Put on your skinny jeans and have your Instagram accounts at the ready because Melbourne is one of the most hipster and alternative cities we’ve visited. Every street oozed with funky street art, hidden bars and quirky coffee shops, and we had just 48 hours to explore, eat and drink as much as we could!
Hope you have a good appetite, because here is our food-lover #AmarniTravels 2-Day Melbourne Itinerary…
Day 1 (Central Business District)
8am – 10am (Breakfast)
With so many brunch/breakfast options, it was hard to pick, but decided to queue up for a table at Higher Ground – a spacious, trendy and chic cafe with healthy and tasty food. Speedy service, unique breakfast options and super ambiance made this a perfect start to the trip!
We don’t normally have more than one coffee a day, but because we’re in the coffee capital of the world we thought we would check out a recommended local; Self Preservation. Warm and cozy atmosphere, beautiful art-work and delicious coffee – what more could we ask for on Day 1?!
11am – 2pm (Melbourne Walking Tour)
Walking side by side with a local with so much passion and knowledge on the city’s history, culture and hot spots was a great introduction to Melbourne!
Stop 1: Old Treasury Building; Spring Street
We kicked off at one of Melbourne’s best known landmarks and a monument to the Victorian Gold Rush. We didn’t go inside, but were impressed by the great architecture and the Kangaroo on the emblem.
Right opposite we have The Windsor; the oldest and grandest Hotel in Melbourne!
Stop 2: AC/DC Street
Melbourne is popular for its hidden, creative and colourful street art, and AC/DC Street is a good place to start! Here you can find some great rock n’ roll tributes, creative 3D pieces and the famous ‘Cherry’ bar known for turning away Lady Gaga in favour for a local band!
Stop 3: Hosier Lane
After yet another cheeky coffee break, we hit another popular street art spot. Everywhere you look you’ve got something eye-catching, inspirational or fun to look at! Apparently this is the road where the graffiti changes regularly, which means it’s a great place to spot the artists in action!
Stop 4: Federation Square and surrounding landmarks
This is such a Central Point with all the iconic Melbourne landmarks (e.g. Flinders St station; Yarra River, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Museums etc.) just a stones throw away! From here, you can find pretty much whatever your interested in, from restaurants, cafes, sports, arts, culture and history!
Stop 5: Degraves Street
This narrow yet buzzing road is full of cafes, restaurants and boutique shops – a nice stop to the tour!
Stop 6: Swanston Street
Touchdown the Main Street of Melbourne! Shops, shops and more shops YAY! Just watch out for the trams when you’re walking around!
Stop 7: China Town
We didn’t need a tour guide to tell us this is one of the largest China Town in the world… the size and scale hit us as soon as we arrived! It goes beyond Chinese food, you can find the most delish food from across Asia here – a must visit!
Stop 8: Old Melbourne Gaol
Last but not least, we have what used to be known as Melbourne’s prison but has now been converted into RMIT university! An interesting part of the Melbourne’s history…and a fun part of Melbourne’s present!
2pm – 4pm (Lunch and Drinks)
After all that walking we were starving… Tipo 00 was the fix we needed for authentic, mouth-watering and well-presented Italian food! This tiny little gem of a restaurant was packed – defiantly recommend for the best risotto you will ever taste!
Melbourne’s bar scene is just awesome, where each street you’ll find something hidden or themed. Right next to the restaurant, we find our first hidden bar, Captains of Industry! After walking up a discrete hidden away entrance, you find this bar that also repairs shoes, cuts hair and makes good toasted sandwich! Random but cool!
4pm – 5pm (Shopping)
Did you know Aesop was the founded in Melbourne? After hearing this fact, we couldn’t resist but buy some products 🙂
5pm Onwards (Dinner and Drinks)
Now it was time to tick of as many foodie recommendations as we could!
First up, we headed to Cookie Rooftop Bar to see birds-eye views of the evening skyline over some drinks!
Then straight over to the Queen Victoria Night Market (only available on Wednesdays, so we were lucky!). This place was absolutely buzzing with each food stall crowded with people queuing up in an un-orderly fashion! After a long wait we got our hands on some Thai snacks – yum!
Finally, we headed to the highly popular, trendy and unpretentious Chin Chin for dinner. Seriously mouthwatering food, great service and welcoming ambiance.
Day 2 (St Kilda and Fitzroy)
It was now time to visit a couple of Melbourne’s suburbs (St.Kilda and Fitzroy) each with their own unique vibes.
Morning (Fitzroy)
This arty, vibrant and hipster superb is well worth a visit! Walking down the main high street doesn’t disappoint – you have everything from all-vegetarian/vegan restaurants, live music, trendy cafes, vintage clothes shops and complete zen hang-outs! If you’re ever passing through, here are our top recommendations:
Lune Croissanterie:
We knew this was going to be a treat when we were welcomed with a crowd of customers taking selfies with their croissants. The open kitchen is in the middle of a large open warehouse, and here you find some of the best croissants in the world – flaky on the outside and moist and buttery on the inside!
The Vegie Bar:
With such amazing veggie food in Melbourne, Amar was talking about giving up meat – let’s see what the future holds!
Queen of Spades:
This Board Game Cafe has loads of games to choose from and friendly staff teaching you how to play! It definitely brought out our competitive side…
Proud Mary:
This cafe gave us seriously good coffee with a little information card on its flavour and history. The tasty food didn’t disappoint either – although we were already full from eating every 5 minutes, we scoffed down the eggs and avo!
Evening (St. Kilda)
This beach-side neighbourhood is another awesome town that added to our Melbourne experience…
Penguin Spotting at St.Kilda Pier:
This pier just oozes “coolness” as we watch all the locals Kite Surf next to their yachts after work. If you pass by after 6pm, you can also spot the smallest penguins in the world – so cute!!!
Hidden Bars:
Who doesn’t love a quirky bar experience?! These were a couple of hidden gems we loved…
Boston Sub – walk into a fridge at the back of a sandwich shop to find a completely hidden tropical themed bar!
The Store Room – after finding the old school telephone, dialling “2” releases the opening of a glass door to reveal a cute vintage looking bar!
Acland Street / Chapel Street:
We spent time exploring the buzzing centre of St.Kilda (Acland) and a vibrant road just round the corner (Chapel) where you can find some lovely outdoor dining options, cute shops, and lively bars. We checked headed to a couple of recommended spots:
Bess Bar – cheeky cocktail or two in a chilled out atmosphere with neon bright light decor
Sister of Soul – Our second 100% Vegetarian/Vegan restaurant where we tried Vegan cheese for the first time. Amar continues to convince himself he’s going to be become vegetarian…!
Goodbye Melbourne, we will miss you!!!
P.S thanks to our uncle Jugal for all the Melbourne recommendations!! Hope you get to come back soon 🙂
Amarni Travels 
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