Melbourne Bucket List: What to Eat, See and Do on Your First (or Fifth) Visit
I’ve been to Melbourne more times than I can count, and I was back just five months ago. This list is built from all of those visits — the good meals, the wrong turns, the bars I keep going back to and the spots I think are genuinely worth your time.
I’ve arranged it so you can work through it over a couple of days, starting with the sights and working outward from the CBD. There’s a lot of walking, but Melbourne’s free tram zone will save your legs when you need it.
This is not a list of everything there is to do in Melbourne. It’s the stuff I’d actually tell a friend.
Melbourne is the traditional home for the Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. Naarm is the Wurundjeri name for the city.
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Tips to make your trip to Melbourne easier
There is a lot of walking on this itinerary. If you need a rest, you can jump on any tram in the city centre and ride for free. Where it makes sense, I’ll point out when to hop on and save your feet.
Melbourne can be frosty in the mornings, and not just in mid-winter, so unless you are visiting in the middle of summer, be sure to pack a warm, waterproof jacket. You will need it.
Top 5 Melbourne Tours
In a hurry, here are our top tour choices for short tours that will cover the top sites and experiences. If you prefer to do your own thing, keep scrolling for our easy to follow 3 day itinerary.
- Best Street Art Tour –This Melbourne Laneways Street Art Tour tour is led by a street artist and includes a visit to the famous Blender Studios
- Most relaxing Melbourne Tour – Melbourne City Highlights River Cruise – a 2 hour cruise along Melbourne’s Yarra River.
- Best Foodie experience –Melbourne Foodie Culture Walking Tour – A progressive tasting through 5 stops with stories around the history behind the foods and flavours of the stops.
- Best family experience with teens – Melbourne Electric Bike Tour this 4 hour small group tour travels along safe bike paths and parks is perfect for the whole family.
- Best all round day tour from Melbourne – Great Ocean Road and Wildlife Full Day Tour – See Apollo Bay, 12 Apostles, Gibson steps & Loch Ard Gorge and koalas and parrots in their natural habitat
Day 1 – how many bucket list spots can we see in a day?
We will start and end our first day at Federation Square and tick off many of the top tourist attractions in Melbourne.
Federation Square
Federation Square is Melbourne’s town square, think big screens, public events and a steady stream of locals year-round. It covers almost an entire city block.
The angular modern design sits in sharp contrast to the French Renaissance-inspired Flinders Street Station and the Gothic Revival of St Paul’s Cathedral across the road.
Look down, the paving below you in the main square is a huge urban artwork, called Nearamnew, by Paul Carter
Fed Square is also home to the Ian Potter Centre, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) and the Koorie Heritage Trust. On a short visit you won’t have time to see them all. We chose the Koorie Heritage Centre on our last visit — it’s a small but interesting collection and worth 30 minutes if it’s open when you arrive. If not, it’s a good wet weather option to come back to on day three.
On day three or if bad weather hits, you can come back and see the other venues here.
Birrarung Marr
Before we leave the area, walk a little east to Birrarung Marr just along the Yarra. The famous Angel, a sculpture by Deborah Halpern, is perhaps the first thing that pops out in this riverfront park, but the space is home to several other important artworks.
Woi Wurrung language of the Wurundjeri people, birrarung means ‘river of mists’ and ‘marr’ relates to the edge.
The first two are indigenous works
- Birrarung Wilam – an installation and audio artwork, a collaboration between 3 artists
- Eel Trap sculpture – a large piece of metalwork by Fiona Clark and Ken McKean
A little further on, you will find the Federation Bells, 39 upturned bells that ring out three times a day (8-9am, 12.30-1.30pm and 5-6pm).
For now, let’s retrace our steps and cross the road to explore Melbourne’s laneways.
Melbourne’s laneways and street art
Head to Hosier Lane first. The Melbourne City Council officially declared it a street art gallery in 1998 and it’s been drawing artists and art lovers ever since — the work is ever-changing and often politically charged.
The laneway is the starting point for our self-guided street art tour [+map] — worth following if you want to see the best of the city’s street art in one go.
Hosier Lane is also home to MoVida, a Spanish tapas bar we always stop into when we’re in Melbourne. For your first coffee of the day though, try The Little Social, a social enterprise cafe right in the lane.
From here, continue through a few more laneways. AC/DC Lane and Duckworth Place are both worth the detour.
