How can I explore Melbourne?

Melbourne is a thoroughly explorable city, with lush gardens, intersecting laneways, awesome cultural sites and an events calendar to make you traverse this wonderful town all in one day!

Whether you’re taking in a National Gallery of Victoria master’s exhibition, marvelling at the wondrous sporting spectacle that is Aussie Rules or meandering around one of the city’s gorgeous, perfectly-maintained gardens, you’ll always be spoiled for choice when it comes to finding incredible things to do in this awesome world city.

Let’s take a look at a few of them below:

The National Gallery of Victoria

The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) is Melbourne’s world-class art gallery. Housing a continuous collection of masterpieces from local and international artists, as well as hosting both summer and winter collections that are an art lover’s dream, this is one of Australia’s most important galleries and the perfect place to start your Melbourne adventure!

Tip: If you find yourself in Melbourne in the summer months, be sure to check out NGV Friday Nights, an awesome weekly event that combines art, dance, music and theatre to create a joyous start to the weekend.

The AFL

If you want to explore Melbourne at its most passionate, where it goes crazy over its very own creation, then heading to an Aussie Rules football game is the true way to do it.

The sport, an intense battle of skill, strength and fitness between two opposing teams, was invented in Melbourne, and the love for the game only grows as the seasons pass.

If you’ve never been to an Aussie Rules game before all you have to do is grab a ticket to one of the games taking place before choosing a team and sticking with them!

Check out the laneways

Melbourne’s CBD is different to those you’d find in Europe and North America, as Melbourne’s CBD actually has some serious charm going on. It’s not just a financial centre where uptight suits walk briskly to their offices; it’s an interconnecting series of elegant laneways lined with bars, cafes, shops and restaurants that are actually a joy to behold.

You’ll find world-class dining alongside a store selling funky Melbourne-based memorabilia, high-end fashion and vintage wear before stopping in for a wine at a bar that only holds a small handful of people!

If that ain’t a good way to explore Melbourne then the city musn’t be a good place to explore, because all these experiences are absolutely incredible.

Related article: Where do tourists stay in Melbourne?