What Travelers Say About Melbourne
Melbourne is Australia’s coolly creative second city, repeatedly rated among the world’s most liveable — and its charms are subtle, hidden down graffiti-splashed laneways and up unmarked staircases. This is a city of coffee obsessives, independent boutiques, street art, live music and sport, where the pleasure lies in stumbling on a tucked-away bar, a third-wave café or a hole-in-the-wall restaurant rather than ticking off big-ticket sights.
The compact, grid-shaped centre is laced with arcades and laneways like Hosier Lane and Degraves Street, ringed by villagey neighbourhoods each with its own flavour: bohemian Fitzroy, Greek-and-grunge Brunswick, beachside St Kilda, and multicultural Footscray and Richmond for the best cheap eats. Sport is a religion here, from the spring racing carnival to the Australian Open and the roaring crowds of an AFL game at the MCG.
Melbourne is safe, walkable and easy to navigate, with a free tram zone covering the city centre and an excellent transit network beyond. The catch is the weather — famously “four seasons in one day,” so always carry a layer and an umbrella. Like the rest of Australia it’s expensive, but the food and coffee scene offers world-class quality, and day trips to the Great Ocean Road, the Yarra Valley wineries or the penguins of Phillip Island are within easy reach.