Welcome to Melbourne!
Oh, Melbourne! The second biggest city in Australia and the most populous city in Victoria state. The one that prospered during the Gold rush, becoming the richest city in the world, is still blooming. Melbourne is the city of art, the city of literature and music. It is a city of sports, hosting Grand Prix, Cricket championships, horseracing tours and so much more! Yeah, there are plenty of things to do in Melbourne, but here we will introduce you to our TOP 5 FREE Must-See Places in Melbourne. Enjoy!
1. Museums, exhibitions and more!
One special place of these is a Parliament House, which is open for visitors several times per day. There are tours totally for free for the first 25 people in the queue.
Next to the Parliament you will find Old Treasury Building that was once home to the Treasury Department of the Government of Victoria, and now is a museum of Melbourne history and Gold rush.
Do not skip National Gallery of Victoria which has a collection of more than 70 thousand artworks. Yeah, and let’s not forget the world’s largest stained-glass ceiling, which you also will come across there.
The State Library of Victoria is also a very beautiful and interesting place to visit. The most of the fame takes the dome, but there are also artworks and exhibitions, you can take a free guided tour as well!
ACMI or Australian Centre for the Moving Image will introduce you to the way of first ever movies created and will give you amazing interactive possibilities to discover how the light and sound play games with our mind!
And near ACMI you will find Koorie Heritage Trust Aboriginal centre. Here you can get to know more about Australian indigenous and see their artworks.
2. Queen Victoria Market
Oh, this is just spectacular! This market is huge and full of interesting things to explore. Take a look at the opal jewelry just gotten in Australian desert and choose the best T-shirt with the funniest kangaroo warning signs. Here you will also find souvenirs for the best prices – boomerangs for 2 AUD each, koala bear toys for 6 AUD and so much more! There is a fresh veggie and fruit section where you can purchase these for the lowest prices in the city – just walk around, do not choose the first seller! Prices differ a lot, depending on how deep you are discovering the market.
3. Parks and churches
Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria has spread across 94 acres and contains a collection of more than 10 thousand plants! This is a perfect place to spend a calm day. And near the Royal Botanic Gardens you will see the Shrine of Remembrance, which is there in honour of all Australians who have served in all wars. If you wish to enter the shrine, fees apply.
There is also Fawkner Park, a popular park which provides recreational areas for teams playing Cricket, Softball, Tennis, Rugby and others, also visitors that wish just to relax.
St. Paul’s Cathedral is a very beautiful one. It is made in the neo-gothic transitional style, inside you will be able to enjoy the musical sounds of the organ, and the acoustics is just incredible!
And then there is St. Patrick’s Cathedral that has the distinction of being both the tallest and, overall, the largest church building in Australia!
4. St. Kilda
St. Kilda is a seaside district 6 km from the city centre. One special thing to do here is penguin spotting, but you will also find panoramic views from the St. Kilda pier and beautiful beaches to enjoy hot Australia’s sun and a nice swim. There are some parks and walking trails to spend time as well.
5. Free tours
It’s amazing that there are so many options to discover Melbourne for free! And one of these is actually a ride in a tram! Yeah, it’s totally for free to go by tram in the city center! And one tram from all those trams is a special one. That is called the City Circle Tram. There’s such a thing as an audio guide on this vehicle, which is on during all the way, describing all the attractions to visit in every stop, as well as mentioning some interesting facts about the Melbourne itself!
Enjoy also the Free Walking Tour every day at 10.30 AM and 2.30 PM to explore Melbourne, hear interesting stories, discover the city’s laneways and history. It is a 2.5 to 3-hour-long walking tour. The meeting point is in front of the State Library at the Sir Redmond Barry statue. The guide will be there with a bright green T-shirt.
Yes, this is Melbourne. But it is so much more! Trust us – there are plenty of places to visit for some little fee as well! And no wonder! Melbourne was the capital city of Australia for 26 years – from 1901 till 1927 before the capital was shifted to Canberra. Around 40% of the inhabitants of Melbourne have been born overseas, which makes this a wonderful cultural hub – Melbourne even has the highest number of cafes and restaurants per number of people than any other city in the world! And remember that here you can experience not only variety of places to see and dishes from all over the world, but also four seasons a day – yeah, it can be hot and cold, rainy, windy and sunny in the same day! Be prepared for this wonderful city of Melbourne!