visiting melbourne

For breakfast, Candice’s personal favourites are Barton Street Milk Bar, and Three Bags Full. Proud Mary and Top Paddock are other notable options.

If you’re after fine dining: Attica; Cutler & Co; Cumulus Inc (modern Australian), Longrain (Thai); Flower Drum (Chinese); Mamasita (Mexican).

For something a bit more relaxed: HuTong (dumplings); Meatball and Wine Bar; Cookie (Asian fusion); Mo Vida (tapas, located in the famously graffitied Hosier Lane); Chin Chin (Asian-style sharing plates).

Grill’d was a pioneer of Melbourne’s ‘gourmet’ burger trend (try the Summer Sunset). Huxtaburger is to be found on any given list of Melbourne’s best burgers. Royal Stacks offers more of a Shake Shack style.

For pizza, our favourites are Santoni’s in Hawthorn (try the Hawaiian) and Next Door Pizza in Reservoir. Meanwhile, our favourite ice cream is the Pistachio from Piccolina Gelateria.

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eating

Coffee in Melbourne is somewhat of an art form. Tim’s favourite is Code Black in Brunswick (he recommends the Magic - a signature Melbourne style) and Candice’s favourite is Industry Beans in Fitzroy. Other well-loved options include St Alis, Proud Mary and Dukes Coffee Roasters.

Melbourne is also home to some excellent wine bars, like Melbourne Supper Club (a long-standing favourite of Candice), Embla, and Marion Wine Bar. Well-loved options for cocktails include Black Pearl and Everleigh. Candice’s favourite bar from an interior perspective would have to be Panama Dining Room, with its gorgeous arched windows and exposed brick walls.

When the weather is favourable, Melbourne has its fair share of rooftop bars. Some favourites in the CBD include Madame Brussels with an English Country Club feel complete with astro-turf and waiters dressed for a spot of tennis; and Rooftop Bar at Curtin House with panoramic views of the city. Enjoy views further afield in Fitzroy at Naked in the Sky (connected to the downstairs tapas bar at Naked for Satan).

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DRINKING

Melbourne is undoubtedly Australia’s shopping capital. Some of the best locations include: Smith Street, Collingwood and Gertrude St, Fitzroy for Melbourne’s hipster finest; High Street, Northcote for amazing gifts; and Chapel Street, South Yarra for more refined styles and vintage. For second hand, head to Camberwell Market on Sunday mornings.

Book stores have a special place in Candice’s heart. Her favourites are Readings (either Hawthorn or Carlton) and Verso Books in Healesville. Other well-loved bookstores in Melbourne include Coventry Bookstore in South Melbourne and Paperback Books in the CBD.

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SHOPPING

Start by exploring the city’s famous laneways and arcades. Block Arcade is Candice’s personal favourite, but Royal Arcade, Center Place and Degraves St are also must-sees. To experience Melbourne’s most iconic street art, head to Hosier Lane.

Flinders Street Station and Federation Square form the heart of Melbourne’s city center, nestled alongside the Yarra River. Grab a drink at the Arbory or Yarra Botanica and soak in riverside views, or head to Ponyfish Island to literally immerse yourself in it.

Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Garden is often rated one of the best of its kind in the world. While you’re there, sample artworks at the nearby National Gallery of Victoria, or the Ian Potter Center for a selection of Australian art.

On the other side of the city, Melbourne Central shopping center is worth a visit, if only to see the historic shot tower enclosed in a glass dome. Across the road, head to the State Library of Victoria to experience the gorgeous octagonal La Trobe Reading Room.

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CITY CENTER

NORTH OF THE CITY

The Northside abounds in quirky eating, drinking and shopping options as well as some vibrant street art. Feast on delicious burgers and mac and cheese croquettes in a refurbished Melbourne tram at Easey’s in Collingwood, enjoy a Moroccan-style vegetarian set menu at Moroccan Soup Bar in Fitzroy North, or enjoy a chicken parma and craft beer in an old prison yard at Brewdog in Coburg.

For Italian dining head to Lygon Street. Some great options include Capitano and D.O.C. Pizza and Mozzarella Bar. The famous Cinema Nova is also a good shout for an art house film.

The area is not without natural beauty. Head to the Abbotsford Convent for river-side markets and dining, or experience one of the world’s best zoos at Melbourne Zoo in Parkville. Go paddle boating and feed the birds on the banks of the Yarra River at Studley Park boathouse. Or simply enjoy a stroll along the Yarra River Trail, a pathway so immersed in nature you would never guess you are only a stone’s throw away from the city center.

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Candice and Tim’s favourite destination in Melbourn’s south would have to be the South Melbourne Market. Candice’s favourite lavender bath bombs can be found here, as can Candice and Tim’s favourite salt and pepper gnocchi.

Stepping out of the market, head to Hector’s Deli for a life-changing corned beef toasted sandwich, enjoy secluded river-side dining at Kanteen, or catch a classic film at the art deco Astor theater.

At Brighton Beach, have your picture taken in front of the iconic Brighton Beach bathing boxes, nearly one hundred privately owned (they’re not cheap!) huts all decorated in colourful and distinctive style.

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SOUTH OF THE CITY

Drive through the winding roads of the Dandenong Ranges National Park, where the sun peaks through a canopy of ferns and towering Eucalyptus trees. Feed the colourful Rosella birds at Grants Picnic Ground, or watch them from the curved art deco windows of the Kallista Tea Rooms.

Continue to soak yourself in nature wandering through the William Ricketts Sanctuary or the Alfred Nicholas Memorial Gardens. If you have the energy, join the hordes of fitness-crazed Melbournians to climb the 1000 Steps in Upper Ferntree Gully and reward yourself with the views at the top.

When you’re done, enjoy vegetarian-friendly fare served in an old doctor’s surgery at Earthly Pleasures in Belgrave, or Breakfast Nacho’s (and Industry Beans coffee) at Maria’s in Upwey.

There are also some excellent (albeit quirky) shopping options in the area. Smits and Bits in Sassafrass has reasonably priced gifts and homewares, while Market Fair in Ferntree Gully offers a plethora of handmade wares, antiques and collectibles.

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DANDENONG RANGES

The Yarra Valley is known just as much for its Chardonnay as it is for expansive vistas. Candice and Tim’s favourite wine label Innocent Bystander hails from here. The cellar door in Healesville offers friendly tastings and delicious pizzas. Across the road, Giant Steps offers local wine tasting and delicious wood-fired meals.

More famous must-see wineries include Yering Station, Rochford and Oakridge. Candice’s long-standing favourite is the French-inspired Domain Chandon, offering some of the best views in the valley as well as some tasty sparklings. St Huberts offers some great Shiraz from a cellar door resembling a giant hobbit hole.

If gin is your preferred tipple, head to Four Pillars Gin Distillery in Healesville. If you’re up for it, a tour of the distillery is well worth it.

Healesville Sanctuary is a wonderful spot for close encounters with native Australian animals, while TarraWarra Museum of Art exhibits Australian art from 1950s onwards.

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YARRA VALLEY

A trip to Victoria wouldn’t be complete without a drive along the spectacular beach-lined Great Ocean Road. Head to Port Campbell to see the iconic Twelve Apostles rock formation. In Cape Otways, coastal views mix with lush rainforest. Experience the popular Otway Fly treetop walk, spot koalas in the wild, or marvel at the towering Californian Redwoods in Beech Forest.

On your way home, stop off at Little Creatures Brewery in Geelong for excellent food, tasty craft beer and a convivial atmosphere. While you’re in the area, enjoy some vintage shopping at Geelong Vintage Market and the The Amazing Mill Markets in nearby Newcomb.

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GREAT OCEAN ROAD

If you’re into cute wildlife (and who isn’t?) don’t miss the Penguin Parade at Phillip Island. Stay for the evening to watch these pint-sized fairy penguins waddle in from the ocean to their sandy burrows. There is also a Koala Conservation Center to spot these furry creatures and add to your cute animal fix.

The nearby Mornington Peninsula offers several other attractions to entice. Enjoy stunning views of Melbourne’s city skyline from the Arthur’s Seat Eagle cable car, or enjoy a movie at one of Melbourne’s few remaining (and I’m guessing the only heritage listed?) drive-in cinemas at Dromana Drive-In. Otherwise, head to Peninsula Hot Springs to soak in the relaxing, mineral-rich water. I’m told that the neighbouring and more recently established Alba Thermal Springs and Spa was set up by the ex-wife of the owner of Peninsula Hot Springs’ owner, which all sounds quite juicy to me.

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MORNINGTON AND PHILLIP ISLAND