Things to do in Melbourne (Australia) — Sight-seeing, Gardens Hopping, Strolling

by

We stayed in Melbourne for 2 days and 2 days, and absolutely fell in love with the place. Completely completely fell in love with it! The city has a beautiful green cover all across, looked to us very easy going with people out for runs, cycling in the noons, romancing the Yarra river and thronging the city centre making it very lively….Oh, and the trams, give the city an old world charm, especially the olden-days’ wooden trams that go round the city with commentary on all important stops, buildings and parks…

By the way, did you know that commuting in trams within the Melbourne city is completely free of charge? Yes, it is FREE. Simply hop in and hop out – you don’t need to pay. How convenient is that for tourists and visitors? We had a merry time checking out every nook and corner of Melbourne thanks to these frequent and most convenient trams.

Staying at Radisson on Flagstaff Gardens: We stayed at the Radisson bang opposite the Flagstaff Gardens. The hotel is well-serviced and provided a good stay. The reason we chose Radisson for our stay in Melbourne was its proximity to the city centre. It is so centrally located that no place within the city is more than 6-7 kms away. We paid 125 AUD a night. This did not include breakfast. We didn’t take the breakfast option since Victoria market is just a 5-minute walk from the hotel and opens by 8am – the best place for a varied breakfast.

Breakfast at Victoria Market: We had a ball having breakfast at the cafes in Victoria Market on both days. Sitting outside, under umbrellas just as the city slowly started the day, choosing from 3-4 cafes with varied cuisines is way better than being holed up in a hotel’s restaurant eating from the same spread. What’s more, you get some of the most beautiful fruits at the market — we went bonkers over the cherries, peaches, nectarines, plums…

Sight-seeing in Melbourne City: If in Melbourne during the summer months, we’d advise you start early. Like any other big city, most of Melbourne sight-seeing is best on foot, and hence, you need to beat the strong noon sun. Here are some of the must-not miss places when in Melbourne:

  • Gardens of Melbourne: We were in Melbourne in January, and there were flowers everywhere. And so, we loved strolling through the gardens. Flagstaff, right opposite our hotel, is small, but still beautiful and full of seasonal flowers. Then there’s the Treasury and Fitzroy Gardens in the city centre – beautiful expanses of green with well-maintained flower beds and trees. Fitzroy Gardens is especially beautiful with its landscaped patches, breath-taking conservatory filled with Fuschias and Hydrangeas, the fairies tree, gnome park, Cook’s cottage.
  • Churches and Heritage Buildings: Reach the imposing Royal Exhibition Building and once you have seen its grounds and premises, start walking down from there. There’s an array of churches and buildings of historical importance – St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parliament House, Treasury buildings. Turn right from there, and you will find a couple of more churches sandwiched between new-age malls and offices. Walk up to the Federation Square and you will see how alive the city is. Straight down from the Federation Square is the magnificent Flinders Street railway station.
  • Yarra River Stroll or Cruise: Another throbbing part of the city, we strolled by the Yarra river up and down many times over and dined at the restaurants there. Flowing merrily between old and new Melbourne, with parks here and there, the Yarra river banks is a beautiful place to see the city go by.
  • Victoria Night Market: The Victoria Market transform itself every Wednesday evening into a bustling night market with street shows and some out-of-the-world food counters. An absolute do-not-miss, it is a non-vegetarians’ delight.
  • MCG and Rod Laver Arena: Here’s mecca for cricket and tennis fans – both the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the Rod Laver Arena face each other. I went this side of the city when I went for my morning run on our second day of stay…and found a queer excitement in my stomach thinking of all the sporting greats who have walked this street 🙂

A city that makes you feel most welcome, we felt bad while leaving. But then, the next leg of the trip promised some more excitement – we set out for the Great Ocean Road drive….

***************

Read our complete Australia story at — Ring In The New Year With A Holiday in Australia