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Melbourne best things to do

3 days in Melbourne: the best things to do

Posted on June 7, 2020July 14, 2021 by Giulia Dal Pont

Vibrant, multicultural and stimulating: there are so many things to do in Melbourne in 3 days, we bet you will plan your next trip there very soon!

Melbourne is one of Darek’s favourite cities. He loves the relaxed and multicultural vibe, the tasty varieties of coffee with soya milk, and his eyes get dreamy when he thinks of those giant sushi rolls near Flinders Street Station!

Just like in 2015, also in October 2019 we stayed with our friend Claire, whom we met through Couchsurfing more than 10 years ago. She couldn’t come to Italy for our wedding, so we were happy to visit her down under (and reveal in advance my pregnancy :))) )

Since we are already quite familiar with the city, we plan very little and prefer a spontaneous exploration. Our best places to visit and top things to do in Melbourne in 3 days include gorgeous buildings, landmarks, street art, and delicious food. Use the map to plan the best Melbourne itinerary for yourself, and check out our efficient travel apps!

Will you have a few more days in Melbourne? Check out this Great Ocean Road itinerary and spend two wonderful days along the coast!

Contents of this post hide
1 Explore the CBD, Melbourne city centre
1.1 Flinders Street Station
1.2 New and old architecture
2 Discover Melbourne Street Art
3 Relax along Yarra River
4 Learn about the local history and culture
4.1 State Library Victoria
4.2 National Gallery of Victoria
4.3 Shrine of Remembrance
5 Wander around Fitzroy
6 Enjoy the foodie delights
6.1 Coffee and breakfast
6.2 Asian food
7 More things to do in Melbourne
8 Conclusion: are 3 days in Melbourne enough?

Explore the CBD, Melbourne city centre

CBD, or Central Business District, is the city centre of Melbourne. Located North of the Yarra River, it’s structured in a tidy grid run by trams (this is the CBD Free Tram Zone! Find more info here). It’s the perfect district to start appreciating the Melbourne vibe, its gorgeous Victorian buildings and shiny skyscrapers.

Be efficient: Melbourne is really large! Book your accommodation in the CBD (Central Business District = the city centre) or in Southbank, just south of Yarra river, so you can move quickly to the other areas of the city.

Melbourne CBD map Google
Melbourne CBD city centre – Google Maps




Flinders Street Station

Flinders Street Railway Station is one of Melbourne’s landmarks. I think I took a picture of it every single time we passed by it! (map here)

Completed in 1909, it was the first railway station in an Australian city. It also features Australia’s longest platform, 708 meters long. Even though it’s definitely faster to take a plane, I’d love to travel by train through Australia.

Right opposite Flinders Street Station, take some time to wander around Federation Square (unfortunately under construction when we visited in 2019), always crowded and full of life. The way neo-Gothic St Paul’s Cathedral faces the modern and edgy ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image) is absolutely iconic.

Which one do you prefer, by night or by day?

Melbourne Flinders Street Station by day
Flinders Street Station by day
Melbourne Flinders Street Station by night
Flinders Street Station by night

New and old architecture

I find contrasting architectural styles extremely fascinating.

Melbourne was founded in 1835 and the Royal Arcade is a wonderful example of Victorian architecture (map here). The boutiques and the decorations literally transport you back a couple of centuries.

This building at the corner of Elizabeth Street and Bourke street is another gorgeous legacy of that period.

Melbourne Royal arcade
Royal Arcade, Melbourne

Then, a block away, is the tiny Centre Place, a narrow alley crowded with cafes and restaurants showcasing cuisines from all over the world! Here it is on Google Maps.

Be spontaneous: make sure you have some free time to wander around a city and discover these unexpected corners.

You may be interested in the Venice hidden gems we found during a spontaneous exploration!

Melbourne Centre Place
Centre Place, Melbourne

There is so much development going on in the CBD and Southbank. Plenty of futuristic buildings already popped up between the historical palaces, providing endless photo spots. We look forward to visiting again in a couple of years, to see the skyscrapers finished!

Melbourne skyscrapers and yellow sculpture
View of Melbourne CBD from Southbank
Melbourne Princes Bridge sunset clouds
Melbourne CBD at sunset from Princes Bridge

Be efficient: have a power bank with you! Everywhere you turn in Melbourne, there’s a cool sight. We took a ridiculous amount of pictures and had to plug in our phones in the afternoon every day 🙂





Discover Melbourne Street Art

Do you like street art? Then you’re going to love Melbourne. Street art is literally everywhere, and I’m talking proper, meaningful art!

The faces on this public housing building in Collingwood belong to some of its residents: the Matt Adnate mural made them proud, and it’s a reminder that real people, many of them struggling refugees, live in this area and contribute to its multicultural environment. (View it from the corner of Wellington Street and Stanley Street, here).

Melbourne mural faces Matt Adnate
Matt Adnate Mural in Melbourne

In the alleys of CBD there are just too many cool works of art. We admired them around Section 8 bar in Tattersalls Lane (map here), on Little Bourke street (map here) and pretty much all over the place.

  • Melbourne Street Art Section 8
  • Melbourne street art woman hands
Melbourne Street Art

Relax along Yarra River

Be efficient: keep an eye on sunset time. The period before sunset, golden hour, is perfect for pictures with warm tones.

The weather in Melbourne is absurd! You can have sunshine, wind and clouds, a short storm, and hot sun again, all in the same day. During 3 days in Melbourne, you will experience this madness for sure.

