Melbourne

Australia's capital of arts and culture, with graffiti laneways, Queen Victoria Market and the MCG cricket ground, plus day trips to the Puffing Billy steam train in the Dandenongs, the Yarra Valley and the Phillip Island penguins.

Melbourne is the capital of Victoria and Australia's second-largest city, on the northern shore of Port Phillip Bay at the mouth of the Yarra River. The 1850s gold rush briefly made it one of the richest cities in the British Empire, leaving behind a wealth of Victorian architecture. Today it is known for its coffee, street art, sports and food.

Areas to explore: ① CBD: Flinders Street Station, Federation Square, Hosier Lane, café laneways such as Degraves Street, Royal Arcade and Block Arcade, Chinatown, the State Library and Old Melbourne Gaol; ② North of the CBD: Queen Victoria Market, the Royal Exhibition Building and Melbourne Museum, Carlton, Brunswick Street in Fitzroy, and Melbourne Zoo; ③ Yarra south bank: the NGV, Eureka Skydeck, the Aquarium, the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Shrine of Remembrance; ④ The sports precinct to the east, with the MCG and Fitzroy Gardens; ⑤ The bayside: St Kilda Beach and Luna Park, and the colorful Brighton Bathing Boxes.

Day trips: Mount Dandenong and the Puffing Billy steam train, Yarra Valley wineries and Healesville Sanctuary (about 1 hour), Mornington Peninsula hot springs, the Penguin Parade on Phillip Island, and the gold-rush town of Sovereign Hill in Ballarat. The Great Ocean Road is covered as a separate destination.

Climate: "four seasons in one day," so always carry a jacket. Dec–Feb is summer (Australian Open in Jan), Mar–May brings crisp, clear autumn weather, Jun–Aug is cold and gray, and Sep–Nov is spring blooms (Melbourne Cup in Nov). Getting around: the SkyBus from the airport to Southern Cross Station takes about 30 minutes; the CBD is a Free Tram Zone, and outside it you tap on with a Myki card or a contactless bank card. Chinese citizens need an Australian tourist visa. Recommended stay: 3–5 days. Notes: the UV is strong, so wear sunscreen; cards are the main way to pay; many shops close at 5–6 pm.

Top sights

Flinders Street Station & Federation Square – The Edwardian Baroque railway station, completed in 1910, is Melbourne's city icon. Across the road, Federation Square houses ACMI, NGV Aus…
Hosier Lane – Melbourne's signature street-art lane, with cobbled paths and ever-changing graffiti covering the walls from ground to rooftop. It is the m…
Queen Victoria Market – The largest open-air market in the Southern Hemisphere, open since 1878, with over 600 stalls selling fresh produce, prepared food, gifts a…
Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria – A 38-hectare English-style garden established in 1846, with about 8,500 plant species around an ornamental lake. It sits next to the Shrine…
Brighton Bathing Boxes – 82 Victorian-era painted bathing boxes line Dendy Street Beach in Brighton. The flag-painted box is the most famous, and the row is one of…
Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) – A 100,000-seat temple of Australian sport, host of the 1956 Olympics, and the stage for AFL grand finals and Boxing Day Test cricket. It ho…
State Library Victoria – Australia's oldest public library, founded in 1856. The octagonal La Trobe Reading Room, with its radiating desks beneath the dome, is Melb…
Block Arcade & Royal Arcade – A 19th-century Victorian shopping arcade with mosaic floors, a glass-roofed ceiling and a century-old tearoom, offering a glimpse of the ci…
National Gallery of Victoria (NGV International) – Australia's oldest and most visited art museum. Admission to the permanent collection is free, and the colourful glass ceiling in the Great…
Shrine of Remembrance – A neoclassical memorial hall built to honour the Victorian servicemen of World War I. Its terrace overlooks the city axis running from St K…
Melbourne Skydeck (Eureka Tower) – An observation deck on level 88 of the Eureka Tower on the South Bank, about 285 metres up. It is one of the highest public viewing levels…
St Kilda Beach & Luna Park – Melbourne's most famous seaside district, with its palm-lined boulevard, long pier and the 'Big Mouth' entrance to the century-old Luna Par…
Royal Exhibition Building – Built for the 1880 exhibition, this Victorian-era landmark is where Australia's first federal parliament was opened. Together with the surr…
Chinatown, Melbourne – Founded during the gold rush of the 1850s, this is the oldest continuously existing Chinatown in the Western world. Chinese restaurants lin…
Brunswick Street, Fitzroy – One of Melbourne's trendiest neighbourhoods, with vintage shops, independent bookstores, street art, cafés and bars lining the street, show…
St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne – Melbourne's Catholic cathedral, a Gothic Revival building of bluestone with three spires and magnificent stained-glass windows.
Melbourne Zoo – Opened in 1862, this is Australia's oldest zoo. You can see koalas, kangaroos and platypuses up close, as well as Asian elephants and lions.
SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium – A large aquarium on the Yarra River. The Antarctic penguin exhibit features king penguins, close relatives of the emperor penguin, and gent…
Old Melbourne Gaol – A 19th-century bluestone prison where legendary bushranger Ned Kelly was hanged. Visitors can experience the cells and join night-time ghos…
Fitzroy Gardens & Cooks' Cottage – A Victorian-style garden east of the CBD, with elm-lined avenues and a glasshouse conservatory, plus the cottage where the parents of Capta…
Puffing Billy Railway – A century-old narrow-gauge steam train in the Dandenong Ranges. Passengers sit on the window ledges with their legs dangling, travelling pa…
Dandenong Ranges – Low mountains about 40 km east of Melbourne, with tall mountain ash forests, a flight of a thousand steps, a summit lookout and the Sassafr…
Yarra Valley – Victoria's most famous wine region. The cool climate produces Pinot Noir and sparkling wine, and visitors can enjoy wine tastings, farm-to-…
Healesville Sanctuary – A sanctuary dedicated to Australia's native animals, where you can see platypuses, koalas, wombats and Tasmanian devils, and the birds of p…
Sovereign Hill – An open-air history museum in Ballarat that recreates a gold rush town of the 1850s. Visitors can pan for gold by hand, go down a mine and…
Degraves Street & Centre Place – A narrow lane of coffee shops across from Flinders Street station, with outdoor seating packed with small cafés. It is the best place to ex…
South Melbourne Market – A community market that opened in 1867, bringing together fresh produce, cooked food and local shops. Its signature offerings are the steam…
City Circle Tram (Route 35) – A free sightseeing tram that loops around the CBD. It uses retro W-class trams, with audio commentary along the way, and connects the main…
Melbourne Museum – One of the largest museums in the Southern Hemisphere, featuring dinosaur skeletons, an Indigenous cultural centre, an indoor forest galler…
Daylesford & Hepburn Springs – A spa town northwest of Melbourne with mineral baths, lakeside cafés and lavender farms. It is ideal for a relaxed day trip.

