Making the most of your time in Melbourne outside of your meeting, conference and networking schedule is simple. Melbourne is easy to make your way around, either by foot or by a reliable, integrated transport system of trams, buses and trains. A rewarding 24 hours in Melbourne includes great food and wine, taking a walk through the city’s gardens and exploring Melbourne’s ‘hidden’ historic laneways, where the city’s passion for chic cafés, boutique fashion dens and avant-garde galleries really comes to life.
Melbourne in the Morning
8am – Melbourne is a city that celebrates the breakfast culture. Cafés open early throughout the city for that early morning caffeine fix or something heartier.
9am – Get your bearings; jump on the free City Circle Tram that circumnavigates the central business district. It’s a great way to look around, and the on-board commentary explains points of interest. Hop on and off to see attractions including the Old Melbourne Gaol, the State Library of Victoria, Melbourne Museum and more.
11am – Time to explore ‘hidden’ Melbourne. Join a ‘Hidden Secrets’ tour to take in the city’s historic laneways, architecture, and art and design, or even enjoy a sommelier’s city walk. Alternatively, join a Foodies Tour of the Queen Victoria Market, enjoying local produce and learning from friendly butchers, fishmongers, deli shopkeepers and greengrocers how to eat like the locals.
Melbourne by Day
Noon – Lunch. Choosing just one place to stop is the hardest thing about dining in the city. Head to Southbank for cuisine prepared by international chefs, wander into establishments headed up by well-known local names along Flinders Lane or around Federation Square, or head into the laneways for more casual café culture.
1pm – What better way to work off lunch than with a spot of retail therapy? Melbourne's historic arcades and laneways are great destinations for buying the work of young Melbourne designers, quirky original fashion, antique jewellery and accessories. For more well-known boutiques and brands, head to the elegant GPO (old General Post Office), QV and Melbourne Central emporiums.
3pm – Take in the latest National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) exhibitions. The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia galleries are housed in the vibrant Federation Square development. Nearby, NGV International on St Kilda Road houses the international collection. Make sure you take the time to gaze at the stained glass ceiling by artist Leonard French in the Great Hall and wander over the moat into the sculpture garden. Take afternoon tea at the Gallery’s café, and call in at the Gallery shop for designer gifts.
5pm – Be captivated by the world’s oldest living culture as you explore the Royal Botanic Gardens with Indigenous guides on the Aboriginal Heritage Cultural Walk. Enjoy the Garden’s stunning surrounds while gaining an insight into the traditional camping and meeting grounds of the Boonerwrung and Woiwurrung (Wurundjeri) people.
Melbourne by Night
7pm – Dinner. Finding your favourite food is made easy along Melbourne eat streets that specialise in Vietnamese, Italian, Chinese, Greek cuisine and more. Melbourne has over 3,000 places that serve great cocktails, boutique beers and local wines, often with outstanding views, cool crowds and great sounds. For making the most of balmy summer nights, try fine dining or Aussie fish and chips along St Kilda beach, or sip champagne on one of Melbourne’s many, chic roof-top bars.