Discover Melbourne's secret laneways and rooftops, the cultural hub of Federation Square, buzzing bars, boutiques and eateries, and the iconic MCG. Experience St Kilda, the Royal Botanic Gardens, bohemian Brunswick Street and the nation-stopping excitement of the Spring Racing Carnival. Join world class events such as the Australian Grand Prix. Day trip to the Mornington Peninsula or to Phillip Island for fairy penguins.
- Home
- Places to Go
- Melbourne
Find all you need to know about Melbourne in Australia, the capital of Victoria and a vibrant hub of style, sport, culture and dining.
What you can see in Melbourne
Discover Melbourne's wide streets and hidden laneways, galleries and parklands, eclectic precincts and a dynamic food and wine scene.
Top 10 Things to Do in Melbourne
Exploring Melbourne's laneways is just one aspect of this diverse city. Get a cricket or football fix. Soak up art and culture. Go high-end dining or grab the best pub burger. Shop for local designer fashion or cycle the bayside. Whatever you fancy, Melbourne is a city of choices.
Add to your dream tripMelbourne's hidden laneways
You never quite know what's in store when you wander off Melbourne's grid of city streets into the maze of gothic laneways behind them. Even the locals find surprises here, where the venues for food, fashion and art are small, quirky and sometimes hidden. Discover a late-night jazz bar or watch the world go by from a tiny trattoria, browse the boutiques and check out urban art. You can unlock the city's real secrets in these distinctively Melbourne streets.
Add to your dream tripThree Great Days in Melbourne
There's no time for sleep in Melbourne, a city where culture buffs, sport nuts, fashion lovers and foodies all have their niche. Discover cafes, bars and boutiques in city laneways sprawling secretly off ordered streets. Soak up the vibrant riverside atmosphere from Southbank and visit Federation Square, where creative and café culture meet. Cruise down the Yarra and wander the lawns and lakes of the Royal Botanic Gardens. Soak up the unique energy of the city's diverse precincts, from upmarket South Yarra to beachside St Kilda and edgy Fitzroy. Then day trip to the beaches, wineries, galleries and golf courses of the Mornington Peninsula.
Add to your dream tripWeather in Melbourne
Victoria's climate is marked by a range of different climate zones, from the hot, dry regions of the northwest to the alpine snowfields in the northeast. Melbourne has a reputation for its changeable weather, often referred to as having ‘four seasons in one day'. Generally the city enjoys a temperate climate with warm to hot summers; mild, temperate springs and autumns; and cool winters. Temperatures average 25°C in summer and 14°C in winter. Rainfall is highest from May to October. Here you will find some information on temperature, rainfall and seasonal activities to help you plan your vacation in Melbourne.
Add to your dream tripAustralian Open
The Australian Open tennis tournament is the opening Grand Slam tournament of the year, with the world's best slugging it out to hold the coveted trophy aloft. There is also plenty of action off the court with an entertainment precinct that includes live music and the opportunity to get up close with your favourite tennis stars at autograph island. Held in the height of summer, and attracting devoted fans from across the world, the tournament also brings a friendly, colourful party atmosphere to the city.
Add to your dream tripAustralia's Spring Racing Carnival
Mornington Peninsula
A short distance from Melbourne you'll find the rolling hills, orchards, olive groves, historic mansions, and more than 200 vineyards of Victoria's Mornington Peninsula. In this food lover's region, you can buy organic vegetables from roadside stalls or pick your own strawberries, berries and cherries from orchards. Wander amongst olive groves with ocean views or picnic in one of the many public and private gardens. There are century-old rose gardens, sculpted hedge mazes and heritage homes to enjoy. After your food and wine journey relax in a day spa or play a round on one of Australia's top golf courses.
Add to your dream tripMelbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)
The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is located a short distance from Melbourne's city centre in the Melbourne Sports Precinct at Yarra Park, which also includes the Rod Laver Arena, Hisense Arena and AAMI Park. With a total capacity of 100,000 people, the Melbourne Cricket Ground is the largest stadium in Australia, the tenth-largest stadium in the world, and the world's largest stadium for playing cricket.
Add to your dream tripBohemian Brunswick Street
Boredom isn't an option on Brunswick Street, the vibrant Melbourne strip where people from all walks of life go to shop, eat, drink, meet and dance.
Add to your dream tripFormula 1 Australian Grand Prix
Opening the Formula One World Championship series, the Australian Grand Prix is the most watched sporting event held in Australia, with a huge global audience. But the best spot is trackside at the challenging Albert Park street circuit, which has a range of great viewing spots from high-end hospitality sites to relaxing grassy hills.
