Joanna James
Melbourne is a metropolis where you can't fail to find your vibe, whether it's impromptu coffee tours through art-spattered laneways, learning the stories behind colonial façades, or rambling through night markets. Here are some secrets for you to discover in Oz's mecca of diverse experiences.
If you're addicted to exploring off-the-beaten-track hideouts in the places you visit, Melbourne will be a dream come true. From enchanting nature-kissed trails and minuscule cafés with huge personalities to quirky museums and bizarre off-menu dishes at gourmet eateries, this eclectic cosmopolis is rich in unusual adventures that tickle the senses. Cranbourne Gardens is an untouched medley of bushland, grassland, and botanic sanctuary ideal for an intimate wildlife ramble hidden just 45 minutes away from the CBD. Here, you will most likely meet friendly wallabies, wombats, and bandicoots, and you can weave through the diverse terrains on a bicycle or walk by the picturesque river. Full of solitary charm and woodland beauty, this is also the perfect picnic spot, offering top-notch amenities in its pavilions and meadow-like spaces, as well as a nearby café.
While you can expect mind-boggling graffiti art to jump out at you when rounding street corners and even artist encounters in vibrant haunts like Union Lane, Melbourne's atmospheric laneways are more than what meets the eye. For instance, Christine, a world-renowned subterranean boutique offering a 'rarefied' deluxe shopping experience on Flinder's Lane, has nothing to indicate its luxuriant recesses except a plain red door! Therefore, take nothing as ordinary when you roam Melbourne as you might miss out on the experience of a lifetime, be it classy couture or otherwise! If you're looking for sophisticated Melbourne short stay apartments located close to the city's intriguing allurements, venture no further than Citadines on Bourke Melbourne.
If you're bold enough to approach a gourmet chef and politely demand his off-the-menu speciality dish, which, in the case of the Elysian restaurant, is the mouth-watering ramen named after him, you won't regret this daring manoeuvre. The noodles are deliciously crunchy, being air-fried, and soaked in a piquant tonkatsu broth topped off with a generous portion of teriyaki chicken.
For beauty lovers aching to reconnect with the tender grandeur of nature, this lakeside bushland oasis is great for chasing forested trails, watching the graceful antics of native swans (and various other bird species), and 'performing' in the natural blue rock amphitheatre for family and friends during a mandatory picnic.
Melbourne is a Wonderland-Esque rabbit hole of colonial structures touched up with modern flair, cafés draped in lush greeneries, randomly brilliant art galleries, and unconventional museums that may feature anything from 19th Century medical paraphilia and veteran automobiles to an entire ancient bullet factory encased in a futuristic glass and steel cone. Adorned with vintage brick façades spilling vines and flowering window boxes, Guildford Lane is one of those delicious storybook spots where you wonder if you've been transported to a different land in a bygone era. If you're dropping into this eco-friendly haven deep in the city, try out Krimper with its decadent almond French toast and warm interior of recycled pieces that come together with raw and rustic charm.
While the Fitzroy Gardens are iconic throughout the land, its gorgeous conservatory is often overlooked, which is a pity because its oft-changing floral displays and airy architecture are as Instagram-worthy as it gets!
Paddle into the sunset and watch the moonrise in a purpose-built kayak and feel your worries melt away on the cool sea breeze as you experience Melbourne through its stunning river-sea waterways, affording a rare glimpse of Victoria Harbour, Bolte Bridge, and Downtown Melbourne.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
