4 days in Melbourne

Day by day

1. Day 1: Federation Square and Flinders Street Station and Hosier Lane and the CBD laneways

   Federation Square and Flinders Street Station, Hosier Lane and the CBD laneways and Queen Victoria Market, then Chinatown in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Federation Square and Flinders Street Station

      Allow 1–2 hours (free). Meet 'under the clocks' at Flinders Street Station like locals do, then cross to the Ian Potter Centre for the free Australian art collection.

   2. Late morning

      Hosier Lane and the CBD laneways

      Hosier Lane and AC/DC Lane are covered in constantly changing street art, Degraves Street and Centre Place are packed with espresso bars, and the Victorian-era Block Arcade and Royal Arcade have mosaic floors and glass roofs.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Specialty coffee and the 'magic'

      Laneway cafés around Degraves Street and Centre Place, and roasters in Fitzroy, Collingwood and Brunswick.

   4. Afternoon

      Queen Victoria Market

      Allow 1–2 hours (free). Go in the morning for the best produce, and check the market calendar first: it does not trade every day, and night markets run on selected evenings.

   5. Evening

      Chinatown

      Come hungry in the evening, when the lanes off Little Bourke Street fill with diners and neon.

2. Day 2: State Library Victoria and SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium

   State Library Victoria, SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium and Old Melbourne Gaol, then Melbourne Skydeck in the evening.

   1. Morning

      State Library Victoria

      Free exhibitions include Ned Kelly's armour, and the front lawn on Swanston Street is a popular lunch spot.

   2. Late morning

      SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium

      Allow 1.5–2 hours (mid-priced). Visit on a weekday morning outside school holidays to watch the penguins without a crowd at the glass.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Melbourne brunch

      Cafés in Fitzroy, Collingwood, Richmond, South Yarra and Brunswick; arrive early at weekends.

   4. Afternoon

      Old Melbourne Gaol

      You can walk the tiers of cells, see death masks of executed prisoners and take part in a mock arrest in the neighbouring City Watch House.

   5. Evening

      Melbourne Skydeck

      Arrive about an hour before sunset to see the city in daylight and again as the lights come on.

3. Day 3: National Gallery of Victoria and Melbourne Cricket Ground

   National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Cricket Ground and Royal Botanic Gardens, then St Kilda foreshore and pier in the evening.

   1. Morning

      National Gallery of Victoria

      Allow 2–3 hours (free). Lie on the carpet in the Great Hall, as locals do, to take in Leonard French's huge stained-glass ceiling.

   2. Late morning

      Melbourne Cricket Ground

      On non-event days, guided tours visit the dressing rooms and the members' pavilion, and the Australian Sports Museum is inside the stadium.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Dim sim

      South Melbourne Market, where the dim sims are a local institution, plus fish-and-chip shops and sports grounds.

   4. Afternoon

      Royal Botanic Gardens

      Allow 1–3 hours (free). Walk part of the Tan, the 3.8 km running track around the edge of the gardens, or join locals picnicking by the Ornamental Lake.

   5. Evening

      St Kilda foreshore and pier

      Arrive around dusk to see the little penguins return to the breakwater; keep your voice down and never use a camera flash.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Great Ocean Road and the Twelve Apostles

   About 4 hours each way along the coast each way. Getting there: Car or organised coach tour.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Great Ocean Road and the Twelve Apostles

      About 4 hours each way along the coast (Car or organised coach tour); about 270 km.

   2. Day

      Great Ocean Road and the Twelve Apostles

      The Great Ocean Road winds along cliffs and surf beaches from Torquay through Lorne and Apollo Bay to the limestone stacks of the Twelve Apostles in Port Campbell National Park. It is a very long day; staying a night in Lorne or Apollo Bay lets you add rainforest walks in the Otways and see the Apostles at sunset.

   3. Evening

      Back in Melbourne

      Dinner: try Souvlaki.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for National Gallery of Victoria before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 4 nights, Melbourne CBD keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Southbank ($$$$) suits couples, luxury, culture and first-timers. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 17–27 hours of visiting over 4 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.6 hours in June to 14.8 hours in December, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Melbourne
• 2 days in Melbourne
• 3 days in Melbourne
• 5 days in Melbourne
• 7 days in Melbourne

Questions travellers ask