Melbourne, Australia: travel guide
Laneway cafes, street art and a serious coffee culture
The Cultural Capital — famous for laneways, coffee culture, street art, arts scene, and sports enthusiasm.
About Melbourne
Melbourne rewards wandering. The city centre is threaded with laneways where espresso bars, street art and small restaurants fill spaces that look like service alleys, and the trams that rattle past are as much a part of the scene as the food.
Things to do in Melbourne include browsing the galleries and theatres, eating your way through the multicultural suburbs, watching sport at the MCG and taking a day trip towards the Great Ocean Road or the Yarra Valley wine country. Evenings often start with a long dinner and end somewhere with live music.
It suits travellers who like arts, food and neighbourhood exploring more than set sights. Melbourne travel is pleasant in autumn and spring, though the weather can change quickly, so pack layers whenever you visit.
- Country
- Australia
- Currency
- AUD
- Time zone
- Australia/Melbourne
- Nearest airport
- MEL
Last updated
Top places to visit in Melbourne
Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)
stadium · 4.7 rating · about 2 h · entry $32 (≈ ₹2,130)
The spiritual home of Australian sport and cricket — a 100,000-seat arena with tours and the National Sports Museum.
Flinders Street Station
landmark · 4.4 rating · about 0.5 h · check the fee at the gate
Melbourne's landmark Edwardian-baroque railway station under its famous yellow dome and row of clocks.
Federation Square
public-square · 4.5 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate
Melbourne's bold public plaza of angular architecture, hosting galleries, events and the ACMI screen museum.
Queen Victoria Market
market · 4.5 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate
A sprawling 1878 open-air market of fresh produce, deli halls, street food and crafts — a Melbourne institution.
Melbourne Museum
natural-history · 4.6 rating · about 2 h · entry $15 (≈ ₹1,000)
A leading natural-history and cultural museum in Carlton Gardens with the Bunjilaka Aboriginal centre and IMAX.
Brighton Bathing Boxes
landmark · 4.4 rating · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate
A colourful row of 82 heritage timber bathing boxes on Dendy Street Beach — one of Melbourne's most photographed spots.
Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
garden · 4.8 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate
38 hectares of lakes, lawns and themed gardens beside the Yarra — an oasis with the Aboriginal Heritage Walk.
Hosier Lane
street-art · 4.2 rating · about 0.5 h · check the fee at the gate
Melbourne's most famous street-art laneway — ever-changing stencils and murals off Flinders Street.
NGV International
art-gallery · 4.7 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate
The National Gallery of Victoria's flagship on St Kilda Road — vast international collection behind the water-wall facade, free entry.
Melbourne Skydeck
observation-deck · 4.5 rating · about 1.3 h · entry $32 (≈ ₹2,130)
Southern Hemisphere's highest public viewing platform on level 88 of Eureka Tower, with the glass Edge cube.
St Kilda Beach & Foreshore
beach · 4.6 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate
A bayside beach with the historic Luna Park, Acland Street cakes, a pier and a little-penguin colony at dusk.
Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road
natural-landmark · 4.8 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate
Towering limestone stacks rising from the Southern Ocean — the showpiece of a Great Ocean Road day trip from Melbourne.
Things to do
- Great Ocean Road Day Tour Tour · 11 h · from AUD 145 per person
- Melbourne Laneways Food & Coffee Walking Tour Food · 3 h · from AUD 130 per person
- Phillip Island Penguin Parade Tour Tour · 10 h · from AUD 155 per person
- Yarra Valley Wine & Produce Tour Tour · 9 h · from AUD 165 per person
- MCG Stadium Tour Tour · 1.5 h · from AUD 32 per person
- Melbourne Yarra River Cruise Cruise · 1 h · from AUD 39 per person
Day trips and tours
- Great Ocean Road Highlights 11 h · from AUD 145
Where to stay in Melbourne
- CBD about AUD 5,000 per night
Central business district with luxury hotels
- Southbank about AUD 5,000 per night
Cultural precinct with restaurants
- Fitzroy about AUD 210 per night
Bohemian inner-north with Brunswick Street cafes, street art, vintage shops and live music.
- St Kilda about AUD 180 per night
Bayside suburb with the beach, Luna Park, Acland Street cakes and a lively bar scene.
Hotels
- The Hotel Windsor 5-star · AUD 330 to AUD 900 per night
- Melbourne Central YHA 3-star · AUD 42 to AUD 170 per night
- Crown Metropol Melbourne 5-star · AUD 240 to AUD 600 per night
- Jasper Hotel 4-star · AUD 180 to AUD 320 per night
- Space Hotel 3-star · AUD 45 to AUD 180 per night
Where to eat
- Chin Chin Southeast Asian, Thai · about AUD 65 per person
- Vue de monde Modern Australian · about AUD 360 per person
- Flower Drum Cantonese, Chinese · about AUD 140 per person
- Pellegrini's Espresso Bar Italian · about AUD 30 per person
- MoVida Spanish, Tapas · about AUD 75 per person
- Cumulus Inc. Modern Australian · about AUD 80 per person
- Attica Modern Australian · about AUD 320 per person
Getting to Melbourne
Airport: Melbourne (MEL)
Getting around
- Bus
- Train
- Tram
- Walking
Safety and scams to avoid
Backpacker job-deposit
Major tourist zones
Online "casual work" offer demands $50–200 deposit for "uniform/training"; job doesn't exist.
How to avoid it: Never pay deposit for a job before starting. Use official jobactive portal.
More in Australia
Frequently asked questions about Melbourne
- What are the top-rated places to visit in Melbourne?
- The highest-rated places in our Melbourne guide are Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road, Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), NGV International, Melbourne Museum.
- Where should I stay in Melbourne?
- Our guide covers these areas to stay in Melbourne: CBD, Southbank, Fitzroy, St Kilda.
- How do I get around Melbourne?
- Ways to get around Melbourne covered in our guide: City bus, Train, Tram, Walking.
- What scams should I watch out for in Melbourne?
- Scams reported to us for Melbourne include Backpacker job-deposit. Each is explained in the guide, with how to avoid it.
- Which airport is nearest to Melbourne?
- The nearest airport to Melbourne has the code MEL.