How To Spend One Day In Melbourne

Melbourne is one of Australia's most iconic cities. Famous for its world-class coffee scene, quirky street art, and cosmopolitan vibe, Melbourne attracts backpackers, luxury travellers, families, and Aussie locals alike. If it's your first time in this stunning city, you may be overwhelmed about where to start your sightseeing. 

Our one day in Melbourne itinerary is designed to help you plan the perfect day in the city. Read our Backpackers Guide to Melbourne for more helpful tips!

One Day Melbourne Itinerary

We've laid out this one-day Melbourne itinerary to be convenient and fulfilling. It's quite easy to navigate around Melbourne, and most of our itinerary can be done on foot. Walking is the best way to absorb the culture and energy of the city, and it's free! So pack your comfiest walking shoes and make sure your camera is fully charged. 

Some places that we recommend in Melbourne may be easier to reach via tram. The trams provide access to all the Melbourne highlights, and you can easily ride the tram by purchasing a Myki card from train stations or retail stores. Just add money to your card and you can hop on and off the train with no problem.

You can also modify the itinerary to suit your travel style and preferences!

8:00 AM - Melbourne's cafe scene

There is only one way to start the day in Melbourne - coffee! Australians love their coffee, and Melbourne is often considered one of the best destinations for coffee Down Under. There are so many trendy and artsy cafes, all with high-quality brews and great vibes. 

If you're in the Melbourne CBD, there are cafes on basically every street, so you're spoilt for choice. You can grab coffee and breakfast at a cafe near your accommodation, or head over to Degraves Street. Otherside Coffee, Ollie in the Alley, Brown Sugar Cafe, Cafe Issus, The Quarter, Plus Coffee & Co, and Three Drops are some popular cafes in the CBD you can try. 

See our guide to places to eat in Melbourne for more brekky ideas!

9:30 AM - Sightseeing and street art

Now it's time to walk past some of Melbourne's most iconic landmarks! Start with a walk towards Federation Square, the heart and soul of the city. Nearby you can check out Flinders Street Station, St. Paul's Cathedral, or maybe even walk along the riverfront on the Flinders Walk. 

Then head to some of Melbourne's famous laneways, home to colourful street art and cool shops and cafes. Hosier Lane and AC/DC Lane are two photogenic laneways within easy walking distance of Federation Square. 

11:00 AM - National Gallery of Victoria

From the laneways, it's just a 10-minute walk across the Yarra River to the National Gallery of Victoria. As Australia’s oldest art museum, the incredible gallery showcases artworks from all over the world. If museums aren't really your thing, you can also stroll through the Queen Victoria Gardens which are just across the road. 

12:30 PM - Queen Victoria Market 

When you're ready for lunch, you definitely have to check out Queen Victoria Market. It's located in the northern end of the CBD, so you can either take the tram or walk the 35 minutes from the National Gallery of Victoria. Either way, it's worth the trip!

The Queen Victoria Market is a historic market hall with indoor and outdoor areas. Here you can shop for souvenirs, find a variety of delicious, ready-to-eat food, and find more street art in the surrounding alleyways. 

2:00 PM - Royal Botanic Gardens

From Queen Victoria Market, take the tram back down to the South Bank. Here you can walk off lunch in the Royal Botanic Gardens, a sprawling mass of landscaped gardens and greenery. Be sure to visit the Shrine of Remembrance, a hilltop monument dedicated to Australians who have served in war. You can get some picture-perfect views of the Melbourne city skyline from the shrine!

4:00 PM - Ride the Melbourne Skydeck at Eureka Tower

After some quality time with nature in the Botanic Gardens, walk back to the riverfront and head into the Eureka Tower. This elegant skyscraper is home to the Melbourne Skydeck, an elevated observation deck that stands at 285 metres tall. This is the best way to gain appreciation for the size and scope of Melbourne, plus it makes for epic photos. 

5:30 PM – Pre-dinner cocktail

After soaking in the views over Melbourne, enjoy a casual stroll through the city and maybe stop in a bar for a pre-dinner drink. Melbourne has lots of amazing bars with cool themes, live music, and craft cocktails, wines, or beers. 

Ponyfish Island is a floating cocktail bar on the Yarra River that is just a few minutes walk from the Eureka Tower. Or you can wander through the streets of downtown and grab a drink on your way to Chinatown for Dinner. Yarra Falls, Bar Jayda, Mill Place Merchants, Lustre Bar, and Murmur Piano Bar are all easily accessible bars between Eureka Skydeck and Chinatown. 

7:00 PM – Dinner in Chinatown or Fitzroy

When it's time for dinner, mosey on over to Chinatown for some delicious Chinese cuisine. The scenic and busy streets are packed with authentic eateries where you can find hearty dinners at great prices. 

Or if you prefer a more trendy neighbourhood, you can take the tram a bit further north to Fitzroy. This artistic and diverse corner of Melbourne has lots of pubs, bars, international eateries, street art, and cool architecture. 

8:30 PM – Nightlife and entertainment

If you still have energy after this action-packed Melbourne itinerary, dive into the incredible nightlife scene. Whether you want to watch a performance, see live music, or dance all night long, Melbourne has it all. 

Catch a show or artistic performance at the Princess Theatre, Malthouse Theatre, Regent Theatre, or Her Majesty's Theatre. Or enjoy Melbourne’s more intimate live music scene at Wax Music Lounge, Paris Cat Jazz Club, or Bird's Basement. If you want nightclubs, check out Key Club, Club Retro, Bond Melbourne, or Billboard Saturdays. 

Is one day enough in Melbourne?

Because Melbourne is such a massive city with so much to do, you would ideally have at least 3 days to spend here. One day in Melbourne gives you just enough time to see the city highlights, but there is so much more to do with a longer stay. 

You can take day trips outside Melbourne to incredible places like the Great Ocean Road, Phillip Island, the Grampians Mountains, and more. You can also explore the city centre more in-depth during a longer stay. There are lots more museums, eateries, cafes, bars, nightclubs, neighborhoods, and outdoor attractions that didn't even make it into our one day Melbourne itinerary.

Melbourne is full of unique and quirky things to do, so try to allocate at least 3 days for this vibrant city!

One day in Melbourne is a great place to start if you're short on time. We hope our itinerary was helpful!

Contact our East Coast travel experts for more tips and recommendations about Melbourne, Victoria, and all of Australia!