Sydney and Melbourne may both be in Australia, but they’re worlds apart – only similarity being the chill vibe evoked by pretty much everyone in the city, and of course, the absolutely delicious food (and coffee!)

For me, the biggest difference was how alive Melbourne felt compared to Sydney (aka restaurants are actually open past 9PM, gasp!). That sounds wrong and I’m not sure how to better encapsulate my feels – but essentially, Melbourne felt like a city (vibrant, alive, and raring to go 24/7), while Sydney somewhat felt like a vacation to the countryside (where folks wake and rest with the sun)

Both certainly have their own merits and charm, and I wouldn’t be able to choose between the two either – so please do check both of them out! Luckily, I’ve got a whole slew of Sydney blogs and Melbourne blogs – just for you!

Before we start though, let me drop a PRO TRIP: Melbourne is well-known for its crazy weather. Locals joke that you can experience the four seasons in just one day (regardless of what the ACTUAL season is at that time of year). So be prepared, and lug around a cap (for the sun), umbrella (for the rain), and a light jacket (for the cold)!

Without further ado, tada!

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FREE WALKING TOURS (in order of priority if you’re short on time)

• Melbourne Sights (I’m Free Walking Tour)
• Melbourne Free (Walks 101)
• Culture Capital (I’m Free Walking Tour)

OTHER AREAS OF INTEREST

• Federation Square
• Flinders Station
• Graffiti lanes
• State Library of Victoria
• Queen Victoria Market
• Shrine of Remembrance

 

FREE WALKING TOURS

As with every single city I go to, I always try out a free walking tour to dip my feet into the city. This time was no exception, and in fact, because I had the time, I decided to check out the top 3 free walking tours on offer, namely: two tours with I’m Free Walking Tour (Melbourne Sights, and Culture Capital), as well as one city tour with Walks 101. I was slightly worried that they’d be a repeat of each other and I’d simply be wasting my time but they were surprisingly unique (with certain overlaps) and helped me gain a much better understanding of the city as a whole!

Melbourne Sights (I’m Free Walking Tour)

The first tour I opted to join was the Melbourne Sights Free Walking Tour. Out of the 3 tours, I felt this one went more in-depth into the interesting tourist sites within the city proper – always helpful as I learned loads of helpful tips and tricks to help me navigate the city better!

As with all walking tours, don’t expect to enter the actual establishments – you’ll really just pass them by as the guide provides a scintillating monologue about the ins and outs of what you’re seeing. If you’re interested, you can take part by

• Wait by the statue of Sir Redmond Barry in front of the State Library of Victoria
• Walking tour occurs every day, 10:30am and 2:30pm
• Follow the folks who’re wearing the green I’m Free Walking Tour shirt!

Fun fact: Melbourne was one of the main recipients of the gold rush, and many of the fine buildings you see today are due to an era in time aptly called “Marvelous Melbourne” – all of which were funded by gold rush money

Melbourne Free (Walks 101)

Walks 101 is a newer walking tour company compared to I’m Free, so I was keen to check it out and see the difference between the two. Surprisingly, the two Melbourne introductory tours (Melbourne Sights and Melbourne Free) were actually quite different. Melbourne Free focused a lot more on the history of Melbourne and how it came to be. Instead of focusing on the major Melbourne sightseeing areas, we spent a lot more time going through the key historical landmarks and figures that shaped Melbourne into the city that it is today

If you only time for one tour, I’d recommend you do Melbourne Sights (with I’m Free). However, if you have more time or you’re a history enthusiast like myself, I’d highly recommend the Melbourne Free tour of Walks 101!

Culture Capital (I’m Free Walking Tour)

This walking tour is shorter than its counterpart (clocking in at 90mins). I was a bit worried that there would be a lot of overlap with the Melbourne Sights tour, but I shouldn’t have worried, as this tour focused a lot more on the “arts and culture” scene of the city (as the name of the tour implies). It was really fascinating to hear the tidbits around how street art started, where you can find the local music scene, and what are the interesting brunch places to check out. Overall, a great way to learn about how the locals view their city from world class coffee to breathtaking street art, it gave me a much better glimpse of what constitutes the Melburnian identity. Eye-opening!

