With only limited time, Donna knows you won't want to spend your Melbourne holiday among huge crowds doing the same thing as everybody else. She tells you what to avoid and where to go instead.
Fashion faux pas
South Yarra's
Chapel Street is fine for a quick sortie to pick up a pair of jeans or to do some Saturday afternoon people-watching, but it's not the fashion epicentre it once was. For Melbourne's most-inspired retailers and up-and-coming designers, head instead to the Prahran and Windsor stretch of Chapel; up to High Street, Armadale or Hawksburn Village, or stick to the city and Fitzroy.
Church Street, Richmond is another fashion has-been; there are plenty of outlet stores but not a lot of
bargains. Most local designers hold warehouse sample sales in suburbs like
Richmond, Collingwood or
Prahran, look to
Missy Confidential for what’s coming up.
St Kilda on a Sunday
Okay, a Sunday session at one of St Kilda's pubs or bars
can be a lot of fun. But forget
St Kilda for Sunday brunch or a leisurely stroll, especially if the sun is out: it's a circus. Weekdays are another story, when cafes buzz with the local freelance set but you don't have to fight for a table (or elbow your way along the footpath). Fitzroy Street's Baker D Chirico (aka
'the Baker', 149 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda) is a breakfast favourite, or try the bar at
Mirka at Tolano Hotel for lunch from midday.
King Street after dark
Melbourne's legendary nightlife started here with the '80s mega-clubs, but it's now a byword for
buck's-night antics and late-night violence. The city's laneways offer plenty of drinking holes that cater for a broad range of tastes, from a modern day speakeasy at
24 Moons, city views and cigars at Siglo at Melbourne Supper Club,
161 Spring Street; or grownup cocktails at
New Gold Mountain or
Madame Brussel’s Parlour Room. Don't forget Melbourne's excellent
live music venues either, including the
Toff in Town, Miss Libertine, Roxanne Parlour and the
Ding Dong Lounge.
Lygon Street, Carlton
Melbourne's original
Little Italy still proudly flies the red, white and green flag. But you might want to give the CBD end of the street a miss: the food is often less authentic than the "
ciao bella!" charm of the spruikers. That's not to say the neighbourhood is lacking in
Mediterranean brio. Further towards
Elgin Street there are authentic delis and cafes (as well as the excellent
Readings bookstore). Around the corner on Faraday Street you'll find
Brunetti, which serves up Italian staples from early morning to midnight, and fabulous pizza at D.O.C. (295 Drummond Street, Carlton).
Station Pier, Port Melbourne
Port Melbourne's redevelopment has swapped grimy portside atmosphere for slick high-rises and manicured dog-walking tracks. Bay views aren't easy to come by in Melbourne and the restaurants built atop
Station Pier to capitalise on their rarity may be smartly designed but they're
bland and overpriced. And while ships at anchor can be dreadfully romantic, the
Sprit of Tasmania ferry doesn't really do it for us.
Fairy Tree and Tudor Village, Fitzroy Gardens
Avoid overselling
Fitzroy Garden's Fairy Tree and the
Model Tudor Village to your unsuspecting kids. Ola Cohn's kooky tortured trunk and the naively daubed, concrete tiny town won't hold their attention for more than the briefest moment. But the sprawling park itself is a great place for letting the little ones run free after a hard morning of shopping or sightseeing.
Got any more places to avoid? Have your say using the comments form below.
Next: Near the beaten track
