What could be better than a long weekend in Melbourne hitting up all the local hot spots? You’re only a Wotif away with our insider tips on what to eat, drink, see, and do.<\/p>\n
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Cosmopolitan and diverse, Melbs isn\u2019t just cool \u2013 it\u2019s also a fantastic place to eat. Take your tastebuds on a trip around the world with local faves like Vola Foods<\/a> for authentic West African soul food; Soi 38<\/a> for delicious Thai street food; Citrus<\/a> for all-you-can-eat Sri Lankan; 400 Gradi<\/a> for traditional Italian panuozzo sandwiches; or Welcome to Thornbury<\/a> for an ever-changing line-up of food trucks from all over Melbourne and Geelong. Or for those classic Melbourne vibes, head to a cosy laneway caf\u00e9 like Bakemono<\/a>, Seedling<\/a>, or Union Kiosk<\/a>. They\u2019re iconic for a reason \ud83d\ude0b<\/p>\n You\u2019ll find unreal fine dining as well. Top of your hit list should be Reine and La Rue<\/a> for modern French cuisine in a stunning heritage setting; Etta<\/a> for global fusion cuisine that\u2019s perfect for sharing; Minamishima<\/a> for exquisite, elegant sushi; Maha<\/a> for modern Middle Eastern (not to mention the best slow-cooked lamb in town); and Attica<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 a true one-of-a-kind dining experience where every dish has a story.<\/p>\n Got room for dessert? Pidapip\u00f3 <\/a> gelato and Lune<\/a> croissants are must-eats! Or for serious indulgence, try Grossi Florentino<\/a>\u2019s chocolate souffl\u00e9.<\/p>\n What\u2019s dinner without drinks? Thankfully, in Melbourne that\u2019s a question you won\u2019t have to answer. Whether you feel like a bevvy or a caffeine hit, this city has got you covered.<\/p>\n For cocktails with a side of cool, you\u2019ve got to check out a laneway bar (or three). We love Little Lon<\/a> for boutique gin and true-crime history; Beneath Driver Lane<\/a> for whisky, blues, and excellent late-night nibbles; Eau De Vie<\/a> for speakeasy vibes and clever cocktails; and Lily Blacks<\/a> for old-world charm, sophisticated tipples, and hand-cut ice. On the main streets, also check out Brunswick Aces<\/a> for a full range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails; Albert\u2019s Wine Bar<\/a> for all your oenophile dreams; and The Black Pearl<\/a>\u00a0for incredible cocktails and mocktails.<\/p>\n Of course, it\u2019s not a weekend in Melbourne without a trip to the pub \u2013 especially if you\u2019re a music lover. Check out The Great Northern Hotel<\/a> for craft beer and classic pub grub; The Cornish Arms<\/a> for a great vegan-friendly menu and a cosy, fully enclosed rooftop beer garden; The John Curtin Hotel<\/a> for craft beer, boozy cocktails and live music; The Local Taphouse<\/a> for local, international and non-alcoholic beer, as well as comedy and trivia nights; and The Town Hall Hotel<\/a>\u00a0for cold suds, awesome food and even better music.<\/p>\n And it goes without saying, if you\u2019re in Australia\u2019s coffee capital you\u2019re going to find AMAZING brews. Stop in at Rat the Caf\u00e9<\/a>, Disciple Roasters<\/a>, Seven Seeds<\/a>, and Proud Mary<\/a>\u00a0for a start. Ask for a Magic \u2013 they\u2019re pretty much exclusive to Melbourne.<\/p>\n Equal parts grungy and gorgeous, there\u2019s plenty to see (and snap) in Melbourne. Yes, it\u2019s touristy, but a laneway selfie is almost obligatory. Traveller faves like AC\/DC Lane, Hosier Lane, Centre Place, and Tattersalls Lane really do deserve their fame \u2013 but make time for some lesser-known gems like Healey\u2019s Lane, Niagara Lane, Sutherland Street, and Equitable Place as well.<\/p>\n While you\u2019re in the city centre, be sure to wander over to Melbourne Central<\/a>. It\u2019s one of the city\u2019s biggest retail spots and home to Coop\u2019s Shot Tower<\/a>. One of only three 19th-century shot towers still remaining in Australia, it was once Melbourne\u2019s tallest building \u2013 but it\u2019s now housed entirely within the new, modern shopping centre. \ud83d\ude2e<\/p>\n Keep strolling east and you\u2019ll find Fitzroy Gardens<\/a> \u2013 the perfect spot for an outdoor lunch or a roam with the kids. Keep your eyes peeled for the Fairies\u2019 Tree, Cook\u2019s Cottage, and the adorable miniature Tudor Village. If you\u2019re getting into a bit of a history and culture kick, check out Abbotsford Convent<\/a>\u00a0too \u2013 Australia\u2019s largest arts and cultural precinct.