Then walk up to Bourke Street and jump on the 86 or 96 tram to our next stop.
There are some excellent street art tours if you are keen to learn more.
The Royal Exhibition Building & Carlton Gardens
If you never pass up a UNESCO site, this one’s worth the detour. The Royal Exhibition Building is one of the last surviving 19th-century exhibition buildings in the world and earned the status in 2004.
The dome of the building was modelled on the dome on the Florence Cathedral
It was constructed to host the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880, but perhaps its most important role was as the home of the first Australian Parliament in 1901. There are daily tours of the Royal Exhibition Building at 10am or 2pm ($29)
Directly behind the building is our next stop – the Melbourne Museum.
Melbourne Museum
Melbourne Museum covers natural and cultural history and you could easily spend 2-3 hours here. With limited time today, head straight to the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre for an excellent introduction to the First Nations people of Melbourne. The Milarri Garden is worth a look too, with a focus on indigenous flora and fauna.
Okay, it’s likely you are hungry by now, so let’s go find some of Melbourne’s famous eats!
Queen Victoria Market
Queen Victoria Market has been running since 1878 and with over 600 stalls, shops and food trucks it’s easy to lose an hour here without trying.
Cheese lovers, stop at Ripe Cheese in the Dairy Hall. They specialise in Australian cheese and do a very good cheese toasty. The Corner Larder next door is worth a look if you want to pick up something to take back to your room. At a minimum, walk through the Dairy Hall and the Meat and Fish Hall — both still have their original features intact.
Note: Queen Victoria Market is closed on Monday and Wednesday. If it’s closed for your visit, continue directly to Chinatown.
Chinatown Melbourne
Melbourne’s Chinatown is centred on Little Bourke Street and came to life during the Victorian gold rushes of the 1850s. t is thought to be the longest continuous ethnic Chinese settlement in the Western World and the oldest Chinatown in the Southern Hemisphere.
The largest Chinatown gate, officially known as Facing Heaven Archway, is at the corner of Little Bourke Street and Cohen Street. There are three more on Russell Street, Exhibition Street and Swanston Street.
The Chinese migration during the gold rush is an important part of Australia’s immigrant history. Learn more at the Chinese Museum ($17), where exhibits cover the Chinese on the goldfields, Chinese Aboriginal Peoples in Australia and the costumes used in traditional lion dance displays.
Other highlights include The Tianjin Garden on Spring Street and the lovely Num Pon Soon building.
Tip: If you are interested in immigration history, add the Immigration Museum in Old Customs House to your list for later in the week. It’s one of my favourites in the city.
Just a short walk away, you will find our next stop…
State Library of Victoria
Worth a quick visit. Australia’s oldest public library building dates from 1856 and was one of the first free libraries in the world. With over two million visitors a year, it is currently the third busiest library in the world.
Pop into the La Trobe Reading Room and take in the six-storey domed roof. With seating for 320 readers, this room alone always makes me want to move to the city just so I can sit and work here.
What I love about this place is how well it wears its age. The bones are 19th century but the library has quietly evolved into something much more than a reading room. There are spaces for recording podcasts, areas for kids to play and create, exhibition spaces, cafes and business facilities — all sitting inside a building that opened in 1856. For a lot of Melburnians, this is genuinely the heart of the city.
Open 10am-6pm, seven days a week.
Old Melbourne Gaol
Old Melbourne Gaol operated from 1842 to 1929. This is where Australia’s most renowned bushranger, Ned Kelly, was hanged in 1880.
General admission ($38 adult) includes a self-guided visit, an audio guide in English or Mandarin and the Women and Children of the Gaol exhibition. If you want more, add the Ned Kelly’s Last Stand guided tour on weekends ($45), which follows his final days from the siege at Glenrowan to the gallows.
For those who enjoy a ghost story, the night tours are worth considering. The Hangman’s Night Tour and Ghosts? What Ghosts? both run in low light and are recommended for ages 16 and up. It’s open Monday to Sunday, 10am-5pm. Allow at least 90 minutes and arrive no later than 3.30pm.
Time for a drink
This afternoon, book yourself on a bar tour and learn about the city’s small bar scene. A good guide will show you more in two hours than you’d find poking around alone, and you’ll leave with a list of places to come back to. I had a great time on our tour with Little Lon — my favourite bar of the day.
Prefer to cover the sights of this entire day on a guided walk? There is a free 2.5 to 3 hour walking tour that covers similar ground at a faster pace. We suggest a donation of $15 per person.
