You might have heard that people, who like Sydney, do not like Melbourne, and the other way around. I have been to Melbourne for an entire week at the end of September to figure out which type I am.
At first, Melbourne is definitely different to Sydney – the city center, the immediate surroundings, the vibes, and the weather.
Melbourne is famous for its small lanes which are allocated over the whole city. The lanes have much to offer. So, there you can find amazing street art, cozy restaurants, bars, and Cafés as well as hip clothing stores. The most popular lane for street art in Melbourne is probably the Hosier Lane. It is definitely worth it to go there but keep your eyes open while exploring the city and you will find a lot of nice street art spots, which are not that busy as Hosier Lane. If you need to fill up your energy, the Queens Victoria Market offers loads of food. You can buy either fresh food like meat, seafood, vegetables to prepare it on your own or grab a Burrito, a Bratwurst or whatever you want. I definitely recommend the fresh Doughnuts which are offered by a food truck in the outside area – they’re amazing. At the end of a day, there are several opportunities to watch the sunset. If it is warm enough, just go to St. Kilda Beach, have a ‘picnic-dinner’ with your mates and enjoy the view when the sun sets down behind the cranes of Melbourne’s harbour. Otherwise, visit one of Melbourne’s roof-top bars to have a nice (probably too expensive) cocktail with a great view. And if you’re still not tired after a long day, throw yourself into the nightlife of Melbourne. There are bunches of bars and clubs on Chapel Street, in St. Kilda or Brunswick.
Sometimes, you might have the need to escape the city life. For this, Melbourne’s surroundings offer opportunities for everyone. With public transport, you can reach Brighton beach with its famous bathing boxes that invite for taking a souvenir photo. I definitely recommend renting a car for at least one day and going further westwards to the Great Ocean Road. I have only been to Torquay, which is the starting point of the Great Ocean Road. The landscape around Torquay is beautiful and gives a first impression of what the Great Ocean Road has to offer.
Another trip, which is probably not ranked first, when people are thinking about what to do in and around Melbourne, is traveling inland. I have been to Mount Buller for skiing which was a nice experience. It was the end of the season, probably not the best snow and not the most challenging ski area I have ever been to, but the view from the mountains is breathtaking. Even if you are travelling during summer to Melbourne, I recommend doing a trip to the Mountains. Mount Buller is a 3 hours bus ride away from Melbourne, but the landscape I have seen on the way to the Mountains is definitely worth it. Several agencies offer affordable ‘one-day-trips’ from Melbourne to Mount Buller during summer and winter.
So, what type of person am I – Sydney or Melbourne? In my opinion, there is no clear answer to that question. I like both cities. For example, you have beaches like Manly or Bondi in the immediate surroundings of Sydney, while you have a more cosy atmosphere in Melbourne.
In the end, I had a really nice time in Melbourne, and I would recommend everyone to travel there!
Felix Heiligenthal
Industrial Engineering
University of Applied Sciences Darmstadt, Germany