How to Spend 24 Hours Sightseeing in Melbourne

There are many reasons why Melbourne is consistently voted one of the world’s most liveable cities, from its variety of nationalities, cleanliness, low crime rates, many tourist attractions, to the laneway bars and restaurants, it really is a great place to live and visit. But what if you only had 24 hours for sightseeing in Melbourne? What should you do? Where would you start? Don’t panic, we have some great ideas that will get you seeing the best Melbourne activities on offer on your quick stay.

 

Start Your Day off Right

Breakfast didn’t earn it’s “most important meal of the day” reputation for no good reason, you’ll need a good feed to fuel up your engines for a full 24 hours in across Melbourne! Luckily, Melbourne is renowned for its great food and vibey cafes. If you’re staying near Ethihad Stadium, we recommend checking out the design-accolade winning Higher Ground with its “breakfast is the new dinner” menu. If you’re located a little further North, pop into Seven Seeds in Carlton for the holy grail of coffee in an industrial-chic café. Discover more great cafes around Melbourne here. 

Higher Ground Melbourne | Photo Instagram @highergroundmelbourne

 

Cycle the Backstreets

What better way to work off an indulgent breakfast than to jump on a bike and explore the backstreets of Melbourne? The city has a great public bicycle scheme called Melbourne Bike Share - you won’t miss the blue kiosks dotted all around the city. It doesn’t matter where you are in Melbourne’s inner city, you won’t be far from where you can hire or drop off a bike. What makes these bikes even better? The first 30 minutes are free! That’s plenty of time to ride on down to the banks of the Yarra River to see our next top Melbourne activity.

 

SEA LIFE Melbourne

Not to be missed if you are visiting Melbourne is SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium with its 2.2 million litre awe-inspiring oceanarium. Situated on the banks of the Yarra River, you can go on an underwater adventure of discovery as you watch sharks and giant stingrays swim over your head, all while you stay dry. Don’t forget to stop by our cheeky Gentoo and King Penguin colony as well where you can watch them slip, slide and dive in their icy habitat. With so many underwater creature habitats to wander through, there’s so many fun things to do for both young and old.

You can save some time on your tight schedule by pre-booking your aquarium tickets online and skipping the queue when you arrive

SEA LIFE Melbourne's Oceanarium Tunnel

 

Relax at St Kilda Foreshore

You’ve had a pretty busy morning in Melbourne’s CBD so far, so we recommend heading from the aquarium down to St Kilda foreshore to experience another of Melbourne’s unique vibes. Take a stroll down St Kilda Pier with a history dating back to 1853 and take in the stunning scenery. Watch fisherman looking for dinner or kite-surfers catching waves. Grab some fish and chips from the kiosk at the end of the pier or, for lunch with a knife and fork, head over to Acland Street. We recommend Cicciolina for a spot of modern Italian with a funky vibe. Don’t forget to save room for dessert, St Kilda is famous for its old-school European-esque cake shops. Cannoli, anyone?

 

Bar Hop Through the Rooftops

Melbourne rooftop bars are an institution that every 18+ visitor should experience. So, why not end your 24 hours in Melbourne catching a spectacular sunset over the Melbourne city skyline, drink in hand? Rooftop bars can be found all across the city, from Swanston Street’s Rooftop Bar and Cinema to Madame Brussels at the other end of Bourke Street. Better yet, why not rooftop bar hop and see as many as you can before the day’s out!