Day 2 – The Beach and the Suburbs
Today we will head out of the CBD for a few hours, but first a morning walk.
Royal Botanic Garden
Start with a morning walk in the Royal Botanic Gardens. I love Fern Gully and the Cacti Garden but there are several sections to explore and it’s worth wandering whichever appeals.
There is a free guided tour each morning at 10.30am, or you can book an Aboriginal Heritage Tour ($40).
Between September and May you can also go punting on the lake — a nice slow start to the day.
Before you leave, visit the Shrine of Remembrance. It’s free to enter and open from 10am daily. Even if it’s not open when you arrive, the building itself and the view back over the CBD from the top of the stairs are worth the stop.
Make your way to Flinders Street Station and jump on the Sandringham train to Brighton Beach.
Brighton Beach Bathing Boxes
The trip from Flinders Street takes about 25 minutes on the train, followed by a 15-minute walk. Leave the train at Brighton Beach and walk to Foreshore Reserve, which has a good view of the city skyline in the distance.
Walk along the foreshore to Dendy Beach, where the Bathing Boxes begin. The 82 colourful boxes sitting on the sand looking out over Port Phillip Bay are one of Victoria’s most photographed spots. These are very valuable pieces of real estate — one recently sold for over $300k.
From here you have a few options. You could take the 60-minute waterfront walk to St Kilda. You could jump on the 603 bus to Rippon Lea in Elsternwick and explore this heritage-listed property with its impressive gardens. Or you can grab an Uber straight to St Kilda if you’d rather save time to explore there.
St Kilda Beach
St Kilda is Melbourne’s most popular beachside suburb, drawing locals since the early 1900s when trams first started running here.
In 1912 Luna Park opened with the iconic smiling face that locals still love today. If you are brave, take a ride on the heritage-listed roller coaster — also from 1912.
Architecture lovers will enjoy the Edwardian-style St Kilda Pavilion at the end of the pier, which was rebuilt after a fire destroyed it in 2003.
On Sundays, the St Kilda Market runs along the esplanade from 10am-4pm. A good spot to pick up quality Australian souvenirs.
Before you leave, it’s time for cake. Make your way to Acland Street and stop in at Monarch Cakes, which has been turning out traditional sweet treats here for over 80 years. The poppy seed cake is hard to pass up.
While you’re on Acland Street, check out the Woolworths mural of a Melbourne tram — a fun stop for photos. Wander the back streets and lanes here too. There’s more street art tucked away if you take the time to look.
After lunch, head back to the CBD. Jump off the tram at Southbank and stroll the Yarra River from the Crown complex towards the Royal Botanic Gardens.
Eureka Skydeck
Try to get here before sunset. The Melbourne Skydeck (from $33) sits 300 metres up and gives you 360-degree views of the city and surrounds, day and night.
There are extras here including the Edge, a VR Plank experience and cocktails in the sky if that’s your thing.
Finish the evening with a walk along South Bank. The gas fire towers outside Crown Casino fire every hour after dark, start times shift with the seasons, from 6pm in the cooler months to 9pm in summer. Last show is midnight Sunday to Thursday, 1am Friday and Saturday. Shows are subject to weather and total fire ban days.
Day 3 – Shopping and Art
Start in Bourke Street Mall, between Elizabeth Street and Swanston Street. Look out for The Public Purse, a sculpture by Simon Perry just outside the old Post Office, now an H&M store. It’s a popular meeting spot for locals.
The mall is also home to some beautiful old arcades. Walk through the Royal Arcade and make your way around to the Block Arcade, which exits on Collins Street. The architecture and the small independent stores make both worth slowing down for.
Chapel Street: for fashion lovers, this strip runs about 2.5km across South Yarra, Prahran and Windsor. Serious shoppers will want to walk the whole length.
Brunswick Street and Smith Street: if your taste leans alternative, Brunswick Street in Fitzroy is a great spot to wander. Fashion, bookshops, cafes and bars.
Markets in Melbourne
On a short visit you won’t have time to hit too many markets, but here are the best options.
Prahran Market in South Yarra: widely regarded as the best food market in Melbourne. Arrive hungry, grab something good to eat and enjoy the live music on weekends. Open Tue, Thur-Sun 7am-5pm.
