Melbourne In A Day – PLAYWORKEATREPEAT

Hi friends, I’m back today with a recap of my trip to Melbourne. My lovely cousin and I did an overnight stay—we flew in from Sydney early Thursday morning and packed the whole day with exploring. And when I say packed, I really mean packed! So if you’ve ever wondered whether you can see Melbourne in a day, the answer is yes, you absolutely can. Here’s what we got up to and all the amazing sights we saw.

What’s Melbourne Like?

If I had to sum up Melbourne in one word, it would be cool — it’s just so full of character. There are coffee shops everywhere serving the best coffee I have ever tasted. It was smooth, silky, aromatic and oh-so delicious! The streets are alive with colourful art, and I especially loved the laneways. They were full of quirky little cafes, unique shops, and colourful murals. Everything was—well, it was just so cool!

Something that really stood out to me was the fashion. Melburnians are so well-dressed. Walking around, it felt like I was in some artsy magazine shoot. People seemed to wear mostly in neutrals — black, white, earthy tones — and they absolutely nailed the accessory game. Just the right touch, never over the top. It was as if everyone secretly agreed to follow Coco Chanel’s advice: take one thing off before leaving the house. So cool and so elegant.

Can You Really See Melbourne In A Day?

Most of what you want to see is within walking distance, but if you get tired, the trams are there to save your feet. Did you know there’s a free tram zone in the city centre? We walked over 24,000 steps that day, but we also made good use of the trams — they just seemed to magically appear when we needed them, and we barely had to wait. I was seriously impressed with Melbourne’s transport system!

So, can you really see Melbourne in a day? Ummmm… I’d say yes and no. You can definitely tick off a whole lot of the main attractions because the city is super compact and easy to navigate. But if you want to wander, soak it all in, and maybe sit in a cute café with a coffee (or two), then a few extra days would be the go. That said, if all you’ve got is one day, go for it. You’ll still get a great taste of what makes Melbourne so special.

Melbourne In A Day

Bourke Street Mall

If you love shopping (like I do), then Bourke Street Mall is where it’s at! You’ll find all the big-name stores, such as Myer, David Jones, Zara, and many more. But what really impressed me was how many of the buildings around the mall have been carefully preserved. Everywhere you look, there’s beautiful old heritage architecture. I loved how Melbourne keeps that historic charm mostly intact, with a touch of modern style mixed in and not the other way around.

And I have to say, the H&M store completely blew me away! It was stunning and looked incredibly high-end.

State Library of Victoria

What an impressive building! I said to my cousin that if I’d had a place like this to study, I might have considered doing a master’s degree. The minute you step into the reading room, you just feel smarter.

Chinatown

So many bright colours and plenty of delicious food options.

Hardware Lane

Hardware Lane was full of bars and restaurants. Such a great atmosphere!

Hosier Lane

Hosier Lane was one of my favourites because there’s street art everywhere.

I had to laugh when I saw my older son’s name so big and bold. Could he be a secret street artist??

Flinders Street Station

We stood up at the top of the station and looked out over all the platforms — there were so many! From Flinders Street Station, trains head to suburbs all over Melbourne and even out to regional areas. The moment I saw it, I knew I’d seen this station before. Then I remembered — it was featured in an episode of my favourite (but sadly short-lived) series, The Time Of Our Lives. Ha!

Yarra River

We walked over the Princes Bridge, and right underneath was the Yarra River.

National Gallery of Victoria

Right inside the entrance of the NGV, there’s this amazing glass wall with water cascading down it. You can see it from the outside too.

We wandered through all sorts of incredible displays. We saw everything from paintings and sculptures to fashion and furniture — some of it modern, some of it historical. All of it was beautiful.

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria – Melbourne Gardens

The Royal Botanic Gardens is so peaceful and lush — you’d never guess you were still in the middle of the city.

I knew I’d have a great time in Melbourne, but it blew me away more than I ever expected. Seeing the city in a day was fantastic, but I’d love to go back and really soak it all in over several days. Melbourne definitely stole my heart on this trip!