One Day In Melbourne + Itinerary

Melbourne is one of the prettiest place that I have ever been to and one of my top favourites. There’s so much good in Melbourne - the shops, the people, the food, coffee…just everything!

A couple years back I had the chance to visit Melbourne for a business trip. Because I was there for business, I didn’t have a lot of time to explore the entire city. 

Looking back, I was able to piece together this itinerary for those who might only have one entire day to explore Melbourne for a stopover or just to squeeze in the middle of your Australia trip.

I also added in a downloadable itinerary at the end of this post in case you need it.

7:00 am - Breakfast at Degraves Lane

If you only have little time in a place, it is best to start as early as possible. It’s also good if you want to reach touristy spots earlier if you want better photos unless it’s the huge crowd you’re after. I like Degraves Lane because it’s closest to Flinders Lane.

Degraves Lane is an alleyway of coffee shops and it’s not a Melbourne experience without dining outdoors in one of their alleyways even in the wintertime. Choose any open cafe to your liking. I don’t think there’s a bad one in Degraves so eat away!

8:00 am - Take tons of photos in Hosier Lane

After you’ve enjoyed a hearty breakfast in Degraves and you’ve relaxed a bit, it’s time to head to Hosier Lane which is only a short walk from Degraves. Hosier Lane is another alleyway, but this time it’s full of street wall art. They make really cool and pretty background for your portraits. I suggest to get this out of the way the earliest because it can get super crowded here on regular hours.

9:00 am - Relax at the Royal Botanic Gardens

The Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne is picture-perfect. There’s no words to accurately describe it. If you want both a place to relax and take pretty pictures in, then the Royal Botanic Gardens is just the perfect spot. Please keep it in mind that this is a peaceful place and not be too loud if you are coming in groups.

10:00 am - Explore the Shrine of Remembrance

The Shrine of Remembrance is not only an astonishing architectural structure, it is also rich in history. The building is a war memorial that was initially built to honour the men and women who served the first world war but eventually became a memorial for every single one who served in the war. There are tours available inside which I highly suggest if you want the full experience.

11:00 am - Have your best steak (yet)

Melbourne probably has the best food and when you're there, never miss the chance to have at least one steak meal. After taking a train back to Flinders, head over to A Hereford Beefstouw restaurant for what might be your best steak meal yet. Their meat, cooking and service are all top-notch.

The restaurant is kind of difficult to locate (at least for me because I have a poor sense of direction) since this is kind of a hole-in-the-wall and in a very narrow street. If it gets too tricky, don't be shy to ask around.

1:00 pm - Shop at the Queen Victoria Market

Melbourne is filled with really great shops, but the Queen Victoria Market is the queen of them all. If you're looking to buy souvenirs, local artisan goods or just anything under the sun, you must make it a priority to visit the market. It is also within the city centre so it is easily accessible.

3:00 pm - Visit the State Library of Victoria

After a good two hours of shopping, it is worth relaxing at the State Library of Victoria.They have guided tours which takes you around the library and its history and after, you can explore the books in the library on your own and just pause and take your time to relax. It's not easy to be walking around all day.

4:00 pm - Ride the Melbourne Star

The Melbourne Star might be the best way to see Melbourne from a high altitude. I suggest you go there a little late in the afternoon so that the sun is not blazing hot and it is not too dark yet. You can also opt for a night ride if you prefer to see the city lights. The ride up has an audio recording as a tour of the views that you can see from different sides. The establishment is currently closed because of the pandemic but let's hope everything goes back to normal soon enough!

5:00 pm - Have a walk and dinner at Docklands

A walk at Docklands is a pretty nice way to end your day. Though there is not much going on in this area, I still think it's worth having a walk around, watch the sunset and perhaps wait for dinnertime to dine in one of the many restaurants by the docks.

6:00 pm - Bask in the city nightlights

After dinner in Docklands, head back to Flinders Lane and this time explore what the city has to offer at night time. I personally went to Woolies and Chemist Warehouse to do some more shopping, but there are tons of shops and pretty places to explore and take photos of at night. Melbourne is as beautiful at nighttime as it is during the daytime.

I don't think I can ever get enough of Melbourne. Maybe anyone who has been to Melbourne has left a piece of their heart there. It's just really, really lovely. It's that one place that you know you'll always want to go back to time and time again.

Downloadable Content

You may download a summary of this itinerary below. I added in details on how to get there, but I did not include costs this time. If you are reading this at the time that we are still in a global pandemic, be sure to research on the opening hours of the establishments for a smoother trip. Happy travels!