Overview
Two days in Melbourne gives you the chance to scratch the surface and get to know the city.
Day one
Catch Melbourne from a height in a hot air balloon ride at dawn, and rev up to explore with a gourmet breakfast. Spend the morning with Melbourne Sports Tours, visiting the sports capital’s revered Flemington Racecourse and the hallowed turf of the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Foodies may prefer to chase the aroma of fresh coffee and gastronomic goodness in the city’s laneway cafes and restaurants. Feast on Thai treats at Chin Chin or elegant, seasonal dishes in loft-inspired Cumulus Inc. Admire Melbourne’s famed street art and duck into small, independent galleries and workshops in the afternoon.
Watch night fall with a riverside cocktail at Arbory. Cross the river for dinner at Fatto, an ideal spot to admire the city lights, and round it out with a leisurely stroll along Southbank. Return to the city’s laneways to raise a glass in a stylish bar or two.
Day two
Join a bicycle tour or hire some wheels and freestyle to the inner-city neighbourhoods of Fitzroy, Collingwood and Carlton. Cruise hip streets and multicultural neighbourhoods, and taste your way through celebrated Queen Victoria Market.
Jump on a tram to cosmopolitan beachside playground St Kilda. Join locals for a little exercise along the palm-lined foreshore or set sail on Port Phillip Bay. Roam Fitzroy Street’s eating and drinking spots, and salivate at the window displays of Acland Street's cake shops.
Relax with an afternoon drink at seaside Captain Baxter. Shuffle along the foreshore at sunset to Pontoon for a casual meal, or head upstairs to the Stokehouse for swanky seafood dining. Further along the Esplanade, Donovans is the place for fine dining with views to match.
Extend your night into the early hours of morning at the lively Prince of Wales Hotel, people-watching in the public bar or dancing to big-name punk, indie, rock and electronic acts in the upstairs bandroom. Trump it all at the revamped, legendary Esplanade Hotel – you can satisfy all your entertainment needs at The Espy’s three band stages, 12 bars and two restaurants.
