Melbourne may not be as scenic or as showy as Sydney, Australia's largest city, but it is arguably the most interesting of all the urban destinations on the Green Continent. The second-largest city in the Lucky Country is famous for its liveliest bars, its quirkiest cafes, its finest restaurants and its most eclectic shops, not to mention its stunning river views.
Here are seven compelling things to do in Melbourne so you can make the most of this rich Australian treasure.
Food and Drink
Even Sydneysiders won't argue with the claim that Melbourne boasts the most exciting restaurant scene in Australia. A vast melting pot of Italian, Greek, Vietnamese and other Asian immigrants has turned fusion cooking into an authentic local cuisine, and there are plenty of affordable spots alongside the pricier restaurants.
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Since the food never disappoints, head to one of the most popular neighbourhoods any evening and check out the trendy bistros. You'll find excellent places in Fitzroy, especially Cutler and Co.; St Kilda; Prahran; Carlton and South Yarra, as well as in the little laneways of the Central Business District. Here, the Press Club and Vue de Monde in the iconic Rialto building represent the top tier, while MoVida is a rising star.
Picnickers, home cooks and anyone who simply wants to admire the most beautiful produce in the world should not miss the chance to visit Prahran Market, which is also a great place to track down hard-to-find Asian ingredients.
Shopping
Shopping is where the individuality of Melbourne's neighbourhoods really comes through. Sure, the city centre has good fashion boutiques (especially on Bourke Street, at Collins Place and on Swanston Street), but far more eclectic offerings are just a tram ride away.
Take a look at Gertrude Street and Brunswick Street in Fitzroy, plus Chapel Street and Greville Street in South Yarra, for cool, quirky, elegant and vintage finds respectively. Expect to be distracted by stylish homewares, along with locally designed clothing and wonderful accessories. A couple of names worth keeping in mind are Dinosaur Designs in South Yarra, which makes stunning earrings from resin and glass, and Market Import in Armadale, which offers original decorative pieces for the home.
Visit the Queen Victoria Market or the smaller South Melbourne Market if you'd rather rummage through stalls piled high with clutter and treasure than window-shop the boutiques.
If the choice feels too overwhelming, narrow it down with one of the several savvy personal shoppers who run small-group tours for fashionistas after insider tips.
Art
Art is everywhere in Melbourne, both on the street and in stylish galleries selling everything from the newly fashionable Aboriginal art to contemporary Western-style paintings, sculptures and installations. Don't miss Blender Studios, a gallery and studio space dedicated to nurturing up-and-coming art.
The National Gallery of Victoria, right in the heart of the city, is a great place to get a broad sense of Australia's stunning landscape tradition, but you'll want to pound the pavements to see what cutting-edge art is up to. The CBD laneways are the place to go gallery-hopping: head to Flinders Lane and Little Collins Street, then simply follow your nose (and your eyes).
Gallery tours are offered by Jane O'Neill, whose Art Series hotels (the Cullen, the Olsen and the Blackman) are geared towards creative types. But there are street-art tours too. Whether they work in the old-school style of graffiti, stencil art or paste-ups, Melbourne's street artists are pioneers, and you may need a guide to help you uncover their best work.
Coffee
The entire sophisticated Italian-Australian coffee movement was born in Melbourne, where there are so many cult cafes that there's even a tour devoted to them. It kicks off over a coffee break, and guests move from one temple of caffeine to another with a reusable cup, tasting as they go. Food is always present in Melbourne, where most cafes have some little gourmet treat for a public that is drawn in first by the finest beans and baristas, but is often persuaded to stay a little longer.
For those planning their own tour of discovery, the award winners include Proud Mary in Collingwood (duck ravioli), Dukes in Windsor (ham and cheese toasties), Auction Rooms in North Melbourne, Final Step in South Yarra and Seven Seeds in Carlton.
Enjoying the Waterways
The Yarra River flows through Melbourne and has created a stunning zone for both nightlife and daytime strolls and snacks along the south bank. South Wharf Promenade has become the city's most popular spot for drinks and dinner, with well-known venues such as Sharing House, Meat Market and Common Man.
Although Melbourne feels like an urban city far from the sea, it actually has a seaside life of its own, especially in the lovely old suburb of St Kilda, which is easy to reach by tram from the city centre. Here you'll notice an intriguing contrast between the old-fashioned cafes on Acland Street, where European retirees swap news every morning, and beachfront venues like Stokehouse, which fill up after sunset with young people eating pizza and homemade pies washed down with cool drinks.
Architecture
Who needs an opera house shaped like a sailing ship when your cityscape is marked by some of the finest examples of 19th and 20th-century architecture? Melbourne's charm lies in its abundance of wonderful old buildings, including Victorian and Edwardian bungalows with verandahs and parapets trimmed with lacy wrought iron. There are also grand art deco buildings, such as the Manchester Unity Building on Collins Street and the neighbouring T&G Building at the corner of Russell Street.
Melbourne's art deco heyday is tied to the city's centenary in 1934, which sparked a building boom that was cut short by the Second World War. When peace came, many iconic Victorian buildings were demolished in the rush for the new, but important relics of the old glory days include the Olderfleet and Rialto buildings, the Block Arcade, the Gothic Bank, the Hotel Windsor and a whole string of government buildings. Wander the streets on your own or enjoy an art deco heritage tour.
Enjoying Nature
Melbourne is surrounded by beautiful countryside, from the vineyards of the Yarra Valley to the laid-back beach towns of the Mornington Peninsula. Popular day trips include the resorts along the Great Ocean Road and Phillip Island, home to thousands of tiny penguins that emerge from the sea and march to their homes in the dunes at sunset.
Phillip Island also has koalas, but you can see these shy little creatures much closer to the city at the Healesville Sanctuary, where they live in beautiful, natural bushland alongside other iconic Australian animals, including wombats, kangaroos, Tasmanian devils and the astonishing platypus.
