The second biggest city in Australia, Melbourne is also Victoria’s capital, covering almost 10,000 square kilometers. There’s plenty to see and do in this vast city, and we’ll cover just some of the best.
- Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road runs along Victoria’s southwest coast. It is a stunning drive, 243 km of beautiful scenery not to be missed. You’ll see many wonderful sights along the drive, including Apollo Bay, plenty of beaches, ancient lighthouses, and much more. You’ll see whales, kangaroos, and koalas, and you can even stop and take part in activities along the way, such as ziplining, cliff climbing, and surfing. There are also many towns along the way where you can stop and enjoy local cuisine, gourmet foods, and breweries. The climate means you can drive the Great Ocean Road all year round.
- Hot Air Ballooning
This is the experience of a lifetime, a flight way above the city with fantastic views. You can take your flight from several locations, and each ride includes a meal. Queensland is the most popular place, with each ride lasting about an hour. You can also book special packages, such as a sunrise flight from Yarra Valley or Alice Springs, or tours from Brisbane, which you can book all year round. Prices vary depending on what you book and where you fly from.
- Royal Botanic Gardens
The Royal Botanic Gardens offers visitors a wonderful day out, with more than 50,000 plant species. You can also see the Melbourne Observatory and Guilfoyle’s Volcano from the gardens. Head to the Jardin Tan Café or Terrace for a wonderful bite to eat and pick up souvenirs at the Gardens shop. The gardens are also dotted with natural wildlife, lakes, and numerous pillars and monuments. This is also where one of the leading botany research centers is housed. Every year, thousands of people visit the gardens to spend a leisurely few hours wandering around and having a picnic. One favorite among younger visitors is the Ian Potter Foundation Children’s Garden, where they can play in a bamboo forest, wetland area, ruin gardens, and a gorge, among other specially designed areas. And if you are into a bit of fitness, the gardens also have the Tan Track, one of the most famous jogging tracks in the world.
The gardens are open daily from 7.30 AM to 7.30 PM, and admission prices start at 32 AUD.
- Queen Victoria Market
With a legacy of more than 140 years, Queen Victoria Market is one of the best places for shopping. Here, you can browse stalls full of fresh vegetables, snacks, drinks, clothes, handmade items, souvenirs, imported goods, and fresh coffee. It covers two blocks and contains more than 600 small businesses. The market gets its name from the two streets it is bound by – one block is on Queen Street, while the other is on Victoria Street. Some people visit the market to get a look at its architecture, with many buildings from the late 1800s still intact. You can also attend cultural festivals, and the market is visited by over 10 million people yearly.
If you want fresh produce, it’s best to go in the morning, while afternoons are best for a spot of lunch. The night market is on from 5 PM to 10 PM daily between November and March and during the summer months, Wednesday nights are for the locals to showcase their crafts, live entertainment, and international food stalls.
The market is open from 6 AM to 2 PM on Tuesday and Thursday, 6 AM to 5 PM on Friday, 6 AM to 5 PM on Saturday, and 9 AM to 4 PM on Sunday.
- Shrine of Remembrance
A National War Memorial, the Shrine of Remembrance is one of Melbourne’s most famous landmarks. It was built to commemorate Australian servicemen in World War I, but today, it is seen as a tribute to every person who served. The Shrine was inaugurated in 1934, and its design was based on some of the world-famous monuments, such as the Parthenon in Greece and the Tomb of Mausolus. A forecourt was added to commemorate the fallen from World War II, and the Shrine is now where Remembrance Day and ANZAC Day are commemorated.
Nearby, you can visit the Galleries of Remembrance, where you can see more than 800 historical artifacts and preserved artworks. Inside the Shrine, you can see the Stone of Remembrance, and if you visit on Remembrance Day, you’ll see a ray of light hitting the stone. Renovations over the years have added a Remembrance Garden, a visitor’s center, and many pillars and statues in remembrance. Head to the upper balcony, and you’ll get a fantastic view of the Melbourne skyline.
The Shrine is open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM, and entrance is free.
- Melbourne Zoo
The Melbourne Zoo is located in the Royal National Park, Parkville. Also known as the Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens, the zoo is home to more than 300 wildlife species, including elephants, tigers, wombats, orangutans, monkeys, giraffes, zebras, and more. You can also see plenty of marine life and get up close with kangaroos and koalas, all in their natural habitats. A special area called Growing Wild is available for kids to let loose and enjoy themselves.
The zoo is open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM, and admission starts at 21 AUD.
- Flinders Street Station
This is Melbourne’s central railway station and one of the city’s biggest historical icons. Today, it is the oldest railway station in Australia and certainly one of the busiest. More than 90,000 commuters pass through the station daily, and thousands of tourists visit just to see the architecture and green copper dome. You’ll find the iconic steps and clocks at the famous entrance, each showing departure times for a different train line. In 1982, Flinders was granted Heritage Listing.
Nearby, you can visit the Australian Centre for Moving Images, built in 1980 from Flinders Street Station terminals. The station also features the longest platform in the country, and upstairs, you can see what remains of a nursery, gym, and ballroom used in World War II by civilians and soldiers.
- Yarra Valley
Yarra Valley is 1 ½ hours from Melbourne and is much more than just scenery. The Valley is home to several indigenous restaurants, waterfalls, gardens, and more than 70 wineries where you can attend tastings. You can catch a hot air balloon ride at sunrise, shop at gourmet and market stalls, taste the famous Yarra Valley chocolate and cheese, go to the Ice Creamery factory, and visit the Healesville Sanctuary, where you can interact with kangaroos and koalas, and see more than 200 different wildlife species.
The best time to visit is March and November, when the weather is at its best. You’ll also find some of the best Australian wineries in the Valley and book tours at any of them.
- Sea Life Aquarium
A visit to the Sea Life Center will allow you to see more than 500 marine and animal species, including King and Gentoo penguins and the biggest crocodile in the world. There are restaurants beneath the oceanarium, where you can dine beneath sharks, fish, and stingrays. Other features include wave-touch pools, a 4D cinema, feeding shows, and more, all allowing you to interact virtually with marine animals.
The center is open Monday to Saturday, 9.30 AM to 5 PM, and Sunday, 10 AM to 5 PM, and entrance costs 42.30 AUD.
- Healesville Sanctuary
In the heart of the Yarra Valley lies a bushland haven, home to many native birds and animals. It covers 30 hectares and is one of only two such centers worldwide where a platypus has been successfully bred. You can wander marked trails to see the wildlife in their natural habitats, swim in the pools with the platypus, feed parrots, get up close to kangaroos, and have your photo taken with the animals.
Nearby is the Australian Wildlife Center, where more than 2000 injured and sick birds and animals are treated every year.
Admission prices depend on the tours or experiences you choose.
Melbourne is an amazing place to visit, full of excitement and culture, and it offers something to suit everyone. Make sure you include these places on your trip to Melbourne to ensure you experience the best the city has to offer.