We were lucky enough to enjoy some wonderful weather on our last afternoon along Yarra river. Head over there to get a fill of parks, skyscrapers, modern art (like on Sandridge Bridge, in the picture), and fashionable bars on boats. Definitely one of the most relaxing things to do in Melbourne.

Melbourne Sandridge Bridge with modern sculptures - 3 days in Melbourne
Sandridge Bridge over Yarra River, Melbourne

Learn about the local history and culture

Theatres, art galleries, museums: cultural organizations strongly contribute to the unique Melbourne vibe. Even without attending to shows or visiting exhibitions, usually these venues are located in interesting buildings.

State Library Victoria

I loooooove libraries! I could spend hours in State Library Victoria, going up and down the floors and admiring the enormous La Trobe Reading Room (in the picture). Did you know that it was established in 1854?

Be efficient: before visiting, check out the opening hours and the exhibitions/events that are taking place!

Melbourne State Library Victoria La Trobe reading room
La Trobe reading room, State Library Victoria, Melbourne

National Gallery of Victoria

Whenever we travel, we indulge in art exhibitions. The National Gallery of Victoria showcases an excellent collection of international, Asian, Australian and Indigenous art: the perfect way for us Europeans to broaden our horizons.

Furthermore, there are always fantastic temporary shows. The KAWS exhibition did not disappoint. We are always fascinated by contemporary art, and by the way artists manage to mix together pop elements with a new twist.

Do you like to visit museums and art galleries when you travel?

Melbourne National Gallery Victoria KAWS and permanent collection
The permanent collection of National Gallery Victoria with “What Party” by KAWS
Melbourne National Gallery Victoria KAWS - 3 days in Melbourne
The huge sculpture “GONE”, by KAWS, National Gallery Victoria in Melbourne, 2019

Shrine of Remembrance

Do you ever visit war memorials? I’m not a fan, but I think it is important to respect the fallen and learn from the past.

At school, I never learned (or never realized) how Australian and NZ citizens were involved and affected by the World Wars (and subsequent wars).

The Shrine of Remembrance is a meaningful place to pause, reflect, and learn from the numerous permanent and temporary exhibitions.

Access is free, and guided tours can be booked for a fee. Climb up to the terrace for an amazing view of Melbourne downtown.

Check out here many more free things to do in Melbourne 🙂

Shrine of Remembrance Melbourne
The Shrine of Remembrance war memorial, Melbourne

Wander around Fitzroy

Be spontaneous: Fitzroy is a charming, eclectic neighbourhood just North of the city centre, which deserves some random exploration.

Thanks to the number of quirky bars and ethnic (and healthy) restaurants, it is very popular among students and young professionals. We love its relaxed atmosphere, the cool street art in the side streets, and the Victorian architecture from the 19th century.

This is Bimbo, one of Darek’s favourite spots since 2008! Pizzas are still 5 dollars 🙂

Bimbo Fitzroy Melbourne
“Bimbo” Bar in Fitzroy, Melbourne
Melbourne Fitzroy street
Fitzroy, Melbourne

Enjoy the foodie delights

Coffee and breakfast

What kind of breakfast do you prefer, savory or sweet?

There are so many amazing places for breakfast in Melbourne, whether you are looking for avocado on toast, or for cappuccino and croissant.

Head to Lune, in Fitzroy (map here), to taste these sweet delights. Industrial vibes, baking lab behind the glasses, coffee and pastries = paradise!

Melbourne Lune croissanterie Fitzroy
Delicious pastries at Lune Croissanterie, Melbourne

Be spontaneous! Take some time to enjoy a coffee and do some people-watching. In our experience, both locals and travellers are open for a chat over their favourite drink. It’s the magical atmosphere of Melbourne 🙂

Darek’s favourite coffee place in Melbourne is Brother Baba Budan (map here), on Little Bourke Street. Cappuccino with soya milk, please!

Melbourne Brother Baba Budan café
Brother Baba Budan café, Melbourne




Asian food

Melbourne is such a melting pot of cultures. A delicious consequence is the incredible variety of restaurants, cafés, bars and fast food joints, which serve possibly every cuisine in the world!

One of our favourites is Chinese restaurant Shangdong Mama (map here). We always choose different types of dumplings, and always end up ridiculously full without spending too much!

In Melbourne CBD, there are sushi restaurants at every other corner. We usually grab 2-3 of these huge maki rolls and eat them on a bench or in a park. Delicious 🙂

Melbourne Sushi Hub
Sushi Hub Swanston, Melbourne

More things to do in Melbourne

  • Head South to St Kilda to see the penguins in the evening at this dock!
  • Take some iconic pictures in front of the colorful beach huts, the Brighton Bathing Boxes (map here)
  • Explore local markets and discover delicious food: try the Southbank Market (map here) and Queen Victoria Market in CBD (map here)
  • Relax at the park: try the Royal Botanic Gardens, the Carlton Gardens or Fitzroy Gardens. You may see unusual birds and colorful parrots!
  • Learn about Kulin Melbourne and the aboriginal history of Victoria with the Koorie Heritage Trust
  • Watch the sunset from Eureka Skydeck (map here and info about hours and tickets here)
Melbourne Brighton beach boxes colorful beach huts
The colourful Brighton Beach Boxes, Melbourne




Conclusion: are 3 days in Melbourne enough?

Three days in Melbourne are just enough to get a feeling of this wonderful, vibrant city. With our advice, you can organize your days efficiently, while keeping some time for spontaneous exploration.

Have you been to Melbourne, or are you planning your trip there? Let us know in the comments!

3 days in Melbourne best things to do
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Ciao!

I’m Giulia, an Italian expat based in Budapest (Hungary) with my husband Darek and our son Alexander.

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