We’re back with another travel guide from my Australia trip, this time, Melbourne! If you’re headed down under, check out my previous post all about Brisbane. Where to stay and eat, and all about what to do.
If there’s one thing I noticed about Australia, it’s that every part of the country is very different from the next. It reminded me of Canada in that way, since you won’t go to two cities and get the same vibes, per say!
First off, Melbourne was MUCH colder than the rest of the places I went. Obviously, since I went in May, it’s their fall/start of winter. But the temperature difference was very significant. If you’re traveling to Melbourne at this time, make sure to pack a few coats and lots of scarves. They’ll definitely come in handy!
Melbourne, Australia Travel Guide
Where to Stay
I stayed with a friend in South Yara during my stay in the city, so I can’t shed light on exactly where to rest your head. However, I’d recommend staying in the South Yarra area or right in the Central Business District (AKA downtown).
South Yarra is close to a ton of shopping areas with awesome Australian brands, as well as lots of restaurants. Also, it’s walking distance to the Footy stadium which will come into play down below!
What to Do
Take a day to look around the city centre and stop at the State Library of Victoria. It has free entry, the building is beautiful, and there are exhibits about Australian history and more available on the upper levels.
Go to a Footy Game. Australian Rules Football is one of the biggest sports in the country, and SO worth going to a game while you’re there. The atmosphere at the MCG is so much fun and the game is quite something in and of itself! It’s kind of a mix between rugby and quidditch which makes no sense until you watch it for yourself.
Shop down Chapel Street in South Yarra for tons of Aussie shops including Witchery, Country Road and the best shoe store I’ve ever entered, Tony Bianco.
If you’re in Melbourne, it’s definitely worth it to rent a car and take a drive down the Great Ocean Road. It’s right outside of Melbourne and in about 5-6 hours, you can be at the 12 Apostles! The views were AMAZING the entire drive and there are a ton of cute towns along the way to stop in for a meal. I stopped in Anglesea and had breakfast at Poppy’s. It’s a cute little greenhouse with awesome brunch and great local goods. Stop in next door for coffee and organic home goods market, Great Ocean Road Wellness.
Where to Eat/Drink
Brunch seems to be what Aussies do best. Top Paddock is another brunch winner with their eggs benedict. If you’re needing a lunch place, this is also a great option because according to a friend, the fish tacos blew him away!
To this day, one of the best brunches I’ve ever had in my life was at Pillar of Salt. It’s a super popular restaurant but we got right in without a reservation. Order the Red Chili Scrambled Eggs. You won’t regret it.
If you’re in South Yarra, stop at Kanteen. It’s a cute spot right on the river with great coffee and sandwiches. I went for a later lunch and it was closing up so opt instead to head over for breakfast.
I’m not one to joke about croissants, so know I mean what I’m about to say. Lune has the best croissants in the WORLD. I ate 2 and wished I had tried one of each, even though I don’t think I physically would have been able to eat them. Although everything is likely amazing, the Kouign Amann was quite honestly out of this world. If you love croissants like me, this place MUST be on your Melbourne list.
Hawker Hall is a bumping dinner place with great food! I had the Beef Rendang and it was amazing.
If you like dumplings, try out Drumplings in the city centre. It had a ton of variety of interesting dumpling flavours like cheeseburger and mac and cheese. All tasty and relatively inexpensive!
If you’re in the mood for a classy cocktail, head to Tyranny of Distance. It has great atmosphere and great drinks, but careful because the place is pretty small so get there early!
The Flying Duck is a busy bar with all your favourite classic drinks. Go for a beer and stay for the glass roof. At least that’s what I would do!
Game of Thrones lovers, or anyone that likes to drink out of a horn (I know, weird right?!) Mjoner is the drink spot for you! For an extra $3, you can drink your beer out of a horn shaped cup. And for an extra $50, you can take one home! The perfect Melbourne souvenir LOL.
If you’re in Melbourne at the right time, try the Night Market. It has booths set up from a ton of restaurants so you can try a bunch of things. Plus, there’s music, dancing and a great atmosphere.
My Melbourne, Australia travel guide took me about 6 days of vacationing to put together. I would suggest staying at least 6 days, if not longer to really soak up all the city has to offer. With the Great Ocean Road so close, it’s an awesome place to relax in for a good chunk of your Aussie trip!
xx Victoria
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