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Melbourne City Top 10 Things to Do ~ Victoria
Melbourne is a vibrant, cultural, cosmopolitan city known for its unique blend of modern charm, historical heritage, and world-class cultural and sporting events.
Melbourne is widely regarded as having some of the best coffee in the world, from specialty espresso bars to cozy cafes nestled in laneways. It is a coffee-lovers paradise.
Melbourne is also the birthplace of Australian Rules Football, and the MCG and Marvel Stadiums are close to the city centre. The AFL Grand Final is the biggest sporting event in Australia.
Melbourne’s food and bar scene is as diverse and dynamic as the city itself. It offers a wide range of cuisines and fantastic experiences, from cosy laneway eateries to vibrant rooftop bars.
Melbourne is also famous for its annual festivals, from the Melbourne International Comedy Festival to the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, which draws visitors from around the world.
Combined with its extensive selection of theatres, music and cultural events, there’s never a dull moment in this lively city.
With a unique balance of old-world elegance and modern attractions, Melbourne has something for everyone. Here’s a look at the top 10 things we enjoyed doing in Melbourne City.
Enjoy the views from Melbourne Skydeck
For an unforgettable view of the city, head to the Melbourne Skydeck, which is the highest observation deck in the Southern Hemisphere.
The Melbourne Skydeck is in the Eureka Tower, a 297-metre-high skyscraper at 7 Riverside Quay, Southbank. The Eureka Tower is currently the third-tallest building in Australia. At the tower's base is an interesting art installation containing gold bees and a beehive.
The Melbourne Skydeck is open daily from 12 noon to 10 pm, and tickets can be purchased online or in person. Once you have your tickets, you take the fastest lift in the Southern Hemisphere up to the 88th floor and arrive at the Skydeck.
This deck provides breathtaking 360-degree views of the cityscape, the Yarra River, and Port Phillip Bay. You can also venture out to The Terrace, a small outside area that can be very windy. At Bar 88, you can enjoy cocktails, drinks, coffee and snacks.
For an additional cost, you can experience The Edge, a transparent glass cube that projects out from the Melbourne Skydeck, leaving you suspended nearly 300 metres above the streets of Melbourne.
The views from the Melbourne Skydeck during the day are amazing, but Melbourne comes alive at night and looks stunning! You can purchase a return Skydeck ticket within 36 hours for only $10.00.
2. See a Show at Melbourne’s Theatres
Melbourne is known for its vibrant arts scene, and catching a live show is a must. Iconic theatres like the Princess Theatre, Her Majesty’s Theatre and the Comedy Theatre showcase world-class performances, from musicals and ballet to drama and comedy.
Check the schedule to find a show that suits your taste and experience Melbourne’s love for the performing arts.
3. Wander around Royal Botanic Gardens
The Royal Botanic Gardens is a 38-hectare haven of lush landscapes, lakes, and diverse flora. It is open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. every day of the year. The Gardens house a collection of more than 8,500 species of amazing and diverse plants from around the world.
Fern Gully provides a cool and shady sanctuary. A stream runs through the gully, with raised boardwalks and a swinging chair.
The grassy areas around the ornamental lake are a lovely place to relax and have a picnic, or you can enjoy lunch at The Terraces restaurant. From September to May, you can go punting on the lake. This serene cruise in an elegant wooden punt takes you around the islands of the picturesque Ornamental Lake whilst the professional guide tells you about its history and wildlife.
Guilfoyle's Volcano is a truly unique and interesting space within the Gardens.
It is Situated at the highest point in the Gardens and features a collection of cacti and drought-tolerant plants.
4. Browse the Queen Victoria Market
The Queen Victoria Market is the largest open-air market in the Southern Hemisphere and is a bustling hub for foodies and shoppers. It is open five days a week, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
At this vibrant and bustling inner-city Market with more than 600 stalls, you can shop for everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to meat, seafood, gourmet produce and flowers.
Don’t miss the iconic American Doughnut Kitchen; this Melbourne institution has been serving hot, jam-filled doughnuts from its vintage van since the 1950s. Enjoy these delicious doughnuts that are perfectly crisp on the outside and warm with raspberry jam inside.
While the food is a major highlight, the Queen Victoria Market offers so much more. You can browse the diverse range of stalls, which sell handcrafted jewellery and leather goods, new and vintage clothes, colourful homewares and gifts, pet products, and fun souvenirs. Click here for more information.
5. Discover Street Art
Melbourne’s laneways are famous worldwide for their street art, giving life to hidden alleys with vibrant murals and ever-evolving graffiti. Wander through these laneways to discover a world of artistic expression and creativity that reflects Melbourne’s unique urban culture.
Hosier Lane is opposite Federation Square, and as you wander down this cobblestoned Lane, you can check out the street art scene.
AC/DC Lane was named in 2004 to pay tribute to the Australian rock band and features more interesting street art.
Enjoy wandering around Melbourne’s laneways, and keep an eye out for interesting and amusing street art and sculptures.
6. Visit the Melbourne Zoo
Melbourne Zoo, established in 1862, is Australia’s oldest zoo. It has more than 300 species of native and exotic animals. It is only minutes from the city centre and is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day of the year, including public holidays.
In the Gorilla Rainforest habitat, you can visit Lemur Island and watch the cute lemurs snacking and relaxing. You will also see the Western Lowland Gorillas here, the pygmy hippopotamus and the Black-Handed Spider Monkeys.
