Last Updated: November 2024
Whether you’re on a whistle-stop tour of Australia, transiting through the city, or from Australia and in Melboune for a weekend, this guide is for you.
When I first wrote this post I had been to Melbourne for the Australian Open tennis finals, and as it was my first time in Melbs.
I’ve been back to Melbourne a further three times since that first time, so I thought I’d expand on this and tell you how to have the perfect weekend in Melbs.
Melbourne is undoubtedly Australia’s coolest city, full of little laneways with hipster coffee joints, graffiti on every street, and a very European feel about it.
So how do you have a luxury weekend in such an effortlessly cool city? Let me tell you…
Check in at: Sheraton Melbourne
I’ve stayed at a few different places in Melbourne, but The Sheraton Melbourne remains my favourite.
But it’s not like normal Sheraton’s, which usually have quite a business-y feel to them.
This one is swanky AF. Think mirrors, glitzy light fixtures, brushed gold, and stunning wallpapers all matching the hotels purple and gold/silver theme. There’s even a beautiful swimming pool and spa.
I felt like I’d walked onto an interior designers Pinterest board! I was in hotel heaven when I stayed here!
Day 1 in Melbourne
Brunch at Henry And The Fox
I highly recommend starting your day with brunch at Henry And The Fox.
We weren’t too hungry after a cheely midnight feast, so we decided to share the French Toast with apple compote.
It was delish, and we were suitably filled up and ready to tackle fashion and art at the National Gallery of Victoria!
National Gallery of Victoria
Caitlin and I visited the National Gallery of Victoria when the Dior exhibition was running, and it was absolutely incredible!!
Even if the exhibition is no longer running, it’s still worth checking out the gallery and seeing what other exhibitions they have on, as they often have special ones running. Have a look at their website to see what’s on!
Go bowling at the Kingpin Crown Bowling Suite
Drop your bags at the hotel and then head straight out.
Our first afternoon there we wanted to stay close to the CBD as we were going to the tennis that evening, so we went to check out the Crown Entertainment Complex across the river.
There’s a casino, restaurants, and their brand new Kingpin Crown Bowling Suite. We’d heard so much about the new Kingpin at Crown so decided to check it out.
We had a late lunch at Kingpin while we waited for our lane to become available.
The restaurant was full of groups of families and friends eating before or after their bowling session, and the cocktails and food were actually really tasty!
I had a mojito and the pulled pork sliders, and they filled me up very nicely.
The bowling suite is probably the coolest I’ve ever seen (and I’ve been to lots of the awesome London ones).
It’s very contemporary in design and has quirky features like being able to add a webcam-style photo next to your name when you sign on to your lane.
We had so much fun, and it was the perfect way to unwind and fill an hour or two inbetween landing and heading to the tennis!
Dinner at ChinChin
For dinner head to ChinChin.
Like all of the hyped-up restaurants in the world, Chin Chin has a no reservations policy, so you’ll need to arrive early!
Get there at 5:30pm and get in line. There might be a waiting list, but if there is, not to worry. Just go to a nearby bar for a drink first.
Food-wise we opted for the Kingfish Sashimi and the Chin Chin Pork “Roll Ups”, which is slow cooked pork, slaw, and asian herbs. Both were incredible, but the Pork Rolls ups were definitely my favourite out of the two.
Rooftop bar crawl
After dinner check out some of Melbourne’s famous rooftop bars; Madame Brussels, Loop Roof, Good Heavens, and the QT Rooftop are the ones I really enjoyed!
Day 2 in Melbourne
Breakfast at Om Nom
Wake up bright and early, you’re heading for breakfast!
There’s no need to book in advance, so just head on down to Om Nom at the Adelphi Hotel on Flinders Lane.
The menu is epic. I highly recommend the Mixed Berry Hotcake!
It was one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had. You can check out my full review of Om Nom to see more photos of how awesome this place is.
See the Hosier Lane Street Art
After breakfast walk down Flinders Lane towards Hosier Lane.