Where to eat

Flower Drum – A classic Cantonese restaurant in Chinatown opened in 1975, named Restaurant of the Year in The Age Good Food Guide 202…
Lune Croissanterie (Fitzroy) – The Fitzroy branch of Melbourne's homegrown croissant brand, famous for its constant queues. Arrive early for the full…
Tipo 00 – A modern pasta bar on Little Bourke Street in the CBD, famous for its house-made pasta and Italian small plates. Locate…
Pellegrini's Espresso Bar – Opened in 1954 on Bourke Street, this historic coffee bar retains its counter seating and neon sign, serving up classic…
HuTong Dumpling Bar – A dim sum parlor on Market Lane that has been drawing crowds with its xiaolongbao since 2008, featuring an open kitchen…
Stalactites Restaurant – An iconic Greek restaurant on Lonsdale Street opened in 1978, offering budget-friendly souvlaki and gyros, open until 2…

Itineraries

Melbourne First Visit – Stay in the city centre and cover Federation Square, Hosier Lane, the Southbank galleries and Queen Victoria Market in…
Melbourne In Depth and Great Ocean Road Day Trip – Stay in Fitzroy and explore the old town, museums and markets, plus a day trip along the Great Ocean Road to the Twelve…
Melbourne City and Highlights – Two days in the city, plus the Puffing Billy steam train, Phillip Island penguins and the Yarra Valley, then a self-dri…
Grand Victoria Loop – Loop around Victoria, covering the coast, mountains, goldfields, high country, and Wilsons Promontory in one go.
Adelaide to Melbourne Coastal Drive – Drive east along the South Australian coast via the Coorong, Robe, and Blue Lake, then join the Great Ocean Road to Mel…
Melbourne Family Wildlife and Steam Train – Stay in Southbank and take the kids to the aquarium, zoo and museum, then ride the steam train and see the penguins.
Tasmania In-Depth Loop via Melbourne Ferry – Bring your car across from Melbourne on an overnight ferry, completing a full island loop plus Bruny Island and Stanley
Melbourne Coffee, Markets and Wineries – Laneway cafés and three major markets, plus a day trip to the Yarra Valley wineries and a Mornington Peninsula day of c…
Sydney to Melbourne Coastal Drive – Drive south along the Princes Highway, connecting white sand bays, a historic whaling town, and the penguin parade
Melbourne Gold Rush History by Rail – Take the train to Ballarat and Bendigo to see gold rush towns, gold mines and the history of Chinese miners.