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!
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.
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?
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.
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!
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!
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).
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.
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.
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!
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?
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 🙂
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 🙂
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!
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!
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 🙂
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)
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!
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