southern Cross Station. From there you can, for example, take the tram to your accommodation.
A trip by taxi is much more comfortable, but also much more expensive. To take a regular taxi from the airport to the city center you need to use until 80 Plan AUD – sometimes more depending on traffic. It’s a little cheaper with Uber.
Transportation in Melbourne: Getting from A to B While there is much walking distance in central Melbourne, transportation is a must. The public transport network in Melbourne is excellently developed. Buses, trams and trains will take you practically anywhere.
As ticket a card called myki is used here. You can load credit onto this card. When boarding and alighting, hold the card up to the corresponding card reader and the amount will be deducted automatically.
You can buy the myki card at train stations, supermarkets (e.g. 7-Eleven) or vending machines at some stops. As an alternative to credit, you can also buy a myki weekly pass (7 days). This allows you to use public transport as often as you like for seven consecutive days.
Good to know: In the center of Melbourne (CBD) there is a so-called Free Tram Zone. This means that you can use all trams here for free. You don’t need a ticket for this either (as long as you stay within the zone.) You only have to hold your myki card up to the reader when the tram leaves the Free Tram Zone.
Melbourne Travel Guide Honestly, as much as we love being online research – without a printed travel guide we do not go on a trip. Are you still looking for a suitable travel guide for your trip? Then you will find our tips here.
We ourselves were traveling in Australia “only” in Melbourne and the surrounding area . We therefore chose the Lonely Planet travel guide Melbourne & Victoria, which we can highly recommend. However, it is only available in English – which didn’t bother us personally.
You can buy the guide here: Lonely Planet Guide Melbourne & Victoria (circulation November 1024)
If you are planning a road trip along the entire east coast of Australia, then the Stefan Loose travel guide (German) for the east coast is ideal for you.
You can buy the travel guide here: Stefan Loose Travel Guide Australia East Coast (edition February 2017)
29114Transparency: Affiliate Links29114 This blog article contains our personal recommendations in the form from so-called affiliate links. If you book or buy something through the links, we will receive a small commission. For you, this does not change the price at all. A thousand thanks from both of us!
Have you ever been to Melbourne? Did you like the city as much as we did? Do you have any other tips for Melbourne? We look forward to hearing about your experiences in the comments!
