Best Areas to Stay in Melbourne, Australia

The Central Business District (CBD) of Melbourne is, as the name implies, where the main companies and financial institutions of the city are located.

However, this district, which has a privileged location in the heart of the city, is not just one of the best areas to stay in Melbourne for business travellers. In the streets of the CBD, there is also an important number of attractions that deserve to be visited.

Among the mandatory stops in the Central Business District, you can find St. Paul’s Cathedral, an impressive Neo-Gothic church, the Comedy Theatre, the Brock Arcade shopping gallery and the Victoria State Library, which is the oldest library in Australia.

One of the greatest advantages of staying in Melbourne’s CBD is its multiple transport connections since it is in this district that the main railway station of the city is located.

The CBD is also a good area for foodies, as it has many restaurants, gastro bars and Queen Victoria Market, a historic place where all kinds of cuisine are served.

Fitzroy is one of the most artistic suburbs of Melbourne and is located northeast of the Central Business District, between the neighbourhoods of Carlton and Collingwood.

In the streets of Fitzroy, there is always live music coming from its many bars and venues.

In the same way, places like the Centre for Contemporary Photography make it one of Melbourne’s hipster areas par excellence.

Another of the iconic corners of this area is the Fitzroy Swimming Pool, a recreation centre that is ideal for swimming when the heat of summer is felt and also has a gym and sauna.

The restaurants of Fitzroy are characterized by alternative appeal and unique names that attract a bohemian audience. There is also a significant number of places for the LGBT community.

Fitzroy is one of the best areas to stay in Melbourne to know the alternative side of the city. In addition, it has bus and tram stops that connect it with the most important attractions.

Carlton is located northeast of the CBD. This suburb is known for hosting a large population of Italian immigrants and, therefore, for offering one of the best dining scenes in Melbourne.

This neighbourhood is located near the University of Melbourne, which gives it a youthful atmosphere that can be seen in the different pubs and cafés in the area.

Carlton is home to major attractions such as the Melbourne Museum, with a large collection of natural history, as well as the Royal Exhibition Building, a striking milestone of Victorian architecture that is constantly hosting events.

In addition, moving to other neighbourhoods and districts of Melbourne from Carlton is not a complicated task, as it has different tram stations and bus stops.

Carlton is one of the best areas to stay in Melbourne if you want to be close to the main attractions of the city, but away from the hustle and bustle of the downtown. Its parks and green areas make it also a good place for families.

Docklands is southwest of Melbourne CBD, along the Yarra River. It is an old port that was converted into an area of modern stores and upscale restaurants.

The main attractions of Docklands are the Etihad Stadium and the Southern Star Observation Wheel, which provides the best views of Melbourne.

Staying in Docklands allows you to capture beautiful photographs of the city’s skyline and sunsets. This is also one of the best areas to stay in Melbourne for romantic getaways.

The accommodation in Docklands consists, mostly, of luxury apartments, but it is possible to find some hotels in the neighbourhood, of different categories.

Docklands has tram and bus connections with other districts.

Collingwood, located east of Fitzroy and northeast of the CBD, is a growing neighbourhood that is famous for its old industrial warehouses that have been converted into vintage shops, cafes and galleries.

It is another hipster area in Melbourne and, as such, hosts musical venues where indie, punk and rock predominates, making it an ideal place to stay for young travellers.

While it is true that Collingwood does not have many tourist attractions, it is close enough to the CBD so that travellers do not miss the city’s main sights. Also, like most of Melbourne, it has bus and tram stops.

Another advantage of staying in Collingwood is that the cost of hotels in this suburb is usually lower than in the main tourist areas.

Southbank is located, as its name indicates, south of the Yarra River and the CBD. It is an exclusive area, with attractions as important as the Melbourne Recital Centre, where classical music concerts take place.

For lovers of photography, Southbank offers the Eureka Tower, the second tallest building in Australia, almost 300 metres high. This skyscraper has an observation deck called Eureka Skydeck 88 on the 88th floor of the tower.

Other points of interest such as the National Gallery of Victoria consolidate Southbank as the most cultural suburb of the city.

Although Southbank does not have the most central location of Melbourne, it has bus and tram stops that connect with the main tourist attractions. In addition, it is possible to take a sightseeing boat from here

Southbank is one of the best areas to stay in Melbourne for nightlife because of its restaurants and bars, with spectacular views of the river and the CBD.

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South Yarra is found, as its name suggests, south of the Yarra River and east of Southbank, next to the Royal Botanic Garden, one of Melbourne’s most important parks.

It is a residential neighbourhood of the upper class of Melbourne, where mansions and art deco buildings with views of the river can be found.

Although it is quite far from the main attractions of the city, this suburb has a variety of accommodation of different categories, ideal for those seeking tranquillity during their stay.

South Yarra has its own tram station and several bus stops that connect to most areas of the city.

South Yarra is another of the best areas to stay in Melbourne to enjoy excellent cuisine or go shopping in some of the most exclusive boutiques in the capital of the state of Victoria.

St Kilda is the favourite area for beach lovers who visit Melbourne, as well as backpackers who make a route through Australia and Oceania.

Besides being far from the main areas of the city, this quiet suburb has attractions as iconic as Luna Park, the oldest amusement park in Australia.

Like the rest of Melbourne, St Kilda has several tram and bus stations, making it easy to move to other suburbs of the city at any time.

The accommodation in St Kilda is divided between hotels, apartments and hostels of different categories, most of which are overlooking the sea. Therefore, this is a good suburb to stay in Melbourne for romantic getaways.

St Kilda is one of the best areas to stay in Melbourne for surfers, windsurfers, and sports lovers.