Melbourne Travel Guide | Flights, Tours, & Tips

Welcome to the world’s most liveable city! Far more hip and multicultural, with heaps more bars, clubs, restaurants and street art-clad laneways than anywhere else down under. This coastal city in Victoria has fast overtaken its Australian cousins when it comes to culture. In fact, we think its up there with New York, London and Berlin. And it has beaches. What more could you need? Grab yourself a flat white, arm yourself with a camera, and prepare to get swept away in Melbourne’s cool undercurrent.

What we love about Melbourne

Laneways

Quirky boutiques, bustling brunch spots, craft coffee stalls, walls of multi-coloured street art and cocktail hide outs - Melbourne's laneways are a key part of what makes this city so darn cool.

Cafe culture

Coffee is a cult - a cult that's impossible not to get sucked into. Head to Brother Baba Budan in the CBD, Seven Seeds in Carlton, or Industry Beans in Fitzroy for the best brews.

Shrine of Remembrance

The Shrine of Remembrance was built in 1934 for grieving families, and remains an iconic spot. Climb to the top for the best (free!) views of the Melbourne skyline.

Melbourne's must-visit neighbourhoods

Heading to Melbourne armed with a working visa and wondering where to call home? There are so many suburbs of Melbourne, all with their own unique personality. If you're a food junkie, don't miss Richmond. If nightlife's the only life for you, head to Chapel Street and Prahran.

The CBD

Unlike many cities’ Central Business Districts that often seem a little bland, Melbourne’s is built for the curious – you’ll never stop discovering new colourful laneways, coffee shops and pop-up bars. Head to Hosier Lane and reach street-art nirvana, fill up in the huge China Town, or stop for lunch in any one of Centre Place’s cosy cafes – a feast for your eyes as well as your stomach.

View hotels

St Kilda

If us Brits are crossing the pond, we need a beach nearby our new home. St Kilda’s stretch of sand is a 24-hour hotspot, always inhabited by hundreds of backpackers. It’s the place to be any night of the week, full of awesome bars, cool eateries, the funnest hostels and the legendary Luna Park fair ground. Head along the pier at sunset to meet the resident penguins.

View hotels

Fitzroy

Does your ideal weekend consist of brunches, art fairs, vintage shopping, rooftop cocktails, craft beer, and/or warehouse parties? This north-eastern suburb is the place for you. Shop 'til you drop in the boutiques of Gertrude Street, load up on vegan scran at Smith & Daughters, then wash it down with a few drinks on top of Naked for Satan. This is Melbourne's answer to Brooklyn.

View hotels

Melbourne tours & experiences

Within hours of Victoria's creative capital of Melbourne, you can be sipping on fine Chardonnay in the Yarra Valley, soaking up quaint seaside charms in the Mornington Peninsula, setting off along the Great Ocean Road and much more with our awesome adventure tours.

A road on the edge of the coastline with the sea in the background

Great Ocean Road

Begin the ultimate road trip, cruising towards the Great Ocean Road - stop to watch surfers in action at famed beaches, marvel at the Twelve Apostles and stroll through National Parks. Forego the typical coach tour and experience life Down Under, in-depth.

5 days

view tour

Melbourne, Outback & Uluru Adventure

This 12-day tour will take you on a jaunt from Melbourne to the Red Centre, with a mix of must-see highlights and unique experiences along the way. Learn about the coffee culture of Melbourne, check out Victoria’s beaches, travel along the Great Ocean Road, and explore the Outback.

12 days

view tour

Phillip Island & Penguin Parade

Welcome to cliff-clad Phillip Island! Before heading outdoors, try out the interactive Antarctic Journey VR experience. Stroll the Nobbies' boardwalk to see a colony of fur seals, then once sunset rolls around watch the world's smallest penguins on the beach.

Full day

Group of friends laughing whilst tasting wine at a vineyard

Yarra Valley Wine Experience

Swirl, sniff, slurp and then taste wine in the famous Yarra Valley. Travel to 4 premium wineries where you're tutored in the art of tastings. Indulge in an include winery lunch and finish the day with Australia's number one bubble, Chandon.

Full day

Explore Melbourne

View destinations in Australia
New South Wales Northern Territory Queensland South Australia Victoria Western Australia
Brisbane Cairns Gold Coast Melbourne Perth Sunshine Coast & Fraser Island Sydney

Plan your trip to Australia
Cheap flights to Australia Australia Tours Australia Campervans Australia Bus Passes Work in Australia Australia Rail Passes Hotels in Australia Tailor Made Holidays

Frequently asked questions about travelling to Melbourne

When is the best time to visit Melbourne?

Unlike other parts of Australia such as tropical Queensland, Melbourne has distinct seasons and can get pretty chilly in its winter, which falls between June and September - the same time of year as British summer. During this time, you can head to Mt Buller to snowboard or ski!

Spring lasts from September to November - during this time, expect as many rainy days as warm ones. Christmas brings amazing heat, with Melbourne's summer temperatures regularly hitting 35 degrees.

How easy is it to find a job in Melbourne?

Super easy! Step one, arm yourself with a working holiday visa or one of our fail-safe starter packs - which are valid for up to a year. Step two, hone your CV and send it out to as many businesses as possible. There are heaps of online jobs boards and forums so it will take you no time at all to find hospitality, shop, bar or cafe work. The economy is pretty strong in Melbourne, meaning you can earn between $15 and $30 an hour, even for unskilled work. Step three, hustle, baby!

Step four is optional - you can choose to complete three month's 'regional work' (meaning fruit picking, farming or agriculture) in order to meet the requirements to have your working holiday visa extended for another year. Trust us, you won't want to leave Melbourne after just one year...

What's on in Melbourne?

Melbourne is Australia's sporting and cultural capital and a peek at the events calendar explains why. Whether you are into fast cars, food and wine, horse racing, tennis, any other sport, music, art or fashion, there is something on for everyone. Don't miss the Australian Open in January, White Night Melbourne in February, the Formula 1 Grand Prix in March and the Melbourne Cup in November.