Melbourne travel guide

Melbourne holiday highlights

Visit Queen Victoria Market, admire the modern architecture in Federation Square and stroll down Flinders Lane for some boutique shopping. Melbourne is big on sports; visit the Sports Precinct and catch a cricket match or a game of Australian football. Some of the city’s best eateries in Melbourne’s cool labyrinthine laneways, where unassuming spaces have been transformed into high-end dining and street food stalls. Each arcade has its own individual character and charm.

On the banks of the Yarra River, the Southbank is home to high-end hotels and a vibrant entertainment scene with glorious river and city views. The popular beach suburb of St Kilda can be reached by tram from Melbourne. The foreshore is a hub of activity, with people strolling, cycling or skating under the palms. Dining options are excellent, with local restaurants and cool cafés. A 10-minute drive from central Melbourne, South Yarra is one of the oldest and most upmarket inner-city suburbs, where you’ll find trendy Chapel Street with its boutique shops and host of independent bars and restaurants. You can pack plenty into a couple of nights in Melbourne if you’re short on time too. Take a day trip to Phillip Island to see the heart-melting Penguin Parade or go wine tasting in the Yarra Valley.

Melbourne self-drives
Melbourne is one of the best places to start or end an Australian road trip. It makes part of a brilliant twin city itinerary on the Sydney to Melbourne Coastal Drive and is just an hour and a half from the Great Ocean Road, Australia’s most well-known coastal drive that you can follow up on a quieter drive to Adelaide.