Melbourne
I’d say I work an international trip about every six months. This is mainly because I’m never quick enough to pick them up out of open trading and I also enjoy a solid eight hours of sleep every night. So if you were to tell me I’d be doing two Melbourne trips within two weeks of each other I’d assume you were insane.
Somehow, I managed to work two Melbourne trips in a row, so here’s how I spent my 24-hour layover before working a fifteen-hour flight back.
What we saw…
Royal Exhibition Building: We only walked around the outside of the building since we didn’t have a ton of time, but the building’s just as stunning on the inside as it is on the outside. The building was built as part of an international exhibition movement in the late 1800s. The Carlton Gardens surrounding the building is a great place to walk around the stunning building and snap a few touristy pics.
Parliament of Victoria is another building we wanted to see but didn’t have time to go on the full tour, which a security guard told us takes about an hour. Whether or not you’ve got the time to experience the full tour, it’s another landmark worth seeing in Melbourne. The Fitzroy Gardens are located right next to the Parliament building and happened to be our favorite spot. It’s a serene place to walk around, and the gardens have the backdrop of the city making it, yet again, another incredible photo spot.
Southern Melbourne Market: I went to the Southern Melbourne Market on my first layover there. Another popular market is the Queen Victoria Market, but it just so happened that both times I was there it was closed (it’s closed Monday-Wednesday). I spent probably an hour actually exploring the market but you could make a whole day of it. I wandered around the countless spots to eat and stalls full of fresh and unique produce. The market is also in a cool part of the city that I would’ve loved to explore more.
The Shrine of Remembrance is one of the most stunning monuments I’ve visited anywhere in the world. The shrine is built to honor Australians who’ve fought in wartime. The grounds and monument itself are incredible, but there’s also a viewing deck with incredible views of Melbourne and a museum on the ground floor. You could spend hours here if you wanted to.
Where we ate…
All-you-can-eat brunch at the Dock 37 restaurant in the Pan Pacific hotel was so good the first time I went, that I woke my boyfriend up at 6 am to go again. One thing Aussies are known for is brunch, and this place did not disappoint. One thing you should be sure to do when you visit Australia is find brunch.
Arbory Afloat sits right on the Yarra River (hence the ‘afloat’). On my first layover in Melbourne, I noticed it and was dying to, but was just too chicken to go by myself. So, with my boyfriend coming along on my second layover I had someone to bring. It was a tad chilly when we were there, but still such a unique spot. It gives European summer vibes to me, I could be wrong. Worth stopping for a cocktail at, especially if it’s a beautiful day.
Tim Ho Wan was recommended by another flight attendant to me. I added it to my list and didn’t think much of it until we were looking for a lunch spot and it happened to be within walking distance. I can’t recommend it more. The BBQ Pork Buns were like eating melt-in-your-mouth bbq inside of a warm mall pretzel. That might not sound appetizing to everyone, but they’re to die for. According to my boyfriend, it was “the best meal he’d ever had.” Not that he ever exaggerates.
We also recently discovered there are Tim Ho Wan locations in the US and will be making a road trip to Irvine soon.
Tipsy Village is conveniently located right outside of the Southern Melbourne Market. It’s a Polish restaurant that the flight attendants on my first Melbourne layover had been to. Luckily, I got the invite to dine at Tipsy Village with them. I ordered perogies. I can’t remember what kind exactly, but judging from the ones I had, you can’t go wrong. I had some with truffle and I haven’t stopped thinking about them since. There are a million places to eat just in the Southern Melbourne Market, but if you venture just outside of it you’ll find a spot well worth your time.
Check out more highlights on my Instagram!
