Royal Exhibition Building

Melbourne Museum

Tiamo

Fondly dubbed “Little Italy,” Carlton is a city-fringe suburb teeming with Italian restaurants, cafes, nightlife and culture – all situated conveniently along its main thoroughfare Lygon Street. 

With iconic Victorian architectural features, the suburb also boasts some of Melbourne’s most popular attractions, such as Carlton Gardens, the World Heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building and the child-friendly Melbourne Museum.

If you are in the area, drop in at Tiamo. This Italian institution serves up homemade, perfectly al dente pastas that are hearty and to-die-for.

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Shopaholics, rejoice. Just a short tram ride away from Melbourne’s CBD lies shopping heaven Chapel Street.

In New York photographer Spencer Tunick’s words, “Chapel Street reminds me of the East Village, Sunset Strip and Haight-Ashbury all combined into one juggernaut.” 

With brands like Zimmermann and Cose Ipanema, South Yarra is the epitome of high Melburnian fashion. But don’t stop there. Venture further down Chapel Street (towards Windsor) to browse charming independent boutiques and second-hand stores such as Chapel St Bazaar, Salvos and Design A Space Retail Gallery.

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Welcome to one of the most spectacular wine regions in Australia, Yarra Valley, where gastronomic, oenophilic, and other-worldly adventures await.

Indulge your inner hedonist with wine tastings at first-class wineries such as Seville Estate (which bagged winery of the year in the recent James Halliday Wine Companion Awards), Oakridge Wines, Helen and Joey Estate, and Domaine Chandon.

Ready to take your relationship to a whole new level? Link her arms with yours and hop onto a hot air balloon ride that will give you a gorgeous bird-eye view of the Valley’s rolling hills and rows of vineyards.

Guaranteed to sweep her off her feet, book your fanciful flight at Picture This Ballooning or Global Ballooning.

There are many reasons to visit the National Gallery of Victoria. The first is that it is the largest and most visited art institution in the whole of Australia. The next is to capture a photograph of the dazzling canopy of stained glass—dubbed the Persian carpet of light—and possibly steal a kiss while you are at it. 

Located in the great hall of the NGV International building on St Kilda Road, the cut glass artwork was created by local artist Leonard French in 1963. As he had not worked with glass prior to this, it took him five painstaking years to design and make it. The result, however, is a stunning masterpiece made up of some 10,000 pieces of hand-cut coloured glass, suspended 13 metres above the ground. 

Who knows? While gawking at the stained glass artwork’s kaleidoscopic patterns, you may just see your loved one in a whole new light.  

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For first-time visitors, Melbourne’s alleys and laneways can be tricky to navigate—even though they are known to hide many delightful brunch spots, indie boutiques and tiny bars. One of the best-known  side streets here is Hardware Lane, which has been aptly described as a “little lane of treasure.” 

Have fun wandering around these alleys as you venture serendipitously through each nook and cranny, allowing your olfactory sense to lead the way. 

Prefer to cut to the chase? Sign up for a Hidden Secrets Tour, which will reveal Melbourne’s most quirky and eccentric spots—covering everything from art and architecture, to food and of course coffee.  

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GoBoat

Do you enjoy being your own captain and steering your own maritime course? If so, welcome aboard GoBoat—a sustainable picnic boat made with recycled bottles with zero-emission electric motors.

With a seating capacity of up to eight pax, you can pack your own picnic and drinks, and enjoy a uniquely Melbourne experience. Tip: If you want to see more of Melbourne, book your GoBoat for at least two hours.

Get directions to Banana Alley Wharf

Proud Mary Coffee Roasters

Melbourne is a city that takes its coffee seriously. It is claimed that Melbourne has the world’s best coffee, beating cities like Rome, Vienna and neighbouring Sydney. So there is no better place on earth to do a coffee tasting and to meet with people who are like-minded about their brews. 

Proud Mary runs a free weekly cupping session on Saturday mornings. If you wish to get high on caffeine before the weekend hits, or learn how to make a killer cuppa, make this a part of your weekend Melbourne itinerary.