Melbourne Hotels

Melbourne is Australia’s second-largest city and the capital city of Victoria. This place is harmoniously multicultural, proudly progressive, and inhabited mostly by young people. As the country’s cultural capital, Melbourne is filled with amazing architecture, lush gardens, interesting galleries, hip bars, and great restaurants.

If what you’re looking for on your next trip is to fuel your creative soul, this one is the place to be. Make way for endless coffee runs and artsy activities, ‘cause you’re in for an amazing Melbourne treat!

How to Go

There are two main airports serving Melbourne. The primary one is the Melbourne Airport (MEL), also known as Tullamarine Airport. MEL is divided into four terminals, with Terminal 2 serving all international flights while the rest of the terminals are being used by domestic flights.

The other one is Avalon Airport (AVV), which is located around 55km southwest of Melbourne. Compared to the former, AVV is much simpler and smaller. Jetstar Airways is the only airline operating in Avalon Airport, offering a few domestic flights per day. To get to the city proper from Avalon Airport, you can ride a bus or taxi.

Getting Around

For the past years, Melbourne has top-ranked the list of most livable cities in the world. One of the many factors that makes the city so attractive is its reliable public transportation system. There are three standard modes of transportation around Melbourne—trams, trains, and buses.

Trams are a unique and fashionable way to begin your journey in the city. The best thing about it is the ‘Free Tram Zone’ that operates within the city center. Trains are another great method to ease yourself around town. It is a convenient way to travel not only across the city center but also in the outer suburbs. To get to places where trams and trains don’t cover, the bus network is a nice transportation service to rely on.

Top Things to Do

Start your journey at one of the most iconic tourist spots in Melbourne, the Flinders Street Station. It is Melby’s oldest railway station that has become one of the city’s major landmarks as seen on postcards and brochures. Right across the station is Federation Square, a stunning work of architecture that houses cultural attractions and events.

Speaking of the arts, one of the best things to do in Melbourne is to go gallery hopping. While doing this, make sure not to miss the National Gallery of Victoria, the oldest and largest art museum in the whole of Australia. Another great way to feed your creative soul is by immersing yourself in the city’s underground art scene. Melbourne is dotted with amazing works of art by the city’s budding artists. You can opt to go on a street art tour or hunt for installations DIY-style.

Some more must-see Melbourne landmarks include the State Library of Victoria and the Shrine of Remembrance. The former one is a beautiful 19th-century building and the oldest public library in Australia. While the later one is a war memorial that was built to honor those who have served in World War I.

If you’re traveling with the whole family, kids will be happy to know that Melbourne has an incredible fauna. If you’d like an encounter with Australian wildlife, you can do so at the city’s many zoos including the Melbourne Zoo.

What to Eat and Where

Another reason why people are drawn to visit Melbourne is its thriving food scene. From local eateries to hip cafes to high-end restaurants, Melby seems to have it all. Start and end your day in the foodiest city in Australia with a cuppa joe. Being dubbed as the coffee capital of the country, this almost comes as a must rather than a recommendation. Some of the most loved cafes include higher Ground and St Ali Coffee Roasters.

For cheap eats, we recommend checking out 8bit for some lip-smacking burgers and hotdogs and Shujinko for an authentic bowl of ramen. If you’re looking for a more upscale vibe, we suggest visiting Supernormal or Cumulus Inc.

Nightlife

As Australia’s cultural metropolis, expect nothing less than a glamorous nightlife in the country’s hippest city. Here, you’ll find a great mix of vibrant nightclubs and hidden bars. If you’re planning to dance your night away in the city, Revolver Upstairs is the place to be. But if you want a more chill kind of night, find your way to Beneath Driver Lane, one of Melbourne’s best-kept secrets.

Apart from partying, the city also offers other forms of nocturnal entertainment. From late-night gaming alleys to sports bars to karaoke bars, there’s surely something to do here for every kind of night owls.

Where to Stay

Planning a hassle-free trip includes booking the right hotels in Melbourne based on the type of tourist that you are. If you want to be in the center of all the city’s major attractions, the Central Business District is the perfect place to be at. Surrounded by the city’s most iconic landmarks, staying at Melbourne hotels within the CBD allows you to plan a jam-packed itinerary. If you’d rather be closer to the beaches than buildings, check out the seaside resorts in St. Kilda. Here, you can enjoy the view of Port Phillip Bay and still have a plethora of options for Melby activities.

And if you want to stay in a rather hippie area, we suggest booking your hotel within Fitzroy. Immerse yourself in one of the city’s most creative neighborhoods filled with bookshops, art galleries, and boutique shops.

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