This tour only runs once a day – so check out this link for more details if you want to join

 

OTHER AREAS OF INTEREST

Federation Square

At first glance, I wasn’t sure what to make of this building / public space. It’s quirky – was pretty much the thought running through my mind. Interestingly, to determine what shape it would take, an architectural design competition was announced with this one winning (pretty sure there’s a deeper meaning to the design, but to this day, it eludes me!)

It grows on you though – right before I left Melbourne, I dropped by the Federation Square again, and felt slightly bittersweet. Another reason to check this space out? Lots of events occur here throughout the week, e.g. food parks, mini-concerts. In fact, while I was there, I managed to check out the ongoing Bastille Festival!

Flinders Station

This is the major station within Melbourne City. If you plan to take day trips to St. Kilda, Brighton Beach etc – this is the place to go! Equally important is the fact that… it’s one of the most beautiful buildings in Melbourne! <3

Graffiti lanes

Only in Melbourne is graffiti considered art, not vandalism – and where you actually get a permit from the government to take part in these graffiti lanes! I checked out a couple while at Melbourne (all for the love of IG photos), and I’d personally recommend:

• Hosier Lane: where you’ll see the most colored graffiti per square foot
• AC/DC Lane connected to Duckboard place: where you’ll see really thoughtful art pieces

Do note thought that the graffiti on the walls change on a regular basis, so don’t expect to see the same when you go – but isn’t that part of its appeal? Constant reinvention indeed!

Fun fact: Hosier Lane is so named because underwear (aka hosiers) used to be sold in this lane, while AC/DC Lane is named after the famous Australian rock band of the same name

State Library of Victoria

I felt supremely pretentious (bordering sacrilege) when I entered the State Library for the express purpose of taking an Instagram shot. I promise I’ll spend actual time in the library next time – but in this instance, I scurried up to the top floor to get this gorgeous shot!

Queen Victoria Market

This market is SUPER famous. The first time I went, I felt distinctly unimpressed – it felt like a tiangge to me (or a wet market of sort). However, the second time I went back – I realized there were other sections of the market that I really should’ve explored!

The market is huge, with everything and anything under the sun – plus a really good selection of food market and stalls. I highly recommend you go here on your first day and buy LOADS OF FRUITS. The cherries and golden kiwi are sold at really really good prices (esp. when compared to the supermarkets). Likewise, if you’re looking for winter wear, you can get really good deals here as well!

Shrine of Remembrance

A war memorial meant to honor all Australians who served in the wars – you can opt to check it out at sunset, where you’ll be able to snap a beautiful yet austere shot of the sun rising yet again (symbolic eh?), or during operating hours, so you can learn more about the struggles and heroics of those who fought to ensure our freedom

 

Interested to explore Melbourne further? Check out my other Melbourne blogs!

• What to see and do when in Melbourne
• Eating my way through Melbourne – top picks!
• Day trips from Melbourne (Great Ocean Road, Brighton Houses, St Kilda)
• Great Ocean Road tour experience

 

DETAILED SYDNEY 6-DAY ITINERARY

• Tips and tricks to enjoy a family trip to Sydney
• Day 1: Airport + Hotel and supermarket + The Rocks Tour
• Day 2: Taronga Zoo + Manly Beach + Golden Century dinner
• Day 3: City Tour + Fish Market + Paddy’s Market + Darling Harbor
• Day 4: Blue Mountain + Leura Village
• Day 5: Opera House + Rocks Market + Australian Heritage Hotel
• Day 6: Bronte to Bondi Coastal Walk + Watson’s Bay + Harbor Bridge + Luna Park

 

OTHER SYDNEY BLOGS

• Eating my way through Sydney – top picks!
• Best nature trails and areas in Sydney – my top picks!
• Events to catch in Sydney – my top picks!
• My experience skydiving with Sydney Skydivers