Melbourne is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. With its hip cafes, trendy bars, multicultural residents, and a world-famous food scene, Melbourne truly defies homogenisation. Having a character that cannot be discovered on a city tour, Melbourne reveals itself in the true form to the keen eye of tourists who live here like locals do.
We bring you top five experiences in Melbourne that you must have to understand the essence of the city.
A Tour to Explore the Street Art Scene
Melbourne is one of the havens of street art in the world. Taking a street art tour in the city that is popular as the cultural capital of Australia is one of the top things to do in Melbourne. The meandering, narrow lanes and arcades of the city are an equivalent of a world-class museum where significant pieces of art are on a display. The Melbourne Street Art Tours is your chance to know the political and social implications of the messages that are conveyed through graffiti as well as to understand the technicalities involved in graffiti. You will also get to meet few of the artists themselves who’ll acquaint you to their works and its messages.
Visit the State Library of Victoria
An institution in its own right, the State Library of Victoria sees a footfall of over 8 million visitors annually. Serving the city since 1856, the library boasts countless volumes of books on themes as diverse as history, architecture, sociology, psychology and so on. The state-of-the-art architecture of the library along with its rich history makes it a popular attraction covered during city tours, many of which are free tours. The dark wooden furniture and the scores of book-lined walls are the stuff of every book lover’s dream.
Moonlight Movies in the Royal Botanic Park
If you are visiting Melbourne in the summer months, there cannot be a better way to be a part of the city’s traditions and understand its pulse than watching the movies under the night sky in the Royal Botanic Park. A social gathering where fun, food, friends and films come together, the movie nights keep Melbourne buzzing and its residents excited for over 3 months.
Take a Stroll of Queen Victoria Market
Queen Victoria Market is at the epicentre of the Melbourne eating and shopping experience. The iconic food stalls and heritage sheds of this outdoor market pulls crowds of people. Local artisans, foodies and families get together at the Queen Street Plaza for entertaining performances. Various food and festival-centric events are organised here throughout the year to keep the buzz going. Special two-hour long food tours of the market are also organised for the visitors. The market remains closed on Mondays, and opens at around 6 am on rest of the days.
Party in St Kilda
If you need to let your hair down and party all night in Melbourne, St Kilda is the place for you. Home to some of the best inexpensive bars, clubs and live music venues in the city, St Kilda has enough avenues to keep the spirits of the party-goers high. Loved by locals and tourists alike, St Kilda is frequented by leading local, national and international DJs and performing artists. Some of the popular bars here include Surabaya Johnnys, Pablo Honey Tapas Bar, Abbey Road, Barney Allen’s, and Captain Baxter among many others.