Melbourne is one of the most exciting cities to visit in Australia, famous for its laneways & hidden bars, cafe culture and thriving arts & entertainment scene. There is so much to see & do in Melbourne that planning what to do in Melbourne can be overwhelming for first time visitors! The very best things to do in Melbourne include visiting the NGV and the South Melbourne Market, exploring neighbourhoods like Fitzroy, Carlton and St Kilda, and experiencing classic Melbourne bars, restaurants & pubs.

I’ve lived in Melbourne for nearly a decade, and have rounded up the best things in Melbourne for first time visitors to help you plan an unforgettable trip, whether you’re planning a weekend city break or are visiting as part of a larger trip around Australia.

National Gallery of Victoria (NGV)

The National Gallery of Victoria is the best art gallery in Australia – and it’s free! The NGV International on St Kilda Road has a staggering permanent collection as well as hosting a spectacular blockbuster show each summer and winter, which is ticketed. The NGV Australia in Federation Square is one of the best galleries for Australian Art in the country.

Explore Fitzroy

Fitzroy is one of Melbourne’s original “coolest” neighbourhoods, even though Collingwood, Thornbury, Brunswick and Northcote now also compete for the title. Fitzroy however, remains of the best neighbourhoods in Melbourne for first time visitors to explore, to get a feel for the city. Explore Smith St, Gertrude St and Brunswick Street to see the best of Fitzroy’s bars, pubs, restaurants & shops.

Carlton Gardens & Royal Exhibition Building

The Carlton Gardens is home to the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Royal Exhibition Building, and the Melbourne Museum. Stroll through the gardens with a coffee, before peeling off deeper into Carlton.

Lygon Street

Lygon Street in Carlton is Melbourne’s Little Italy, and a quintessential place to visit for first time visitors in Melbourne. Lygon Street is a mix of old school and new school Italian bars and restaurants, including new classics like D.O.C., King & Godfree and Johnny, Vince & Sam’s. Don’t miss the beautiful independent bookstore, Readings Carlton.

Read my Carlton Neighbourhood Guide

Melbourne’s best coffee

To be honest, you’ll find excellent coffee all over Melbourne, but if you’re not from a coffee-mad city like Melbourne, it’s a must-do while you’re in the city. Some of my favourite spots for coffee are Traveller in the city (serving Seven Seeds Coffee), and Code Black Coffee. Other local favourite coffee brands to look out for are Proud Mary, Market Lane, St Ali and Industry Beans.

A classic Melbourne pub

Melbourne has the most vibrant pub culture in Australia, and there are hundreds of pubs to choose from. Visit the oldest pub in Melbourne at The Duke of Wellington, or landmark institutions like Hotel Esplanade (The Espy) in St Kilda or the recently renovated Morris House in the city, which now has a sleek rooftop bar. International travellers won’t want to miss trying a chicken parma, an iconic pub dish and the best-selling pub meal in the country.

Degraves Street & Centre Place

Degraves Street is one of the most famous laneway streets in Melbourne, and is a must-visit for a classic Melbourne experience. Degraves Street runs into Centre Place, which is just as charming and continues the laneway vibes.

Explore Melbourne’s Laneways

Melbourne is famous for its cobblestone laneways, especially in the CBD. Explore Melbourne’s best laneways like Hosier Lane, AC/DC Lane, Little Bourke Street, Flinders Lane and Little Collins Street to discover Melbourne’s best bars, restaurants and shopping.

See a show 

Melbourne is the arts & culture capital of Australia, so seeing a show is one of the best things to do in Melbourne. Throughout the year, Melbourne welcomes operas, musicals, play, orchestral concerns, the ballet, comedy and more, to theatres around the city. 

The best places to see a show in Melbourne are the Arts Centre in Southbank, the Forum for live music, the Regent Theatre and the Princess Theatre in the city and the historic Palais Theatre in St Kilda.

South Melbourne Market

Melbourne is famous for its historic covered markets, and most travel guides will advise you to visit the Queen Victoria Market. However, the South Melbourne Market is MUCH better! I’ve lived in Melbourne for nearly eight years, and bring visiting family and friends to the South Melbourne Markets all the time. 