Next, we wandered along the path through the bamboo on the Trail of the Elephants, where we saw the Asian Elephants. We were glad we got to see the Asian Elephants as soon they will move to Werribee Open Range Zoo, where they will have much more room to roam around. In this habitat, we also watched the Sumatran tiger, the Orangatang and the Siamangs.
Along the Main Trail, you can see the Giraffes eating leaves. When fully grown, a giraffe can be taller than 5 metres.
You will see many native Australian animals in the Australian bush habitat, including koalas, kangaroos and emus.
In the Lion Gorge habitat, you can watch the lions relaxing in the shade of the trees, and the Snow Leopard in his enclosure. You can also see dingoes in this habitat. Dingoes are naturally shy animals with independent natures.
The Wild Sea habitat is a fantastic area where you can see the seals and watch the fish and seahorses.
We loved watching the meerkats in the Growing Wild Habitat. The slender-tail meerkats spend most of the day foraging for food and playing, and one is always on lookout duty. Click here for more information.
Explore Melbourne City’s Heritage Buildings
Melbourne is home to some stunning examples of 19th-century architecture, with heritage buildings that reflect the city’s rich history.
Flinders Street Station, with its iconic yellow facade, is used by thousands of commuters each day. This stunning building was completed in 1910. However, the station’s famous clock dates back to the 1860s.
The Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton Gardens was built in 1880 and is one of the world’s oldest remaining exhibition pavilions.
The State Library of Victoria is on the corner of Swanston and La Trobe Streets. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. This stunning library was established in 1854 as the Melbourne Public Library, it is Australia's oldest public library and one of the first free libraries in the world.
Saint Patrick’s Cathedral is a lovely Catholic church in Cathedral Place. It is open daily from 7 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. Built between 1858 and 1939, it has since undergone intensive restorations. Visitors can enter the church for free and admire the fantastic stained-glass windows.
You can see Parliament House on Spring Street. Construction started on this neoclassical-style building in 1855, and it wasn’t completed until 1929.
You will also see so many other stunning heritage buildings as you wander the streets of Melbourne.
8. Visit the National Gallery of Victoria
The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) is Australia's oldest and most visited art gallery. It is situated over two magnificent buildings, the NGV International at 180 St Kilda Road and the Ian Potter Centre at Federation Square.
We visited the NGV International, which is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. General entry is free, but some exhibitions and events may be ticketed.
The gallery showcases an extensive array of international and local artists, featuring exhibitions, programs, and events that encompass everything from contemporary art and historic international displays to fashion, design, architecture, sound, and dance.
The National Gallery of Victoria was established in 1861 and now houses the region’s most important art collection, comprising over 76,000 works that span thousands of years and countless styles, disciplines, and ideas. The Great Hall has a stunning stained-glass ceiling.
9. Explore the Melbourne Museum
The Melbourne Museum is the largest museum in the Southern Hemisphere and offers a fascinating journey through natural and cultural history, It is located in Carlton Gardens, opposite the Royal Exhibition Building, and is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The entry fee is $15.00 for adults and $10.00 for concessions, and children 16 and under enjoy free general entry to all permanent exhibitions. The Melbourne Museum showcases Australian and Victorian social history, Aboriginal cultures, science and the environment.
We started at the Dinosaur Walk and enjoyed seeing the huge dinosaur skeletons and learning more about them.
The Bugs Alive exhibit features live and preserved invertebrate displays, many of which are interactive.
The Melbourne Story exhibit showcases the history of Melbourne from the early 19th Century to the present. You can also see the mounted hide of champion racehorse Phar Lap and learn about him.
There is also a fascinating miniatures exhibit in the Mini Mega Model Museum.
Melbourne Museum is home to the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre, which empowers Aboriginal people to interpret their cultural heritage.
The Forest Gallery is a large enclosure that houses trees, birds, fish, and waterfalls and forms the centre of the museum.
10. Discover Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium
The Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium is a Southern Ocean and Antarctic aquarium in central Melbourne on the banks of the Yarra River. It is open daily from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm, and it is best to purchase tickets online before arriving.
The Night on the Reef exhibit takes you on an enchanting journey into the world beneath the ocean, alive with a kaleidoscope of tropical fish species, sharks, rays and more.
In the Penguin exhibit, there are two species of penguins, the King and Gentoo penguins. King penguins are one of the most visually stunning creatures in Antarctica and are the second largest penguins after Emperor Penguins. With their vibrant colours, impressive stature and majestic nature, king penguins are mesmerising animals to watch.
Gentoo penguins are curious and outgoing characters with a seemingly endless supply of energy. These cute and cheeky penguins are also the fastest underwater swimming bird in the world.
We also saw Pesto who is officially the largest chick SEA LIFE Melbourne has ever seen. At just nine months old, Pesto weighed 21kg, thanks to his hearty appetite of 25 fish a day.
You can get up close to the sea life in the Touch and Feel Discovery Rockpools.
In the Crocodile Lair, you will see Pinjarra – one of Australia’s largest saltwater crocodiles. The Seahorse Pier houses stunning seahorse and sea dragon species.
Click here to Discover the Best Melbourne Tours including walking tours, street art tours, foodie tours, day trips from Melbourne and so much more...
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