South Melbourne Market: a large indoor market much loved by locals. Great food alongside fashion, jewellery and gifts. Take the number 96 tram from Bourke Street, one minute from the market entry. Open Friday-Sunday and Wednesday, 8am-4pm.
The Rose Street Artists Market: I always try to pop by on my visits. Every stall sells handmade original products. Open weekends 10am-4pm.
Direct Factory Outlets South Wharf (DFO): a large outlet centre with 120 shops. Personally, I was a little underwhelmed and found better bargains at the Spencer Street outlet centre. Open 10am-6pm daily.
NGV – National Gallery of Victoria
If you haven’t spent the entire day shopping, or shopping just isn’t your thing, head to the National Gallery of Victoria where the permanent collection is free. If you want to focus on Australian art specifically, cross back over the bridge to the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia at Fed Square.
Melbournes Best Night tours
If you are not ready for a good rest by now, consider one of these top things to do in Melbourne at night
- A Penguin Parade tour
- A Yarra River Sunset cruise
- A Night food trail
- Or for the brave a Melbourne Ghost Tour
Got a question? Head over to our Australia Travel Tips Facebook Group and ask a local.
What to Eat and Drink in Melbourne
One of the best things about Melbourne is how seriously it takes its food. When we visit, we often plan the food before we plan the sightseeing. If food is a big part of your trip, check out the Seasoned Traveller by food writer Sofia Levin for serious inspiration.
There are lots of fantastic cafes in the city centre. Among the most popular are Hardware Société, Industry Beans and Her Bar.
Dinner in Melbourne
The dining scene here deserves its own article. For what’s hot right now, Melbourne Tourism’s lists are a good starting point.
That said, here are my three personal favourites:
- Mabu Mabu sample native Australian flavours and modern Australian cuisine. Choose from the a la carte menu or one of the shared “Feed me” options.
- MoVida a great choice if you fancy a grazing-style dinner with big bold reds. Very popular on Saturday nights so book early.
- Maha is fine dining, Middle Eastern style. Chef Shane Delia is highly regarded for his take on the cuisine.
We always book ourselves a food tour when we first arrive in a new city to give us an idea of the food scene, and this is especially true for Melbourne.
Melbourne Bar Scene
There are too many bars in the Melbourne CBD to give you a definitive list. Include at least one rooftop bar and then choose one of these bars with a story. Honestly, I can’t recommend a bar tour enough — a local guide will take you to places you’d never find on your own.
Here are a few we love.
Little Lon Distilling Co.
Explore this small heritage-listed building with red brick architecture while trying cocktails made on site. The building dates to 1877 and was part of the Little Lon red-light district, home at one point to a Chinese sex worker known as “Yokohama.” The gin named after her, Miss Yoko, is lychee-infused and our favourite of the four produced here. The other three gins are named after people connected to the building, including a local constable.
On our visit, we opted for the gin tasting flights but are keen to do a masterclass on our next visit.
Open: Thurs-Sunday 4–11 pm
Berlin Bar
Another bar I always come back to. Walk in and you’re in Cold War-era Berlin, with cocktails named after astronauts and figures of the time. The menu gives you plenty to talk about. My personal pick is the Laika, named after the stray dog that ended up on a space mission.
The bar has two sections — East and West. The East features communist propaganda, the West puts you in the lap of capitalist luxury. Where do you think you’ll be most comfortable?
Open: from 5pm daily. Closes 12am Sunday-Thursday, 1am Friday-Saturday.
When is the best time to visit Melbourne
Melbourne can be blisteringly hot in summer and positively freezing in winter, so we love to visit in March- April or October- December. Check out our full guide for the best time to visit Victoria here.
Festivals in Melbourne
Time it right and you might catch one of Melbourne’s festivals or events. From the Spring Racing Carnival in October, to Moomba, Christmas carols at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl and the Melbourne Comedy Festival, there’s a good amount happening throughout the year.
Sports lovers will also want to note the Australian Open (Tennis), AFL Grand Final, Cricket’s Boxing Day test match and the Formula 1® Australian Grand Prix.
Get more details about the best day trips in Melbourne here.
And for more tips on things to do in Melbourne, be sure to check out these articles:
- Free things to do in Melbourne
- Day tours from Melbourne
- Some great walks in Melbourne
- Must do Melbourne Sports lover’s experiences
On a quick visit, we recommend you stay in the Melbourne CBD with easy public transport access.
We have a full guide on the best places to stay in Melbourne.
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