<\/p>\n Feeling romantic? Hire an electric picnic boat<\/a> and cruise down the Yarra River- no boating license required! Or for an even bigger adventure, take a day trip to Organ Pipes National Park<\/a>. It\u2019s just 20km out of the city and home to incredible volcanic rock formations that will literally make your jaw drop.<\/p>\n Melbourne\u2019s earned a rep as Australia\u2019s sports and culture capital \u2013 and, boy, does it live up to the hype.<\/p>\n First on your sporty to-do list has to be the MCG<\/a>. AFL, cricket, soccer \u2013 there\u2019s always something on (including tours), no matter the time of year. The MCG is also home to the Australian Sports Museum<\/a>, which is a must-visit for sports fans of all ages.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve got a car, why not go for a cruise around Albert Park Lake<\/a>, aka the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit? It\u2019s a great little drive, especially for racing enthusiasts\u2026 just maybe not in March \ud83d\ude09 Or for something really unique, head out to Living Legends at Woodlands Historic Park<\/a>, about 30 minutes out of town. It\u2019s a retirement farm for racehorses (including big names like Might and Power, Rogan Josh, Apache Cat, Brew, Fields of Omagh and Efficient) and, yes, you can meet them.<\/p>\n For arts and culture, you\u2019ve got to visit some of Melbourne\u2019s incredible museums and galleries. National Gallery of Victoria<\/a>, Melbourne Museum<\/a>, the ACMI<\/a>, and Scienceworks<\/a> are great places to start, but make sure to have a squiz at some smaller galleries, like Grau Projekt<\/a>, as well.<\/p>\n Film and theatre more your thing? Melbs has got you there as well. Catch a flick (and swoon over the gorgeous art deco design) at The Astor<\/a>, or take in a show at the Limelight Department<\/a> or the Arts House<\/a>. Live music fans are in for a treat as well. The Espy<\/a>, The Tote<\/a>, and the Corner Hotel<\/a>\u00a0are just a few of our fave venues, but they\u2019re certainly not the only ones in town \u2013 especially not on the weekend, when it seems like every pub has its own Sunday session band.<\/p>\n Itching for some retail therapy? Check out Emporium Melbourne<\/a>, The Strand<\/a>, Gertrude and Brunswick Streets in Fitzroy, The\u00a0 Rose Street Artists\u2019 Market<\/a>, and the classic Readings book shops<\/a>.<\/p>\n Phew! We think you\u2019ll need a break after all that. So why not treat yourself to some pampering at Nimbus Co<\/a>\u00a0in Richmond?<\/p>\n Melbourne is home to lots of fantastic stays to suit all budgets and tastes. Some of our favourites include Ovolo South Yarra<\/a> for retro glamour and excellent veggie cuisine; the Cosmopolitan Hotel<\/a> for stylish, family-friendly apartments just a stone\u2019s throw from Luna Park; the Adelphi Hotel<\/a> for luxury with a touch of whimsy; The Jazz Corner Hotel Melbourne<\/a> for its effortless blend of cool and comfy; and QT Melbourne<\/a>\u00a0for classic city chic and an amazing on-site spa.<\/p>\n<\/i> PLAN YOUR MELBOURNE GETAWAY <\/a>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What could be better than a long weekend in Melbourne hitting up all the local hot spots? You’re only a Wotif away with our insider tips on what to eat, drink, see, and do. Eat Cosmopolitan and diverse, Melbs isn\u2019t just cool \u2013 it\u2019s also a fantastic place to eat. Take your tastebuds on a …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":87,"featured_media":16480,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1183,774,765],"tags":[],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16469"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/87"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16469"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16469\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16492,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16469\/revisions\/16492"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16480"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16469"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16469"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16469"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Drink<\/h2>\n
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