This is where the best graffiti is, the entire lane is literally covered in incredible works of graffiti art and stenciling. We were even lucky enough to watch a guy working on something while we walked by!
Wander around Federation Square
At the end of the lane head across the road to Federation Square.
It feels a little like London’s Southbank and was nice to wander around. From there you can then walk across the road to see Flinders Street Station, which is Melbourne’s most famous train station.
You can also see St Paul’s Cathedral across the road from here.
Take the number 35 Tourist Tram
Opposite the station is a tram stop – wait here for tram number 35, which is the tourist tram that takes you all round the city for free.
You can hop off and hop back on again at any stop.
We didn’t have much time so we just got off to have a look at the Royal Exhibition Building as it looks super pretty haha!
Visit Chinatown
If you don’t get off the tram the whole ride takes about 45minutes, but if you hop off and on at a number of the stop, you could easily just spend a whole morning or afternoon doing this.
Make sure you also pay a visit to Melbourne’s Chinatown, it’s a really lovely one and while we were there it was Chinese New Year, so the atmosphere was great and there was heaps going on!
Enjoy a tapas lunch at MoVida Next Door
By this time you may be feeling a little hungry again, so by the time the tram gets you back to Flinders Street, it’ll be time for a late lunch. Walk across the road to MoVida Next Door.
It’s best to book in advance as it’s absolutely tiny, but they do have bar seating as well if you’re not fussy about waiting for a spot. I promise it’s worth the wait!
The tapas at this place are SO delicious.
Visit Melbourne’s beaches
When your belly is full and you’re ready to head out again, it’s now time to head to the beach!
Do what I did with my parents, and jump on a tram and head out to the beaches at St Kilda, which is the most popular beach spot in Melbourne (especially Brighton Beach where the beach huts are).
Lots of Aussies recommended this to me, and seeing as they’re locals I’ll trust them and include it in here – so don’t shoot the messenger if it’s rubbish 😉
Dinner at Attica
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| Photo from Attica |
Day 3 in Melbourne
Museum of Immigration
It’s your last day! If your flight isn’t until the afternoon or evening, make the most of the morning!
Walk down Bourke Street for a spot of shopping, and then head to the Museum of Immigration.
The museum is well worth a visit, I found it fascinating and is especially worth visiting given the current political situation in the US.
It’s a reminder of how important immigration is to every country, how immigrants contribute to society, and gives an insight into the mistakes of the past.
This photo doesn’t really show it off very well – soz – but I promise it’s really interesting and there’s loads to see. You need a good couple of hours there to really take everything in.
After your visit to the museum, stroll up to Flinders lane and find a little cafe for lunch before departing for your next adventure!
Got more time?
If you have more time in Melbourne, why not drive the Great Ocean Road?
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Catherine Lux is a veteran travel blogger by night and the Head of Content Marketing at Amazon by day. Originally from Surrey, she spent four years living in Australia (2007-2009, and 2016-2018), and now lives in London. An ex-party girl sometimes prone to relapses, she loves nothing more than sharing her fine dining and luxury travel experiences with her loyal readers.
Ooooh Cathrine, this is SO timely. We decided to travel to Australia later this year! Cannot wait to indulge in breakfast at Melbs, everyone is raving about it. These tips will be very helpful. xx
Urmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm PINNED AND NOTED 😀 <3 Thanks for this! Love AP xo
Andrea's Passions
It's a tie between Cape Town and Melbourne for my favourite city! We stayed at the Langham which was also a bit tired, though a good location. We stayed at the QT in Sydney (loved it), the one in Melbourne must be fairly new – I'd definitely stay there next time.
This is such a fun itinerary. I love the fact that you included bowling. Australia is BIG on my bucket list! I can't wait to visit. One day!
Thanks! It was so much fun I couldn't not include it hehe x
I've heard The Langham is really tired from a number of people who have stayed there. I SO want to stay at the QT next time!!
You'll have the best time!! Enjoy!