Four places you must see in Melbourne
Oh, Melbourne, with your warm and welcoming nature that envelopes visitors. Never mind the 30-hour door-to-door trip it took to get back home, I longed to return within days of coming home.
From a great visitor shuttle to a free central tram zone and free tram loop, we found Melbourne to be super visitor friendly. We went at the beginning of March, approaching the end of summer in the city. This post looks at the city and what to see and do through the perspective of colour.
Melbourne in botanical greens
There are so many green highlights to choose from in this city, starting with the huge Royal Botanic Gardens, the conservatory in Fitzroy Gardens, the grounds of the MCG in Yarra Park and Birrarung Marr.
1. Royal Botanic Gardens
The Royal Botanic Gardens are stunning and easy to see just why they are classed as amongst the best in the world. They cover 38 hectares of beautiful landscaping - Shady Fern Gully, the lakes, Gullfoyle's Volcano were some of my favourites, with breathtaking views. Little resthouses are dotted all over the gardens, providing shelter from the sun when needed.
2. Fitzroy Gardens Conservatory
When you come across the Fitzroy Gardens Conservatory, it feels like stumbling onto a beautiful hidden gem. The floral displays change regularly - during our visit, there was a most spectacular display of begonias. Prepare to be immersed in a world of floral colour!
Melbourne in sunny beach yellows
3. Spend a day at St Kilda
You can easily while away a couple of hours lying on the sands at St Kilda. Head up onto the pier to drink in gorgeous views of Port Phillip and the Melbourne city skyline. Enjoy a drink at the Kiosk, and don't miss the breakwater area behind - home to a little penguin colony, there's a small boardwalk you can head onto and if you're lucky, see some.
Away from the beachfront, St Kilda has the vibe of a sleepy, relaxed beach town. Tucked away on backstreets is the Botanical Gardens. Incredibly peaceful and tranquil with wide paths perfect for lazy strolls and palm trees to lie under, there is also a beautiful rose garden and a conservatory full of tropical plants.
Also in St Kilda:
Enter the brightly coloured world of Luna Park in St Kilda through that unforgettable entrance. Over a hundred years old, it's filled with rollercoasters (including the famous wooden rollercoaster The Great Scenic Railway) and games.
The art deco Palais Theatre, St Kilda: Before the current building was built in the 1920s, the site was previously a dance hall and Palais Pictures. It is now a live entertainment venue.
Discover a rainbow of colour in Melbourne
4. The Laneways
Colours pop against the bright blue skies of late summer with laneways full of street art, especially Hosier Lane.
The laneways are full of boutiques, restaurants, bars and of course, street art. The art you see one day may have disappeared the next, with something new taking place, from huge murals to tiny characters. The artists seemed bemused by the hoards of tourists taking pictures and videos while they worked.
Other places to see:
Flinders Street Station - sitting right near Federation Square, this beautiful, grand building is the oldest train station in Australia. Famous as a meeting place under its iconic clocks with train departure times.
Federation Square - art galleries, striking architecture, food, drink and a venue for events.
Eat & drink:
Some of my favourite meals during our trip to Australia were in Melbourne.
Boatbuilders Yard on the Southbank waterfront - on a weekday afternoon, it was really chilled and peaceful.
Ponyfish Island in the middle of the river was busy but with its views, it's an incredible place to have a drink in the sunshine!
MoVida - tapas. Right by Federation Square, on one of the lanes - try and book if possible. On a Monday early evening, it was already full, but we could leave our details and come back. We had 2-3 tapas dishes and shared two raciones, all of which were scrumptious.
Art inspired by Melbourne
Inspired by St Kilda: Seaside Kiosk
nspired by Melbourne's Royal Botanical Garden: Punting on the lake