Melbourne’s famous for a range of important traits that distinguish it from Australia’s other fine capital cities across, especially its arty bent, gourmet dining tradition and readily navigable central CBD and surrounding region. It’s also famous as a cultural predisposition; smashed avo is an institution at many of the trendy all day breakfast spots around the city, there are numerous impressive architectural characteristics and many galleries where you’re certain to meet people with an eye for history or art, and there’s also a massive sporting impact to boot, with the masses donning everything from basketball shirts to ice hockey jerseys to footy jumpers on Saturday to go watch their favourite team!
With so much stuff to see and do, as a first-time visitor to Melbs– especially you’re short on time may quickly feel frustrated when picking an itinerary. So we have assembled this short-yet-comprehensive manual on how to best see Melbourne in 1 day which we believe provides a excellent general balance for many individuals regardless of private interest.
Knowing you’re likely to be on a budget, we’ve factored in a total budget of fifty dollars. There is actually a surprising number of things that you can perform with a crisp pineapple. Our primary tip: adhere to the CBD, where you are able to get around with the free tram zone.
- Have the City Circle Tram
Melbourne’s free City Circle Tram system is, to put it simply, among the greatest characteristics of any capital town for visitors and first-time traffic, and you will see it’ll feature greatly here. As you might guess from the title, it functions on a circular path throughout the Melbourne CBD and covers all the critical stops you will want to see so as to see Melbourne within 1 day. The stop you choose first will depend on where your accommodation is situated, however for the intent of this guide we will utilize Flinders Street Station since the baseline as a result of its standing as an attraction on the planet.
The City Circle Tram is completely FREE too, saving the shore and bother of having to browse complex bus or train networks which is located in different suburbs. The tram runs in both directions, with stops approximately every 12 minutes — you can see a copy of the tram’s schedule online
- Discover the Royal Botanic Gardens
Once you’ve gotten the tram make sure to stop by the Royal Botanic Gardens. Everybody does the walk round the Tan, but wonder deep in to the gardens to take a look at the huge plant landscapes and collections. Our favorites are the Arid Garden, that showcases several exotic desert plants and cacti along with the lush Fern Gully which looks like something from Jurassic Park
- Explore Flinders Street Station
More than only a mere transport hub, Flinders Street Station is among the city’s most well-known icons and of itself; more than 100 years old, the construction is impressive in size and oozes charm, it also functions as a fantastic preliminary indication of things to come for first-timers into Melbourne. The feature dome, collection of analogue clocks, notable tower and different Edwardian design make it a standout feature of the town, and its proximity to lots of nearby attractions make it a wonderful spot to base your own Melbourne venture from.
The inside of the channel itself is worth a look too, because its elaborate insides are home to remarkable stained glass characteristics and a lot of spots to catch a fast snack to eat. Naturally, you will want to follow this up by…
- Go on a self-guided tour of Melbourne’s arcades: Free (in case You do not purchase anything)
Window shopping for shoes is more intriguing than looking for shoes online, especially at the Royal and Block Arcades. Start in Royal Arcade’s Bourke Street Mall entrance and get a sense of the way Melbourne’s 19th Century shoppers invested their well-earned shillings. Cross Little Collins Street to get into Block Arcade and pay close attention to the gorgeous mosaic tile flooring and magnificent glass decoration. For those who have more money to spare, then stop by the arcade excellent cafes and stores offering everything from swaggy snapbacks, sneakers and basketball hoodies to sophisticated and suave suits, men’s dress shoes, dresses and formal wear.
- National Gallery of Victoria
Art plays a major part in Melbourne’s general culture, and there are few better places in the nation to take in a number of its best offerings compared to the NGV. Part gallery, part museum, part backyard and all ethnic hub, it is a really grand centre comprising an eclectic mixture of artwork and exhibits which range from early Egypt all the way around post-modern impressionism.
Entry for overall accessibility is FREE (always a fantastic thing), and it is very possible to spend a number of hours; although in the event that you’re working on a “one day” program an hour should be sufficient to give you a good culture fill.
- Watch a movie at ACMI and play free games at Games Lab: $18 film tickets
It is Difficult to think ACMI does not charge entrance to its Screen Worlds permanent exhibition, since it is most likely among the very fun interactive tasks you can perform in Melbourne’s CBD. Stop by the Games Lab to get a Royal game of Pacman or confront a friend with a round of Mario Kart. Check out the movie program also, ACMI Cinemas frequently gets exclusive screenings of eye-opening documentaries, independent releases and classic classics.
- Listen to a DJ set and catch a beer in Section 8: $8
This container pub in a laneway claws the grungy Melbourne vibe. By Thursday evening onwards, there is usually DJ turning filthy electronic or hip hop collections. Grab a cold one and chill out to the transport pallet chairs or stay around long enough and you’re going to realize the place become a heaving dance floor.
- Wrap up with 24-hour ramen in Shujinko: $12.80
To no one’s surprise, our tour ends up with ramen and is Far Better than a limp Cheeseburger and soggy chips in 3am. Shujinko is available all day, daily and is The pick-me-up you desire if it is too late to find a nice feed everywhere. Get The signature Shujinko ramen using a charred slab of pork belly and rich broth.
Of course if you’re absolutely spent (pun intended), there’s always a cheap bite as a take home meal literally everywhere!