Best places to visit in Melbourne: inside scoop on the culture capital of Australia, and why it (and not Sydney) should be your next destination in 2020
- Melburnians, as the locals are called, reveal their favourite places to shop, eat, and relax in the capital of Victoria state, from city centre to outer suburbs
- Head to Flinders Lane for unforgettable food, or take a wander to Chapel Street to shop for Australian brands like Zimmermann
Despite the pull of Sydney, people in Asia increasingly see Melbourne – with its buzzy, creative vibe – as an attractive place to visit, own a second home, or to live.
“There’s an adventure to be had, any day of the week,” says Hong Kong-raised Arthur Gillion, general manager of marketing for the Australian Grand Prix, a Formula 1 car race.
He describes Melbourne as more of a “do city” than a “see city”.
“It’s the sports, events and cultural capital of Australia for a reason. Events like Formula 1, the Australian Open [tennis tournament] and the Spring Racing Carnival [of horse racing] expand fan experience beyond sport. People visit from all over the world to be part of it.”
Ren Kimber, a senior adviser for accounting organisation KPMG, points to the multicultural nature of the arts, design, food and fashion in the city. There are plenty of different cultures, but “what [makes] ‘Melbourne’ is the creativity in the way we combine cultures”.
We asked Melburnians, as the locals are called, where the best places to hang out in Melbourne are, from the bustling centre to its inner-city suburbs north and south of the Yarra river.
