In contrast to the all-business and no-nonsense attitude of Sydney, metropolitan Melbourne is nearly the exact opposite. Living in the country’s second most populous city, Melburnians are rightly proud to call their home the Cultural Capital of Australia. Consistently ranked at the top of the world’s most liveable cities, Melbourne is a vibrant multicultural hub and an Asia-Pacific destination for major events and festivals, with everything ranging from art and music to literature, film, and architecture.

The city’s embrace of visual artistic expression is especially evident in the nearly pervasive displays of street art. Ranging from small graffiti works to full-blown multi-storey murals, Melbourne’s streets practically explode in colour. From popular and officially sanctioned hotspots such as Hosier Lane in the CBD, to the more ad-hoc works in the bohemian inner-city suburb of Fitzroy, street art is everywhere. Even the Victorian terrace houses are in vivid technicolour. The best thing is, it’s all free and easily accessible – just hop on the extensive streetcar network and start exploring.

Here are a few photos from my short visit to this beautifully diverse and laid-back city. Plan to make this a destination rather than a stopover – there’s a ton of stuff happening here all the time!

Location Map