Melbourne

TWO DAYS IN MELBOURNE: A WALK THROUGH DOWNTOWN

There are two questions you need to address right away when planning a two-day stay in Melbourne: how many museums you’re going to visit and where you’re going to have coffee… The variety of museums—and coffee shops—is immense, and there’s something for everyone 😋

Melbourne isn't a city of monumental architecture like Paris, nor does it boast the views of its rival, Sydney; it's more of a city where you can relax by taking a stroll, visiting a museum, and enjoying its vibrant nightlife.

Federation Square

Tourists will focus their attention on the area north of the river, where most of the points of interest are located. Let's begin with por Federation Square, the heart of the city

With free lounge chairs scattered all over the square, free Wi-Fi, and the riverbed just a little further down, it’s no wonder that—despite the commotion we tourists cause—Australians settle into the lounge chairs with a coffee and a newspaper to spend the morning…

In this unique square, there are two wonderful free museums

El The Australian Centre for the Moving Image It has a permanent exhibition that traces the history of cinema in general and Australian cinema in particular

It's also full of interesting items, such as Jack Sparrow's jewelry (Johnny Depp in *Pirates of the Caribbean*) or the car from *Mad Max*. If you want to know the museum's hours or temporary exhibits: https://www.acmi.net.au/es/

Right next to it, you'll come across the Ian Potter Centre, a museum of modern art.

I don't want to go on and on about this here, but if you want to know more: https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/plan-your-visit/

Hosier Lane

Order versus disorder. That must have been what the graffiti artists were thinking when they took over an entire block right across from Federation Square called Hosier Lane

How did a small, hidden alley in the city center get taken over by graffiti artists and thus become an icon of the city?

By the 1920s, the area had become the heart of Australia's textile and apparel industry. The alley was filled with clothing factories, costume warehouses, and tailor shops where Italian, Jewish, Chinese, and Greek immigrants worked. In fact, because of the socks (hose (in English) and the clothing manufactured there, the place was known in local slang as «Hosiery Lane“. Starting in the 1970s, the manufacturing industry began to move out of downtown Melbourne. The old brick warehouses stood empty, and the alley fell into a state of deep neglect, with its abandoned, rust-covered warehouses…”

…and in the 1980s, graffiti artists arrived, and little by little, on their own, they began “decorating” the alley with their art. Instead of taking offense, the City of Melbourne declared it a “free painting” zone (free-to-paint), which means that artists do not need government permits to create their works and can paint whatever they want, however they want—a dynamic, ever-evolving gallery: a stunning mural you see today may be completely covered up by a different artist tomorrow

People have taken it seriously, and… walls, stairs, trash cans, locks… everything has been spray-painted.

You can spend quite a while taking pictures of all the graffiti here, including some by famous artists.

Victoria Market

No one can take in that much art without eating something. On the corner of Elizabeth and Victoria Streets is the Victoria Market. It began operating around 1869 to serve the immigrants who came to Melbourne drawn by the gold rush, and over the years the iconic open-air sheds were added (sheds) and, in the 1920s, the beautiful Art Deco pavilion known as the Dairy Produce Hall.

If you happen to be in Melbourne for two days during the summer (mid-November through March), winter (early June through late August/early September), or Christmas, there’s a night market here from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

On the south side of the river, be sure to visit another museum—especially since it's free, too: the National Gallery with a general art collection from all over the world

TWO DAYS IN MELBOURNE: TRIP TO BRIGHTON BEACH

Since we're spending two days in Melbourne, we're going to go on a few day trips. Melbourne isn't known for its great beaches, but if you really miss them, for 4 AUS$ there's a train that takes you from Flinders Station to Brighton Beach in 20 minutes.

The beach is a mess, but its distinctive colorful beach huts have made it a tourist attraction

What is its history? Around 1860, Melbourne’s beaches began to gain popularity as recreational spots. However, under the strict moral code of the 19th century, it was strictly forbidden to change clothes in public on the beach or to walk on public streets wearing swimsuits. To address this, the City Council granted licenses to local residents to build small, private wooden cabins on the sand. These cabins served exclusively as private changing rooms.

Well, in the beginning, the booths were… well… just wooden booths, nothing special, but the owners were allowed to paint them however they wanted, and little by little they began to show great creativity in doing so…

Today, they can only be purchased by local residents and only for the purpose described above (as clothing), which has helped preserve their local and historical use.

Getting on the bike

Across Australia, cycling has naturally become a part of life in every city, and Melbourne is no exception. Along the riverbank, there is a very long path perfect for biking or jogging.

There are several bike routes; the one I'm sharing here was pretty good.

The day is coming to an end… which in Australia means it’s around 6:00 p.m. 😓 but there’s still time to enjoy one last coffee before everything closes. Right across from Flinders Station, there’s a small alley—Delgrave St—with several small coffee shops jostling for space…

Even though Melbourne is an expensive city, you'll always find a spot like the one in the photo below where you can take your coffee, sit down, and enjoy the day 🙂

Well, that wraps up my two days in Melbourne. I hope I've given you some ideas on what to do around here.

If you liked this post or have more information to add, let me know in the comments!

If you want to read more about Australia: https://999millas.net/es/category/paises/australia/

Texto y fotos : Mike !