Add to your dream tripMelbourne Food & Wine Festival
From World's Longest Lunches in breathtaking places to avant-garde tasting dishes from global culinary superstars, the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival has it all. Indulge the senses over 17 days as a diverse program of one-off events unfold throughout Melbourne and regional Victoria.
Add to your dream tripAFL - The Australian Football League
From March to September Australian Rules Football (AFL) teams fight it out to make the top eight and qualify for the final series held in Melbourne in September. AFL is Australia’s most attended sporting league, with passionately-supported teams in Sydney, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane. Close to 95,000 fans pack the stands of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) for the grand final while millions watch it worldwide on television. There’s nothing like being there for the final series. The entire city takes on a carnival atmosphere as excited fans cheer their teams to victory. It is a truly unique Australian experience.
Add to your dream tripThree Weeks from Melbourne
Combine Melbourne, Hobart and Adelaide with beaches, wineries and World Heritage-listed wilderness on a journey through Australia's south-east. From Melbourne, you can meet wildlife in the wild on Phillip Island, visit vineyards in the Yarra Valley and explore golf courses and food and wine on the Mornington Peninsula. From Hobart, Tasmania's pristine national parks are all within reach. Loop around the island, stopping for Freycinet National Park, the Bay of Fires Walk or Cradle Mountain - Lake St. Clair National Park. From Melbourne, drive to Adelaide along the cliff-hugging Great Ocean Road. See the Twelve Apostles, or canoe the Coorong on your way before exploring this elegant city.
Add to your dream tripMelbourne's Rooftop Life
For inventive use of city space, look no further than Melbourne, where bars, cinemas and restaurants roll out across the rooftops each summer. Drink in the city skyline from all angles as you listen to live music, relax in balcony bars and watch movies beneath the stars. Combining modern innovation with the sophistication of a bygone era, Melbourne's growing rooftop venues are perfect places to spend a languid summer afternoon or evening. Many also convert to undercover spaces so you can soak up the city views across the seasons.
Add to your dream tripSt Kilda
Just six kilometres from the city center, St Kilda is Melbourne's seaside playground. St. Kilda is part of the City of Port Phillip which includes the suburbs of Port Melbourne and South Melbourne.
Add to your dream tripFederation Square
Federation Square is Melbourne's meeting place. It is a unique cultural precinct which brings together a creative mix of attractions, museums and galleries, along with many restaurants, cafes and bars.
Add to your dream trip@Australia
Take a look at what's happening in and around Melbourne.
MAKE YOUR TRIP HAPPEN
Find accommodation, attractions, tours, events and restaurants to help you plan your trip.
Your first steps in Melbourne
Get your bearings for your arrival in Melbourne.
Arriving by air
Tullamarine Airport (MEL) - 25 minutes to the city by car, around 20 minutes to the city by shuttle bus
Arriving by sea
Station Pier, Port Melbourne - 15- 20 minutes to the city by car
OWSP = Outer West Station Pier
OESP = Outer East Station Pier
IWSP = Inner West Station Pier
What you can see near Melbourne
Find the Great Ocean Road, Wineries, National Parks and coastal wilderness.
Drive Victoria's Great Ocean Road, home to the world class surf at Bells Beach and the craggy limestone spires of the Twelve Apostles. This dramatic region also offers fishing villages, migrating w...
Add to your dream tripDrive south-west from Melbourne to the Great Ocean Road in under 2 hours or catch a train to Geelong and then take a bus.
The Yarra Valley is home to more than 80 wineries, ranging from small, family-owned operations to large estates. The region is renowned for producing Australia's finest pinot noir and sparkling win...
Add to your dream tripIt's less than an hour by car from Melbourne to the Yarra Valley region's vineyards.
Escape from city life to explore Gippsland, a diverse wilderness coast stretching from Melbourne's eastern outskirts to Victoria's far east. Drive the Great Alpine Road to uninterrupted Ninety Mile...
Add to your dream tripDrive from Melbourne through the Australian Alps to the lakes, beaches and national parks of Gippsland.
There's no time for sleep in Melbourne, a city where culture buffs, sport nuts, fashion lovers and foodies all have their niche. Discover cafes, bars and boutiques in city laneways sprawling secret...
Add to your dream tripExplore Melbourne on foot, by car or tram. You can drive to the Mornington Peninsula in 90 minutes .
Travel from Melbourne to Adelaide along the country's breathtaking south-east coastline. Drive the Great Ocean Road past the iconic surf spots of Torquay and Bells Beach, then onto the vacation hav...
Add to your dream tripFrom Melbourne, drive the spectacular Great Ocean Road to Adelaide in five days, or skip the scenic stops and make it in two days.
Combine Melbourne, Hobart and Adelaide with beaches, wineries and World Heritage-listed wilderness on a journey through Australia's south-east. From Melbourne, you can meet wildlife in the wild on ...
Add to your dream trip