10 Compelling Reasons to Visit Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Sharing Our Top Things To Do In Melbourne

When planning our trip to Australia we knew for sure that we would visit some very popular locations such as Sydney, Port Douglas and Uluru. However, we weren’t sure about Melbourne.

After extensive research, we decided to include the city since it was a good base for visiting some areas in the region and had a direct flight to Hobart, our next destination. But when we arrived and toured around the city, we were pleasantly surprised by what it had to offer.

Below, we detail our experience while in Melbourne and some of the top things we think you shouldn’t miss when visiting.

What’s So Special About Melbourne?

You will notice a theme throughout this article that centres on food, drinks and culture. For those reasons alone, we think Melbourne is worth visiting!

1. Food Tour

On our first full day in the city we started with a food tour. This is one of our favourite things to do and we have done tours in many cities including Bordeaux, Hanoi, Valletta, Moorea and Cape Town. 

Melbourne is known as the foodie capital of Australia and we wanted to see why. Very quickly, we realized that food seemed to be at the heart of the city, which was great for us since we love to eat!

We spent four hours with a great guide who introduced us to a very large variety of food and drinks. There are restaurants from all around the world and they are all thriving! 

We tried some very Indigenous offerings including crocodile tongue (I hesitated but it was actually good!), damper which is a bread cooked in hibiscus leaves and a patty made from a sweet potato that grows in the bush.

We enjoyed a cheese and chocolate tasting, a coffee and hot chocolate tasting, amazing Italian sandwiches, a wine tasting including the notable Aras bubbly, jian bing a Chinese crepe, and a date and tamarind cake. And as you can imagine, we were stuffed!  

This was a wonderful way to explore the city, get our bearings and get some insight from a local who knew about some wonderful spots to eat. 

✅ We would certainly recommend this Food Tour that we took. It opened our eyes to the variety of food available in Melbourne and gave us some great insight on the city. Be sure to book it for the start of your visit!

2. Coffee Culture & High Tea

Coffee is a big thing in Melbourne. The people there take it very seriously and as a result there is some high quality product on offer. If you are a true coffee drinker in Melbourne, you order Magic. It is a double shot of espresso that is strained with steamed milk added. It is similar to a latte but creamier and much stronger.

We visited Miguel at Kit Espresso and he is a serious barista. He told us that in Melbourne alone, thirty tons of beans are ground to make the 3 million cups that are consumed each DAY. Now that’s alot of coffee considering the population is only five million people.

Miguel has some special brews that he creates and is also an artist. He made some incredible designs within the cream on our cups of coffee and for me a hot chocolate.

Denis loves his coffee so I think this was his favourite stop all day.

Another popular activity here is having a traditional High Tea. We have enjoyed this decadent experience previously in Abu Dhabi and since it is offered in alot of nice restaurants in Melbourne we decided to check it out.

We visited The Tea Rooms 1892. This eatery is located in the Block Arcade which is one of Melbourne’s oldest sites. The original Tea Room in the centre of the block, was run by the Victorian Ladies Work Association and this was a popular spot for ladies to lunch and have afternoon tea.

In 1907 it moved to its current location and remains very true to its original roots. Here you can admire the chandeliers, the printed wallpaper and beautiful etched mirror. Each table is set with fine bone china and pretty tea sets. 

Of course, there are both savoury and sweet treats followed by home made scones. Two rounds of tea per person are included. Thankfully they allow you to take home some of the food because there was no way we could finish the entire feast. 

It was a very nice way to spend a couple of hours feeling like we had stepped back in time to the 1890s. But this is a very popular activity so make sure you make a reservation in advance.

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3. Interesting Old & New Architecture

While you are out and about exploring the city, be sure to check out some of the different types of architecture that Melbourne has to offer. There is an interesting blend of styles that can be observed.

St Paul’s Cathedral

The current church on this site was not the first. The original church from 1852 was demolished to create the structure that stands there now and was consecrated in 1891.

Interestingly, the architect William Butterfield, created extremely detailed and large scale drawings of the design since he wouldn’t travel to Australia to oversee the construction. It is built in a Neo-Gothic style and has an exquisite interior.

