Our long weekend in Melbourne started to go a little pear shaped a week before leaving due to a flare up of diverticulitis so while my sister loves taking us on a 30,000 step tours of a city; we had to find relaxing things to do in Melbourne as my body wasn’t up to much walking or copious amounts of sightseeing.
Shopping in Melbourne, Australia
We started our first day in the city by shopping…well Lisa and Mama did, Pappy and I checked out the street art and architecture by having a causal stroll around some cute Melbourne streets in Fitzroy.
Even though I’m not a huge fan of shopping, it does have one benefit that can’t be overlooked while in Melbourne…air conditioning! Because when Melbourne is hot…it’s freaking hot!
Check out my Melbourne Shopping Guide for where to shop in the city.
Hopetoun Tea Rooms for Breakfast
Our hotel didn’t provide breakfast so we hop tailed down to the Hopetoun Tea Rooms for brekkie and oh my goodness…I haven’t had cake for breakfast in a while and it was so good! There were numerous gluten free options to tempt you however they were very limited on the vegan options available.
The tearooms date from the late 1900’s and are so charming; tea rooms are definitely something I miss from my time living in England so this fancy establishment put a smile on my dial.
Address: The Block Arcade, 1-2/282 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Wander through The Block Arcade
The Block Arcade is quite simply gorgeous and reminds me of Burlington Arcade, just without the copious amounts of jewellery; it’s like you’ve stepped back into yesteryear….and makes me ask why we can’t create beautiful buildings like this now.
The shops offer quality items which do come with a hefty price tag; I purchased a lovely Merino Wool jumper in a classic style which I know I will own for many years to come.
Take a Stroll Through the Melbourne CBD
The Melbourne CBD area is one of the most popular places in Melbourne so expect to be surrounded by a load of tourists; the footpaths can be packed! But you can still find relaxing elements…like this cute little eatable garden that people could help themselves too in the central city.
Pappy and I were well impressed with this garden; definitely the world needs many more of these gardens to be made available.
Check out Flinders Street Station
Pappy and I dropped into Flinders Street Station and it’s large collection of clocks…if there ever was a world clock shortage you know where to find one or two!
Admire Some Street Art
Hosier Lane is famous for it’s street art and was next on our list after breakfast and a bit of retail therapy; it’s bright and colourful which is why it puts itself firmly on any Melbourne To Do List but if you want to enjoy the experience without the hordes of tourists then opt for an early morning visit; any time before 8am and you should have Hosier Lane practically to yourself.
^^My favourite piece!
Dad has visited in the past and the art work does change so make sure you make a return visit to see any new art if you visit Melbourne again.
Take a Relaxing Cruise On the Yarra River
While we didn’t take a cruise on the Yarra River on this occasion; it will be on my to do list for Melbourne next time as it looked a rather relaxing way to spend an hour or two. Unfortunately it was time for a nap for me!
Stroll through the Carlton Gardens
The Carlton Gardens and Royal Exhibition Building are World Heritage listed and were perfect for a stroll…Pappy and I stopped in the park for something to eat…we sat down and just watched the world go by and rest our tired feet.
I absolutely adored the fountains and views across to the Melbourne CBD…this is one of my favourite photos from our trip to Melbourne.
The Royal Exhibition Building was designed for the Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880; on the day of our visit, the Hot Rod Show was on with classic cars galore…perfect timing for Pappy who loves classic cars.
Address: 1-111 Carlton St, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia
Head to Lygon Street for a Meal & to Escape the Crowds
Stroll along Lygon Street aka Little Italy and choose a lovely cafe / restaurant for a meal; the area is very chilled and there are a number of shops that are trying to grab your cash. There are a number of beautiful homes to admire along with street art.
Save Your Tootsies & Ride The Tram for Free!
With sore tootsies (even after an afternoon nap), we opted for a ride on the Line 35 Tram which does a circular loop around the city and past many of the best spots in Melbourne for tourists…perfect if you don’t think you can walk a.n.o.t.h.e.r step like me!
During peak times the tram does become very crowded and you may not be able to grab a seat (or potentially completely full!). I did see a number of beautiful buildings that I vowed to visit the next time I was in the city while on the tram.
Take a Relaxing Stroll Around Melbourne Botanical Gardens
As you can probably tell, I’m a huge garden lover…I’m turning into a Baba right before my own eyes! We arrived super early on our last day in the city and this was definitely the best time to visit as it was so relaxing just strolling through the gardens before the sun was right overhead trying to kill us all with its super powerful rays.
The Botanical Gardens are free to enter and they were one of my favourites things to visit in Melbourne; while not a beautiful classical English garden, these gardens showcase the beautiful flora that Australia has to offer.
^^I just love cosmos (they’re the clumsy dancers of the flower world; if I was a flower I would be either a cosmos or a petunia)…easiest flower to grow in the world and the bees love them as well!
^^ Pappy pulling a grumpy cat face!
Ahhhh…just look at these waterlilies…
…Mama was sure Pappy was going to fall in while attempting to take a close up of a waterlily.
We may have had scones for breakfast…breakfast of champions!
Brighton Beach Bathing Boxes
Australia is famous for its beaches and Brighton Beach has the added cuteness of the colourful and the very fun bathing boxes…82 of them. The bathing boxes have celebrity status so there can be many tourists however we visited on Australia Day and it wasn’t that busy which was surprising to us.
Just remember that these boxes are privately owned so treat them with the respect that they deserve.
We spent the afternoon at the beach, checking out the bathing boxes and having a little picnic after grabbing some food at a local supermarket.
Address: Esplanade, Brighton VIC 3186, Australia
Travel Tips for Melbourne, Australia
- Take comfortable shoes as even if you plan not to do a lot of walking, the heat can cause your feet to swell.
- Air conditioning is your friend; trust me when it’s hot in Melbourne, it’s hot! We arrived into Melbourne on the hottest day they’d seen for quite some time.
- Linen and cotton clothes are your friends and I always swear by them when I’m travelling or living in a hot climate which I now do. Country Road offers some great classic Linen and Cotton Clothing options if you’re in the market for new clothes.
- We hired our rental car direct with Hertz as Pappy is a gold member hence he has additional benefits when dealing direct.
- There are a number of accommodation options in the city – check out booking.com to find accommodation that suits your needs and budget.
- Check out my previous Alternative Melbourne Visitor Guide for more travel tips for the city.
xx
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