Duration: 1-2 hours
Price Guide: $0-$unlimited, depending on how much shopping you do!
Last Reviewed:

Sunday: 9am-4pm (limited stalls only)

Catch a train to Melbourne Central Station.

Follow the signs to the Elizabeth Street exit of the station and turn right when you exit so you’re facing north up Elizabeth St. Walk, or catch the tram, up the the Queen Victoria Market. It’s four short blocks and all flat walking. Alternatively, all three tram routes on Elizabeth St will drop you at the door.

Officially opened on 20th March 1878, Queen Victoria Market stands strong as one of Melbourne’s most historic landmarks. Its colourful (sometimes controversial) past includes time as a school, a livestock market, a drill hall and a cemetery. I do not exaggerate when I say you can buy almost anything here! The food halls are worth a visit, boasting copious amounts of fresh fruit, veg and seafood, all of incredible quality. In the section over the road (the market is huge so take your time and explore) are stalls, stores and shops selling fashion, gifts and souvenirs.

Head back down through the market to the food area.

If you’re hungry, the food halls are an amazing experience, so don’t be unadventurous and slope off the nearest cafe. Inside the halls it can be jam packed with buyers and sellers haggling over a crate of asparagus or scrabbling for the last swiss loaf, so push your way through and nab yourself a sandwich brimming with fresh meat and antipasto, or treat yourself to a slice of heavenly mudcake from a selection of cake stores. Or, cherry pick from the different stalls – bread here, cheese there, fresh fruit somewhere else – make up a picnic and go on to our next stop.

Walk out of the market back onto Elizabeth Street, turn right and go back the way you came until you reach the corner of A’Beckett Street. From there, turn right and walk up two blocks to William Street, across the road you’ll see the Flagstaff Gardens.

* a great view through to Docklands.
Enjoy.

Duration: More than 3 hours
Price Guide: $0-29
Last Reviewed:

Prices were correct at the time of publication.

Catch a train or a tram to Melbourne Central (on the city loop). All train lines, except Sandringham and Williamstown, have loop services. Any of the Swanston Street tram lines (1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 16, 64, 67, 72) will take you to the Melbourne Central corner.

As you exit the station (Swanston Street entrance) turn left and walk up the hill to put yourself on the corner of Swanston and Latrobe Streets.

There is lots to see on this corner. Directly opposite is the State Library, whose magnificent recently restored domed reading room is well worth a visit (walk straight through the library and go up via the stairs or the elevator to access it). There is also free internet access here.

Diagonally opposite the station entrance is the vivid green 3D facade of RMIT University’s Storey Hall. This building caused a lot of controversy when it was first built, but is now a much loved part of the city’s architecture. If it is a weekday you may be able to go in and look around (though the interior is not as exciting as the exterior), but it is University property so be careful not to interrupt any events they may be hosting there.

As you exit Storey Hall or the Library, turn right. If you cross to the opposite side of the road and look up you will see Hardrock: Melbourne’s indoor climbing centre.

Whether you’re a hardcore cliff scaler or a complete novice, hardrock is suited to all types. Be aware that you must come with someone else as it’s a two-person operation. On your first session you’ll be given a basic introduction (around 15 mins) showing you the ropes (literally, excuse the pun) and safety measures. After that you and your fellow climber are free to climb any walls you wish, for as long as you want (although I wouldn’t get too cocky and try the advanced walls straight away; you’ll just scrabble around trying to get higher than 10ft and fall off). Overall, it’s a lot of fun, not to mention a great way to get fit!

Cross the road opposite Hardrock – you will see a large red brick building with steps leading up to it on either side; this is Melbourne City Baths.

Another way to keep fit! Facilities include a 30m lap pool, spa, sauna, gym and squash courts. You’ll note that each side is marked Male or Female over the entrance. The pool no longer has separate entrances for the different genders, nor does it have gender-segregated facilities.

Duration: 2-3 hours
Price Guide: $0
Last Reviewed:

Look up as you walk along. While most of the street-level architecture is given over to shops and cafes, above them are some of Melbourne’s fine original buildings, but you’ll only spot their beauty by looking past the shopfronts.