The large decorated pillars stand atop a stunning floor with elegant tile work that is well lit by the brilliant stained glass windows. It is worth a quick stop in to see.

Also, if you look at the outside, the steeples are a different stone colour. This was because when it was being built, they ran out of money and had to wait 30 years to finish it. By that time, the stone (all from Melbourne) was a different colour.

The Block Arcade

If you enjoy shopping and even more so in beautiful surroundings, make sure to stop here. This gorgeous shopping centre was built in the 1890s and was nicknamed “The Block” since men and women would promenade around the centre on the intricate tiled floors to be seen in society.

The high glass domed ceilings along with elaborate tiling and embellished walkways is really incredible and gives you an appreciation for Victorian times. It reminded us of the Arcades we have visited in Brussels and Buenos Aires. 

State Library Victoria

We love a good library or book store to visit. And this location didn’t disappoint.  It is Australia’s oldest public library and one of the first libraries in the world that was free when it opened in 1856.

The library has multiple rooms but the most popular room to visit is The Dome reading room. You can view it from multiple levels due to its open floor plan and overlook the massive amount of literature below.

The dome opened in 1913 and was covered for many years to protect it. Fortunately it reopened in 2020 and is a gorgeous way to let in the light to this spacious area.

We were told that only 10% of the library’s collection is on display and the rest is in storage!

Federation Square

If you would like to see something with new architecture, you can visit Fed Square. Opened in 2002 this is known as a popular meeting place. It offers a nice location in the city with green space and holds festivals, art shows and cultural events.

There is a beautiful theatre called The Edge that hosts concerts, orchestras, and talks an theatre.

Check out what is happening there at this link.

Young & Jackson

To visit a fun place with some history, we suggest popping in to Young & Jackson. This is a lively bar and bistro that has been around since 1861. If you head up the stairs to the dining room, you can see the famous portrait of Chloe. 

She has been a part of Young & Jackson since 1909 and is quite famous in the city. Created by the French artist Jules Lefebvre, she was first seen at the Paris Salon in 1875. She was then on display in Sydney and Melbourne at international exhibitions and subsequently purchased by a doctor for his private collection.

The painting was eventually purchased after the doctor’s death and has become quite the icon with Australian soldiers coming to the bar to have a drink with her before heading off for duty.

✅ A great way to see and learn about all these sights and more is by taking a walking tour. Here is a 5 star tour option that covers all the major highlights in 3 hours.

4. Queen Victoria Market

This is a great indoor market that has been running since 1878. It is very large, spreading over two city blocks and hosts some 600 vendors. 

It has loads of fresh food including meat, fish, fruit & vegetables.

You can also purchase local handicrafts, artwork, jewelry, and gourmet food items. This is a great place to pick up souvenirs.

And be sure to check out the American Doughnut Kitchen food truck where you can have hot donuts filled with jam and dusted in sugar. They are a terrific treat!

The market is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

✅ Looking to explore a little more in depth? There is a highly recommended tour of the market with tastings included. This is a great options for foodies. You can check it out here.

5. Laneways & Nightlife

If you are looking for great restaurants, cafes and street artists you should check out the laneways. These narrow streets are full of great locations for relaxing over a coffee or a drink and for people watching.

And don’t forget Melbourne has a very lively nightlife too with many rooftop bars and pubs offering live music. We also checked out some of the locations on the Yarra River that are floating barges.

One called Arbory Afloat changes its decor each season. When we were there it was in the style of Capri. Fun place but very busy and the service was a little lacking.

6. Culture & Theatre

Melbourne is renowned for its entertainment scene as well. Aside from the events taking place at the Fed Square, there are several other good sized theatres in the city. When we were in town, we went to see the musical production of Tina Turner at the Princess Theatre.

We were really impressed. The cast was superb and the production value top notch. It turned out to be one of the best productions we have seen and was very reasonably priced for a show of that high quality.

7. Vivid Street Art

We found Melbourne to be a very walkable city but you can also get around with the free tram system. When you are wondering the streets, be sure to look at some of the vibrant street art.