Alongside fresh produce, meat & seafood, the markets are packed with hot food stalls, cake shops & patisseries, delis, oyster bars & more! Go for a grazing breakfast or lunch on the weekend, or go or a sit down breakfast at the cafe, Proper & Son.

Brighton Bathing Boxes

The Brighton Bathing Boxes on Dendy Beach in Brighton are a Melbourne icon, and one of the best things to do in Melbourne on the southside. The 19th century beach huts are painted in a rainbow of colours and patterns, and make a beautiful photo spot. 

The bathing boxes are privately owned, so while you can’t go inside them, they’re worth the trip down to Brighton just to view from the outside. Check out my post about the Brighton Bathing Boxes for more details.

Dine at one of the best restaurants in Melbourne

Melbourne is renowned for its food scene, and the diversity and vibrancy of its restaurants. There are excellent restaurants around nearly every corner in Melbourne, from gastropubs to family-run restaurants to rising star chefs and some of the hottest names in Australian dining. 

Some of the best restaurants to visit in Melbourne are Movida, Gimlet, Grill Americano, Reine & La Rue, and to pull out all the stops, Attica, which is the best restaurant in Australia. 

Beyond fine dining, you’ll find amazing food from all corners of the globe at family-run restaurants from first, second and third generation immigrants who bring the flavours of the world to Melbourne.

Explore More: 15 of the Best Restaurants in Melbourne

St Kilda Beach

St Kilda Beach is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Melbourne, and is a great spot for a stroll and some people watching, when the weather is good. While it’s not an ocean beach (it’s on the Bay), St Kilda is a lively area and iconic Melbourne neighbourhood.

Discover Melbourne’s best bars

Melbourne is home to many of the best bars in Australia, from charming wine bars like Kirk’s Wine Bar and Punch Lane, to cocktail bars like Trinket, Nick & Nora’s, Black Pearl and the Apollo Inn (from the same team as Gimlet).

Albert Park Lake

Albert Park Lake is one of the best spots in Melbourne for a walk or a run, with a 5km trail looping around the lake. It’s one of the most beautiful spots in Melbourne on a sunny day! Afterwards, walk into St Kilda for lunch.

Ride a tram

It has to be done! Melbourne is famous for its tram network, which covers most of the city. You’ll need to buy a Myki card to use the tram, unless you’re only riding within the limits of the CBD – in which case, the tram ride is free.

Flinders Street Station

Not so much a thing to do as a thing to see, Flinders Street Station is a Melbourne icon. The beaux-arts train station sits at the corner of Flinders and Swanston Street, one of the busiest crossings in the city.

Federation Square

Federation Square is another Melbourne landmark, just opposite Flinders Street Station. It’s fringed by bars and restaurants, and in summer you’ll find the Australian Open being projected onto large screens in the square.

Fitzroy Gardens

Melbourne is a city of gardens, but the Fitzroy Gardens is one of the most beautiful. Take a break from the urban streets of Fitzroy and wander through the historic Victorian gardens, which include a 1930s, Spanish-style conservatory of hothouse flowers.

See the Australian Open

The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament in the Southern Hemisphere, and is one of the most talked-about events on Melbourne’s sporting calendar. Every January, the Australian Open takes over Rod Laver Area and Margaret Court in Richmond, just beside the city. Buy a ground pass to soak up the festival-like atmosphere or snag tickets to get close to the action. I’ve visited the Australian Open twice, and while it is often extremely hot at this time of year in the stands, I love it!

The best day trips from Melbourne

The best day trips from Melbourne are the Yarra Valley, the Mornington Peninsula & Bendigo or Ballarat in the Goldfields. Many online guides will suggest doing the Great Ocean Road as a day trip from Melbourne, but I don’t recommend this – the Twelve Apostles are a 4 hour-drive from Melbourne, and the Great Ocean Road is so beautiful it deserves at least one night, or ideally two or three. Check out my Great Ocean Road travel guide for more details on visiting the Great Ocean Road.

The Wanderbug is reader supported. This site may contain links to affiliate websites, which means when you buy through links on this site I may receive a small affiliate commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support!