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48 hours in Melbourne: Where to stay, what to do and what to eat

Traveloka Team

29 Sep 2025 - 3 min read

A weekend in Melbourne moves fast. One minute you’re queuing for dumplings in Chinatown, the next you’re clinking cocktails on a rooftop with the skyline stretched out behind you. This is a city that thrives on variety. Laneway bars between graffiti walls, world-class galleries sitting opposite the footy grounds, and cafés that treat coffee like fine wine.

Only got two days in Melbourne? No stress. Here’s how to squeeze in the best bits without feeling like you’re racing to catch up with those tram bells.

Where to stay in Melbourne

If you’ve only got 48 hours in Melbourne, you’ll want to keep things central. The CBD and Southbank put you right in the thick of it, with laneways, galleries, rooftop bars, and trams at your doorstep. Staying here means no wasted time getting across town. Instead, you can stroll from coffee to culture to cocktails (all without clock-watching).

Crown Towers Melbourne: This is Melbourne’s five-star flex. Think skyline views, pools with serious swagger, and a location that makes the Australian Open or Southbank dining feel like it’s on tap. Perfect for a big weekend or treating yourself.

QT Melbourne: Playful, bold, and anything but boring. QT nails the boutique-hotel brief with rooftop cocktails, design that begs for a thousand camera angles, and a city-central location. Great if you like your stays with a bit of personality

Find your Melbourne accommodation

What to do in Melbourne

Mornings

Afternoons

National Gallery Victoria (NGV): Start your weekend with a hit of culture at Australia’s oldest public and most visited gallery. Wander past European masters and dip into bold contemporary works - just leave time for the design-filled gift shop.

Shop Melbourne’s boutiques: Head down to Chapel Street for designer stores or up to Fitzroy to browse vintage shops.

Evenings

MCG or Marvel Stadium: Whether it’s AFL under the lights or a summer night of cricket, Melbourne’s stadiums know how to turn sport into theatre. Grab a pie, cheer loud, and you’ll blend right in.

Eureka Skydeck: Shoot 88 floors up for panoramic city views that shine brightest at night. Neon lanes, river lights, and the twinkle of the suburbs stretching out to the hills.

Free things to do in Melbourne

Check out the street art in Hosier Lane and AC/DC Lane: Melbourne’s laneways double as ever-changing galleries. Murals go up, murals get painted over. It’s free, raw and worth a detour. Rooftop cocktails nearby if you want to keep it rolling.

Stroll along St Kilda foreshore and pier: Classic Melbourne. Sunset over the bay, the skyline glowing behind you, and penguins waddling home if you’re lucky. Add fish and chips for the full effect.

DIY Tram Tour: Tram rides are free within the CBD’s free tram zone, so save your feet and hop on and off as you’d like and take a tour of the city.

Find more things to do in Melbourne

Where to eat in Melbourne

Melbourne simultaneously takes food seriously and playfully. The city’s laneways hide dumpling joints, rooftop bars dish out wood-fired snacks with skyline views, and chefs treat coffee like it’s wine. From cult breakfasts to fine-dining icons, a weekend here is as much about what’s on your plate as your itinerary.

Breakfast

Higher Ground: Probably the city’s most photographed café. Known for its ricotta hotcakes stacked sky-high with berries and cream, plus exceptional coffee in a soaring warehouse space.

Cumulus Inc: A CBD breakfast institution. Their standout is the shakshouka, with baked eggs swimming in spiced tomato, or the Cumulus famous madeleines piped hot with lemon curd.

Lunch

Chin Chin: Arguably one of Melbourne’s most famous restaurant, and still worth the hype. Order the pork roll ups or kingfish sashimi and you’ll understand why the lines never stop.

Supernormal: Sleek, modern Asian dining from Andrew McConnell. The lobster roll is legendary, and the duck bao are some of the city’s most beloved bites.

Dinner

Vue de Monde: The sky-high fine dining choice. Seasonal tasting menus mix kangaroo, native herbs and chocolate soufflé, all while the Melbourne skyline winks through floor-to-ceiling glass.

Attica: A celebrated Melbourne restaurant on the global stage. Dishes spotlight native ingredients, like emu tartare and wattleseed ice cream, and every course is an Australian story.

Drinks

Ponyfish Island: Sitting right on the Yarra River, take in the city and river views while cooling down with a cold beverage.

Naked in the Sky: After strolling along Brunswick Street, pop upstairs to Naked in the Sky for a stellar view of the area and city come sunset.

Melbourne is certainly a foodie’s paradise. Not sure where to start? Consider joining a food tour and experience the best of what the city has to offer.

Ready to book your trip to Melbourne?

Two days in Melbourne fly by, but Traveloka can help you make every moment count. From flights and hotels to gallery passes and footy tickets, you can book it all in one spot, meaning less time planning, more time exploring.