As mentioned before here I send a semester abroad in Australia. More specifically Melbourne. I fell in love with the city. Even though it has over 4 million inhabitants it did not feel as crowded as some other major cities. So, I thought I share some of my favourite spots in Melbourne and what is so great about them.
The city is very dynamic, hipster and has a great inner-city. The city centre is filled with a unique atmosphere and green areas. There the Australian nature can be enjoyed to its fullest. The city is known for its great atmosphere, cultural diversity, amazing dining options even on a budget and great street art. Often it has been voted one of the most liveable cities and known for its great coffee.
So, let’s together explore the top five things to do in Melbourne:
National Gallery of Victoria
One of the days we were exploring the city the NGV had an exhibition on Andy Warhol, so we decided to go. The exhibition was quite pricy and the rest of the museum was for free so we decided to discover this instead. Here are some pictures of my impressions at the museum. I really enjoyed it and it was really worth the trip.
What is it? The National Gallery of Victoria is a very extensive and modern building on St. Kilda Road which holds the oldest art museum in Australia. It has more than 730,00 works of art in its collection.
Why go? There is a constant rotation of exhibitions on the NGV and the entrance to the permanent collection is free. Further, it regularly holds special events at the museum.
Don’t miss: Spend some time in the backyard of the museum it has great installations and quiet areas to explore. I think that was actually my favourite part of the whole museum.
Street Art
Going through many parts of Melbourne there are great places full of street art to discover. There is actually a website that shows you all the great spots to discover all over Melbourne. I went to Hosier Lane with my friends to take some pictures. Even saw a couple taking their wedding pictures there. Also visited a neighbourhood where there were many different great graffities. Check them out below. The crazy thing is that sometimes from a day to a next the whole laneway can have changed. So it’s always worth checking out.
What is it? The different laneways show some of Melbourne’s best street art. Some of these lanes are very close to the city centre such as Hosier Lane being just opposite of Federation Square. This lane, in particular, is seen as the most popular and the focus point of the street art scene.
Why go? The lanes get repainted on a regular basis and therefore are always worth seeing. Further, they make for some great pictures and if you are into creating art yourself most places anyone can contribute. So just bring some spray cans and let your creativity all the space it needs.
Don’t miss: The small art pieces in the large art cluster as these can be especially beautiful and astonishing creations. Also, if you want to get a great shot without any other people in your shot make sure you go early.
Flinders Street Station
Flinders Street Station is a buzzing area in the middle of Melbourne. It is always busy with many transportation crossovers. I was there one day when there was a massive police action going on it was an interesting thing to watch. As I was living outside of Melbourne, I often arrived at Flinders Street Station and this old building always seemed very impressive to me. Here are some images I capture of it.
What is it? It is an old gorgeous building which was opened in 1910 and it houses the main station of Melbourne as well as some small shops and food stalls. This building is often shown on postcards of Melbourne due to its impressive architecture.
Why go? It gives you the busy atmosphere of the big city and a quick walking access to Southbank which we will also talk more about later. Also, across from it is the Federation Square which is another iconic area to see within Melbourne.
Don’t miss: Explore the building it is listed as one of the Victorian heritage sites and enjoy the buzz surrounding the station when many people commute through the inner city.
See an AFL game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
With the international students from my university, we went to an Australian Football game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. I did not really understand the rules but nonetheless, it was a great atmosphere in the stadium. The sport seemed fairly similar to what I have seen of Rugby in Scotland. If anyone has the change to see it, I would always recommend it.
What is it? It is arguably Victoria’s most popular sport. The Melbourne Cricket Ground is also often referred to as the ‘G. It is a very unique experience to see and the excitement of the game is one of the best things to experience.
Why go? I think often experiencing other nations favourite sports can show you a lot about their culture. Also, the men wear very short outfits so it can be nice on the eye also for the female spectators. So, get some beer, yell with the crowd and enjoy the stadium atmosphere.
Don’t miss: Get a hot jam doughnut or a pie they taste great after some cheering and a cold beer.
South Bank
When exploring Melbourne, I always liked walking along the Yarra River as it was always nice and calm. Often we could grab a sushi roll to go and explore the different small shops, restaurants and bars. I remember there was one actually on the Yarra river which was very nice especially when the weather was great. Here are some pictures I took of the river and the surrounding skylines.
What is it? It is an area in the city of Melbourne with many restaurants, shops and bars with a great atmosphere. It is a great area to take a stroll down Yarra River from Princes Bridge to the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. This area also includes the Crown Casino.
Why go? It is great strolling down the promenade and gaze at Melbourne’s skyline. Also, you can see some buskers performing and just enjoy a relaxing day close to the water.
Don’t miss: The Crown Casino has a gas brigade where at night fireballs are send into the sky every hour. It is a great spectacle to see.
