5 Things to do in Melbourne Starting with M

Melbourne is a great place for a long weekend, a quick holiday or just a getaway from day-to-day life. If you're in Sydney, it's roughly an hour-long flight and if you plan early you can score some pretty good deals on flights. Since it's a local destination you have your pick of budget airlines and international ones that pass through. But what do you actually do once you get there?

As most Sydney-siders are told, Melbourne has better coffee, culture, food and basically anything that Sydney does, Melbourne does it better. Except you know, stunning harbour views and predictable weather 🤣

All shade aside, Melbourne is special and in recent months I've been back four times. But instead of writing a predictable 'where to go and what to do' guide, I thought I'd pick 5 places scattered around Melbourne city that start with M!

1 // For bargains & Tintin: Markets

Whether you're looking for produce, souvenirs or coffee beans (or most things in-between) Melbourne's iconic Queen Victoria Market has you covered.

Located on Queen St, the markets are easy to find and are quite accessible. Once you get there you might be overwhelmed with choice and have trouble figuring out where to begin (hint: there's no wrong choice). Jump in and explore the outdoor area, indoors and the shops lined up along the sides. Some of my favourite ones are the official Tintin merchandise store Blistering Barnacles, the tea & coffee merchants McIver's and Nautical Replicas that sells models of ships. Also, try and find the store where it's Christmas every day! Explore the latest markets.

2 // For the kid in you: Marvel Stadium

This place went through a rebranding (slash ownership changeover) when the Folks at Disney decided that the billions from their film franchises weren't enough - they wanted to diversify into sports. While the sports and the concerts and whatever else they have here is great, the real gem is the Marvel store on the ground level. Although small, this hole in the wall has Marvel merchandise that's sure to make your inner child squeal with joy (if superheroes are your thing of course!). It's easy to get to and after you've browsed and bought your way through the shop, walk along down to the water and take in the sunset. Read: great for romantic strolls and serious conversations.

3 // For views & stars: Mornington Peninsula

For New Year's Eve, I had one thought in my mind: I wanted to ring in the New Year away from the drunks, the noise and the spectacle. Working in marketing I'm also heavily turned off by the gross advertising that leads up to a mad night and quite frankly crazy way to start the year (hungover, surrounded by strangers and most probably struggling with public transport issues). Instead, I found Mornington Peninsula. A quiet, somewhat of a long drive away from the city. That had literally no light pollution and showed you the night sky in all its glory. I saw the Milky Way for the first time since I was a child; this is what New Year's Days are made of. That and great company of course. It's about an hour's drive but totally worth it for what you'll see in the night sky. While I didn’t have a camera that could

4 // For Coffee & Bagels: Manchester Press

Melbourne has no end of fabulous cafes and if you throw a croissant you'll hit about five hipsters that will tell you about twenty five different places to try. What I like about the laneway cafe of Manchester Press is its unassuming location (which seems to be a staple in Melbourne), simple and straightforward menu and delicious coffee. I love my coffee and I take it long and black (pause for laughter and inevitable 'That's what she said'). But when you drink it plain, you taste every note and judge every tingle on your palate. Manchester Press has never disappointed and their bagels are pretty decent too!

5 // For Dinner: Mamasita

Tequila, tacos and quesadilla's, Mamasita is a fantastic place for date night. This is one of my favourite places to eat in Melbourne (not counting places that sell fried chicken) so far! You'll find it on Collins St, the staff were a delight and welcome walk in's. You can't go wrong with the menu or the drinks and the incredibly helpful wait staff were around offering suggestions if you needed some. I recommend making a booking if you plan on going, saves the hassle of waiting and potentially getting a table in the back.

This is in no way a definitive list and is hopefully my first of many articles on the beauties of Melbourne!