Start this tour from Flinders Street Station (on the city loop). (You can also start at Melbourne Central Station if you wish, as the two are only a few blocks away from each other, but starting at Flinders Street will avoid any backtracking). Over the course of this tour you may get hungry for lunch – on this particular tour you’ll pass too many possible lunch venues to mention, of every conceivable variety. While in Melbourne I sampled many cafes and restaurants and have yet to have a bad experience in one, so relax and take your pick. Many of the quirkier, one-off shops require a little more exploring to find, but follow this guide and you’ll be in the right track. Also, check out our Cheap Eats section for some more ideas.

Walk out through the main entrance at Flinders Street Station and cross over to the Swanston Street and Flinders Street corner, outside Young Jackson’s Pub.

Opposite the station, on the south-eastern corner of the intersection, is Federation Square. Boasting some of Melbourne’s hottest bars and cafes, plus the Ian Potter Centre: National Gallery of Victoria, it’s a hotspot for both locals and visitors. Just past Fed Square (as it’s known to locals) is Birrarung Marr, Melbourne’s most recently created major park. It can be reached from the Federation Square car park, by heading down the stairs along the southern side of Fed Square or by taking the path along the river next to the Princes Bridge.

Continue north along Swanston Street.

Swanston Steet offers both compelling architecture and shopaholic bliss – from one-off boutiques to tacky souvenir stores (cork hat anyone?) there’s something to suit everyone. Better-known brands housed on the strip include Mango and Quicksilver. By following Swanston Street all the way up you’ll pass – in this order – Melbourne Town Hall (on the corner with Collins Street), the State Library (on the Latrobe Street corner, it also has free internet) and Melbourne City Baths, just past RMIT up the top end of the city. All are on your right as you go along and all of which are worth a visit. In terms of clothes shops, it’s better to turn off and explore the streets, lanes and arcades that make up the grid of the city centre. Also, if you fancy it, there are horse-drawn carriages available for hire to take a leisurely spin around the city’s highlights.

After crossing over Flinders Lane, turn left or right (you choose) at the next intersection, taking you on to Collins Street.

Collins Street is undeniably an awe-inspiring streetscape – the wealth invested in this street over two hundred years is obvious as you pass the grand banks and stores such as Tiffanys and Chanel. Other sights to see on this street include Scots Church and St Michaels Uniting Church (140 and 120 Collins Street), as well as the Regent Theatre (191 Collins St).

An absolute must see whilst wandering through the city is the Block Arcade. You can enter it either through Elizabeth Street or Collins Street – inspired by the Galleria Vittorio in Milan, the design is beautiful, and having been restored, fully intact. There are a few specialist shops spread out inside (of most note to me, Haighs chocolates). Block Place connects the arcade with Little Collins Street, which consists of a tiny street rammed full of delightful cafes (I strongly recommend breakfast at Caffe Cortile).

If you had turned left from Swanston Street onto Collins Street, turn right at the end of the street onto Elizabeth Street and continue walking until you see Bourke Street on your right. Or, if you chose to turn right, turn left onto Russell Street then walk down the hill to Bourke Street. Turn left onto Bourke Street and walk down to the corner of Swanston and Bourke.

Be sure to check out Jetty Surf too for a huge range of summer fashion and beachwear, also PriceLine; a discount store for cosmetics and toiletries – there are several of these stores dotted around the town centre, the biggest of which can be accessed from both Swanston or Bourke Street.

When you’re done shopping on Bourke Street Mall, return to the Swanston Street corner, continue to head north and you will soon see an entrance to Melbourne Central – enter this central-city mall and you will find yourself amongst four floors of bars, cafes, a cinema, homewares and – you guessed it – more fashion, not to mention a food court.

Lunch: if you haven’t eaten lunch already, you could give one of the many restaurants here a try.

Exit Melbourne Central back onto Swanston Street, turn left onto Latrobe Street and continue walking down the hill until you reach Elizabeth Street.

Elizabeth Street has a couple of boutiques dotted along it, such as Shibuya (which is quite pricey) also several shoe shops. The shopping’s not nearly as glamorous as Collins or even Bourke or Swanston Streets, but if you have a motorbike fan with you, they’ll be in heaven as Elizabeth Street is packed with motorcycle shops with their wares arrayed on the footpath.

To get back to where you started, walk south down Elizabeth Street and you’ll soon see the familiar golden-yellow bricks of Flinders Street Station in front of you. This is the back entrance to the station. You can simply walk east along Flinders Street to get to the main station entrance if that’s where you need to be.