The Best of Melbourne's Suburbs

Post

Subscribe

Posted 2012-05-28 by Deveta Patel ⇒ follow

Melbourne is split into several different suburbs, and for such a small city, they can all be very different. All of them have something great to offer, whether it's a beautiful garden, a fantastic sight seeing spot, an array of bars and restaurants, or one of Melbourne's many beaches.

St Kilda
St Kilda is best known for its popular beach. On a hot day it can be almost impossible to find an available patch of sand. Even though it's so popular, it's not the most aesthetically pleasing beach. The sand and water is a little dirty, and the views are not as spectacular compared to most of Australia's coasts. The thing that makes St Kilda so special is the countless bars and restaurants that overlook the beach. They give the area a vibrant atmosphere, making it a great place to spend a beautiful hot day. Other highlights in St Kilda include Acland Street , which boasts rows of tempting cake shops, and Luna Park, one of the only places in Melbourne where you'll find traditional theme park rides and entertainment. Some of the best bars in St Kilda are Republica and 29th Apartment .

Fitzroy
Fitzroy is one of Melbourne's most laid back suburbs, where you don't have to worry about being dressed to impress to enjoy a night out. Brunswick Street has some of the best bars in Melbourne, but it's also well known for boutique shopping and its range of restaurant options. Some of Fitzroy's best bars include Bimbo Deluxe (also popular for its $4 pizzas), Polly (famous for cocktails), Naked for Satan, The Night Cat and LuWOW. Fitzroy is also a great place for belly dance classes, which are impossible to find in Melbourne's CBD. Some of the best classes are held by Kristen at Belly Dance Theatre.

South Melbourne
South Melbourne is best known for the South Melbourne Market , which is open daily and full of fresh fruits and vegetables, meat and seafood, furniture, fashion, restaurants, and so much more. It's a busy and bustling place all throughout the week, and probably the best place to stock up on fresh foods. Just a short walk away from the market, in Yarra Place, you'll find one of the best café's in Melbourne, St Ali. This place often has a queue during lunchtime, and has a great range of meals and coffees. Definitely worth going out of your way for. South Melbourne also has one of the most peaceful beaches. Whilst everyone has flocked to St Kilda on a hot day, South Melbourne Beach is significantly quieter, with much cleaner sand too. There's a few nearby places to buy ice-creams and drinks, making it a great place to spend a sunny day. The Botanical Gardens are also close by, where the beautiful scenery provides the perfect setting for a stroll.

Southbank
Home to the Crown Casino and a well-known strip of bars and restaurants all overlooking the stunning city skyline, Southbank always has a lively atmosphere. Southbank runs alongside the Yarra River, where daily cruises take place. The restaurants and bars in Southgate all offer indoor and outdoor seating, and you can bet there will always be a street performer a stone's throw away.

Richmond
Richmond is well known for its discount shopping on Bridge Road. It's one of the best places for cheap shopping, but also has lots of bars and restaurants. Some of the best eateries include The Collection Bar and The Bridge Hotel . Richmond is also next door to some of the most famous sporting venues in the world, including the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Rod Laver Arena.

These are just some of the highlights from Melbourne's suburbs. There are many more which all have their own hidden gems too. Some of these include, South Yarra, which is best known for its shopping, bars and restaurants in Chapel Street. Docklands is home to the Etihad Stadium , which is no doubt full of football fans during the AFL season. Port Melbourne has some beautiful beaches, and a range of bars and restaurants overlooking the sea. The CBD has the biggest range of cafes, bars and restaurants, but be warned, the best ones are hidden away. Brunswick is another laid back suburb, which is home to the famous Sydney Road. Here you'll find The Penny Black, a traditional pub with a garden area, perfect for a warm day or evening.