There are many lanes that are full of very intricate and detailed work. The style of art reminded us of the street art we have seen in Buenos Aires. 

You can see art on various streets including Hosier Lane, Flinders Lane and Belenders Lane to name just a few. 

8. Royal Botanical Gardens Victoria

The Melbourne Botanical Garden dates back to the 1850s. It is a lovely garden spread over 38 hectares. The grounds are wide open with park area, ponds and nice pathways to meander – similar to the structure of the Botanical Gardens in Sydney.

There are more than 8500 species of plants in these gardens from all over the world. You can see diverse trees, perennial plants, succulents, cacti, herbs.  Some of the plants are planted in structured beds and others in a more natural setting.

We even saw some amazing birds while there!

There are benches available to sit and take in this gorgeous place right in the middle of the city. And best of all it is free to visit!

9. Yarra Valley Wine

Not too far out of the city is a wonderful wine region called the Yarra Valley with more than 80 wineries some dating back to 1838. We took a wine tasting tour (so we didn’t have to drive) and enjoyed visiting several different locations. 

Here they are known for Chardonnay, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir. And one of my favourites, the not to be missed sparkling! All of these are well known for their distinct flavour due to the cooler climate (very similar to our Niagara wine region).

Driving through this region is very relaxing and peaceful with the vineyards stretching for miles and the hills in the background. It is very picturesque. 

We visited several locations that were all family owned and not terribly large in size – in most cases 30-40 acres of vines. The tastings were varied and the proprietors conducting them were welcoming and engaging.

We also indulged in the alternate lunch at Chandon where they make amazing bubbly. And to mix it up we visited a gin distillery that had some unique offerings as well. It was a great day with a nice group of people.

✅ Enjoy a perfect day in the wine region with the tour that we took. It’s a wonderful way to explore the wineries and local food without worrying about driving.

10. Great Ocean Road

One of our highlights of our trip to Australia was the tour on the Great Ocean Road. There are many tours operated from Melbourne so this was another benefit to staying here. 

The scenery of this coastal area, located three hours from Melbourne, is truly stunning. The main highlight being the Twelve Apostles along with the beautiful beaches, small towns and interesting wildlife.

Chances are good that you will see koalas and kangaroos in the region too! Be sure to check out our blog on this heavenly highway.

✅ Take the guess work out of choosing a tour to see this iconic coastal area. We loved this reverse Great Ocean Road tour that allowed us to see the major areas without the crowds.

Where To Eat In Melbourne

As the food capital of Australia, you have so many options around Melbourne.  From fast food to world-class fine dining there are so many types of cuisine available that the hardest part is choosing! We did have some good meals while there.

At Lucy Liu we enjoyed Asian Fusion and each of the dishes in the Chef’s Selection were wonderful combinations of flavours and tasted super fresh.

We had a meal at Father’s Office where they offer combos such as chicken wings and a bottle of wine for $30.00. This was a great deal and perfect on an evening that we just wanted something light after a later lunch that day.

Many restaurants also offer pre-theatre meals and we took advantage of this option at Young & Jacksons. A two course dinner with a glass of wine is a perfect option and the hours are early so you can make your show.

A few other locations that were suggested to us (but we ran out of time) were Flower Drum, Farmer’s Daughter, Botiga and Brunetti. Happy eating!

Where to Stay in Melbourne

As with any good sized city, there are lots of accommodation options available. We do recommend staying in the CBD (Central Business District) since it is convenient and you can easily get around to everything. 

The Westin Melbourne is a fantastic property and the location is perfect. The rooms are spacious, the beds super comfy and the staff is excellent.

For a great location with a rooftop pool, The Rydges Melbourne is a terrific choice. It has quick access to restaurants, bars and many sights including the theatre district and shopping.

QT Melbourne is also great for its location. A boutique hotel it has a cool vibe and a stunning roof top patio that is perfect for drinks.

The Final Word…There Are Some Good Reasons To Visit Melbourne

We really enjoyed our time here. Melbourne offered alot of culture, fantastic food and was a terrific location for visiting some other desirable spots in the region. The people were very friendly and we found it to be very safe. There is plenty to keep you busy in the second largest city Down Under!