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9 Must-See Melbourne Neighborhoods and How to Visit


A busy street in Melbourne
Hi, I'm David!

David is a freelance travel writer based in Melbourne, Australia. He has also lived as a digital nomad in Europe for several years, happily visiting castles and getting lost on hiking trails. His work has appeared in Skylife Magazine, Fodors, and Matador Network.

see more
Hi, I'm David!

David is a freelance travel writer based in Melbourne, Australia. He has also lived as a digital nomad in Europe for several years, happily visiting castles and getting lost on hiking trails. His work has appeared in Skylife Magazine, Fodors, and Matador Network.

see more

Considered by many to be the cultural capital of Australia, Melbourne has a reputation for its obsession with both sports and coffee. But rarely do you find every aspect of the city's personality or its many attractions in just one neighborhood. No, you really need to roam around to take in all the color, hopping from getting coffee in trendy Fitzroy to shopping in glitzy South Yarra, or trying a global array of dishes in the respective community pockets of the city. Here are nine Melbourne neighborhoods to get you started.

CBD

The Yarra River and skyline of Melbourne's Central Business District.
A walking tour is a great way to explore the CBD. | Photo Credit: Gordon Bell / Shutterstock

Home to much more than just business.

Melbourne's Central Business District (CBD) is the city center and a natural starting point for first-time visitors. Within its grid of streets from the Yarra River up to Victoria Market you’ll find a mosaic of old and new, from modernist Federation Square to art nouveau Flinders Street Station.

The CBD is also home to Chinatown, with its wealth of East Asian restaurants, and the city’s famous lanes, such as Hosier Lane and AC/DC Lane, which are regularly explored on Melbourne food tours and walking tours.

Southbank

Melbourne's Southbank neighborhood along the Yarra River.
Melbourne's Southbank is home to some big attractions. | Photo Credit: Sean Heatley / Shutterstock

The go-to place for city views and fun in the city center.

Cross any of the many bridges over the Yarra River from the CBD and you arrive in Southbank. Off the neighborhood’s promenade lies towering landmarks such as the Eureka Skydeck skyscraper, Crown Melbourne entertainment complex, and Arts Centre Melbourne. Entertainment really is the name of the game here, be it soaking up culture at the National Gallery of Victoria and digital art gallery THE LUME, shopping up a storm at DFO South Wharf, or indulging at the various bars and restaurants off the waterfront.

Fitzroy

A tree-lined path through Fitzroy
Fitzroy mixes quiet residential streets with a buzzing cultural scene. | Photo Credit: Adam Calaitzis / Shutterstock

Old bohemian neighborhood with café culture and bars at their trendiest.

If you were to only look at the rows of heritage terrace houses along Fitzroy’s streets, you might think this inner northeast suburb was a quiet, historic residential area. But to do that, you’d have to ignore the barrage of street art, boutiques, cafés, restaurants, indie galleries, and cool bars that give Fitzroy its well-deserved reputation as an eclectic hub for food, drink, and culture (which you can explore on a private tour). Brunswick Street runs through the heart of the neighborhood, providing access to local highlights such as the rooftop views from Naked for Satan and baked goods from Lune, contender for the world’s best croissant.

St. Kilda

A pier at sunset in St. Kilda
A beachfront suburb that will leave you grinning. | Photo Credit: ProDesign studio / Shutterstock

Favorite of backpackers and beachgoers.

Just 4 miles (6 kilometers) south of the CBD, the beachfront suburb of St. Kilda is where Melbourne goes to chill. The gentle surf of St. Kilda Beach is perfect for stand-up paddleboarding or simply cooling off when summer hits.

Behind a palm tree–lined beachfront that caters to cyclists and joggers lies a selection of laid-back pubs, cafés, and hostels. Standing out among all that is the giant grinning face at the front of historic amusement center Luna Park, which still finds ways to entertain its visitors.

Carlton

The Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne's Carlton neighborhood
See the UNESCO-listed Royal Exhibition Building. | Photo Credit: Julia Kuleshova / Shutterstock

City culture in all its forms.

The Italian influence on Melbourne is at its strongest in the inner northern suburb of Carlton. Here, down-to-earth trattorias and pizzerias line Lygon Street, and cafés can be found around any corner should you wish to see where the city’s love affair with coffee first bloomed.

Things switch gears, though, at Carlton Gardens, where the grand Royal Exhibition Building stands proud in front of a large fountain, as the city’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site. Behind the heritage building stands the more modern Melbourne Museum with its wide-ranging exhibits.

Richmond

The Melbourne Cricket Ground in the Richmond neighborhood
Sports is the name of the game in Richmond. | Photo Credit: B Cas / Shutterstock

Cool and it knows it.

Whether you’re a sports fan headed to a game at the nearby arenas, or just enjoy a beer, live music, or a steaming bowl of pho, Richmond is an inner suburb that needs to be on visitors’ radars. This sprawling inner east suburb combines Victoria Street’s Little Saigon and its Vietnamese eateries, a range of live music venues including the iconic Corner Hotel, and easy access to a pint, be it at one of the many local pubs or the growing range of local craft breweries.

South Yarra

A bridge crossing the river in South Yarra
Foodies and shoppers will feel equally at home in South Yarra. | Photo Credit: Greg Brave / Shutterstock

Choose your vice at Chapel Street.

South Yarra is another southern suburb known for food, fun, and retail. Chapel Street is at the bustling core of this suburb in the city’s southeast, but visiting it means different things to different people.

For avid shoppers, Chapel Street is where you can lose a day hopping between designer stores. To foodies, it's home to every cuisine under the sun, especially with Prahran Market and its diverse delis and eateries. And if nightlife is calling, you’re spoiled for choice, from pubs to late-night clubs, including local institution Revolver Upstairs, better known as “Revs.”

Brighton

Colorfully painted bathing boxes on Brighton Beach
Be sure to snap a photo of Brighton's iconic bathing boxes. | Photo Credit: Blue Planet Studio / Shutterstock

Posh beachside community with a colorful local landmark.

Set on the bay, past St. Kilda, lies the upscale beachside suburb of Brighton. A string of beaches surrounding its yacht club make Brighton Beach a nice place for a stroll. But the sand and surf here aren’t the only reason tourists come this far – that honor goes to the iconic bathing boxes of Brighton Beach, 82 colorful and distinctive timber-framed huts, a popular sight on tours to the Mornington Peninsula and Phillip Island.

North Melbourne

Restaurants and shops along a street in North Melbourne.
Grab a weekend brunch in North Melbourne. | Photo Credit: Adam Calaitzis / Shutterstock

A local secret waiting to get out.

Once a working-class suburb focused on livestock and butchery, North Melbourne has grown to become an exciting alternative to the established inner northern hubs of Fitzroy and Carlton.

Cozy venues such as Auction Rooms and Mörk Chocolate Brew House make for relaxed weekend brunch spots, offering a taste of the neighborhood’s emerging café culture. Should you not be in town during the annual Melbourne International Comedy Festival, North Melbourne’s Comic's Lounge is where to check out the local comedy scene.

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Things to do in Melbourne
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Things to Do During the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival
Things To Do During the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival