So, you’re in Melbourne and you have a day free…maybe between meetings, maybe just because… Here’s what I’d do…possibly…actually, it’s pretty close to what we did!
Breakfast
Regardless of what you have planned for your 24 hours, you’ll need a decent brekky.
Melbourne is full of hole in the wall laneway cafes. Try Hardware Lane, Degraves Lane, or the Block Lane.
Anyways, with so many great spots to choose from, each has to have some point of slight difference. Café Segovia’s (in The Block Lane, just off Little Collins Street) is the menu covers- each has been fashioned out of a record album cover. The girls are “modelling” these in the pic below.
We ate tomato and feta omelettes with toasted sourdough on the side.
Shopping
What is a trip to Melbourne without a little shopping?
Try Flinders Lane and Little Collins for local designers, and Collins Street for big names.
If malls are more your thing, you have plenty of choice there too- both in the city and in the suburbs.
The no.8 tram to Toorak Rd will drop you right in the heart of Chapel Sts contemporary boutique central, but for something a little different keep walking past Commercial Rd to Chapel St Bazaar, a treasure trove of second hand and retro gems.
Make a detour down Commercial Rd and stop for coffee and foodie supplies at Prahran Market. The no.72 tram will get you back to the city.
For funky one offs, specialty design and vintage fashion, take a walk along Gertrude Street and Brunswick Street, Fitzroy.
Stop off at Monkey Jar in Smith Street, Collingwood, for onesies,
Books for Cooks for, well, cookbooks, Leonard St for great fashion and accessories, Spacecraft for design I could fill my home with, or Three Drawers Down (off Gertrude Street), for novelty cards, tea towels and a giggle. My favourite was a tea towel that said:
Modern Art= I could do that + Yeah, but you didn’t.
Don’t forget to check out the street art as you wander.
There are plenty of great places for coffee and food. Inhale as you walk past Jaspers on Brunswick St, or duck in for everything caffeine related. I love also Madame Sous Sous for a little Parisian je ne sais qua, and Little Creatures for industrial chic, great beer and good food.
Take no. 86 tram from Bourke St to Smith St Collingwood and make your way back up to Gertrude St, Fitzroy before walking down Brunswick St. Tram no.112 will get you back to Collins Street when you’re done.
Lunch
Where to start?
My favourites in the city are Hu Tong Dumplings in Market Lane,
or Grossi Cellar Bar in Bourke Street
Otherwise try any of those laneway places you walked past at breakfast, or for something sweet and great window action, stop at Hopetoun Tea Rooms in The Block arcade.
Speaking of sweet, don’t spend too long gazing in the windows of the cake shops in Acland Street, St Kilda- the calories contained within have airborne capabilities. Acland Street was originally a Jewish precinct- the few remaining continental cake shops are almost all that’s left of that history.
If you’re after great cheese and wine…as well as amazing pulled pork sandwiches (and a host of other great options), jump aboard the no. 48 (from Collins St) or no. 75 (from Flinders St) to Bridge Rd, Richmond and Richmond Hill Cafe and Larder. Be prepared to wait for a table. Afterwards you can grab a bargain at one of the discount outlets up the hill.
Afterward
Go for a walk by the seaside- no.96 tram will get you to St Kilda Beach and no.1 to South Melbourne.
Take a walk by the river up to the MCG and join a tour, or skip down St Kilda road to National Gallery of Victoria and get a dose of art culture.
Check out the skyline as the sun goes down from one of the many bars- don’t get me started there…in this town you’re spoiled for choice.
Likewise, when it comes to dinner, you can pick up some Chinese BBQ in Little Bourke St, sample a real cream free carbonara (the way it’s meant to be) at Ca de Vin (in Postal Lane beside the GPO), or explore the laneways for a hidden bar or restaurant.
Melbourne is full of fine diners- check out The Age Good Food Guide for some recommendations.
Street Art
Ok, I know that it’s just glorified graffiti and many locals are over the whole thing, but I love it.
So much that I posted my own walking tour. The link is below.
Related Posts:
Friday Five: The Melbourne Five
Friday Five: The Melbourne Edition
Under the Clocks: My walking tour of Melbourne’s street art
Some more of my favourite things
And Anyways... 
Were you guys trying on the shoes? I guess they aren’t as scary (to walk in) as they look!
I love that you do so much tripping about when you travel. My two trips to Melbourne last year didn’t involve leaving the city centre (though for one of those trips I was at a blogging conference, so…).
I also like the street art. I don’t know that we have anything like it (in plentiful supply) in Brisbane.
My niece tried them on…she didn’t walk real far in them!