Melbourne
A not-at-all exhaustive list of things to do in and around Melbourne. Anything I haven’t seen/done is marked with an asterisk * (hover for commentary).
In the city
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Catch a tram. The CBD is a free tram zone (PDF) – the trams are never far away, and you can ride a heritage tram on the City Circle route.
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Explore the network of laneways and arcades, including the Victorian-era Royal Arcade and the shifting street art of Hosier Lane.
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Visit the Nicholas Building, an early 20th-century building with vintage clothes shops and an art deco interior.
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Visit the NGV, Australia’s oldest art museum. (The main site is a short distance outside the free tram zone.)
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See contemporary artworks at the Outré Gallery.
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Dine at +39 Pizzeria.
Shops:
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City Basement Books – secondhand books.
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The Paperback Bookshop – independent bookshop.
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Kay Craddock – rare and antique books.
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Minotaur – comics and pop culture collectibles.
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Spellbox in the Royal Arcade – witchy things.
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Wunderkammer – rare and unusual items.
Outside the free tram zone
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Wander a park: Carlton Gardens, Fitzroy Gardens, Royal Botanic Gardens, Birrarung Marr…
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Stop by Smith Street. Order a burrito from Trippy Taco, or a banh mi from N Lee, or a panini from Alimentari, or a craft beer from Beermash.
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Get your drum & bass fix at Radio Bar in Fitzroy.
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Step into a glass cube which hangs almost 300 metres above the street. *
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See the St Kilda penguins after sunset.
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Visit the tram museum. *
Shops:
- Readings – an independent chain of bookshops; the one in Carlton is a favourite.
Venturing outside Melbourne
- See Aussie wildlife in Healesville Sanctuary (an hour’s drive from the city).