Dear readers,
This post goes back in time to almost a year ago! I decided to take a break from Sydney. It was heading into winter and the weather wasn't great so I thought it would be a good idea to go somewhere even colder! 😅
Melbourne
I didn't think much of Melbourne when I arrived. But as the days went on I really started to enjoy it. I found more and more reasons why some people like it so much.
The CBD
Out of all the cities I've been to in the last year, Melbourne has some of the nicest parks to walk around such as this one. It's a nice place to escape the hustle of the city and there are plenty around.
Me and my group during a walking tour
Getting around
One thing I really like about Melbourne is that not only are there trams, which is a nice change from Taxis and Buses but in the CBD they're free! This makes traveling around so easy!
I really like that they've kept an older model Tram in service which completely circles the CBD. The stops are really close together and its a slow tram but if you want to get to know the place it's a really good option since you can hop on or off at any time.
There's also speakers inside that guide you through the stops and what you can do at each one.
Street art
Street art is pretty much everywhere which I found out pretty quiclkly. I knew the alleyways would be full of it but didn't expect random houses to have artwork on.
This one really caught my attention
ACDC Lane
Named after the famous rockband and pretty much next to Hosier Lane. Take a stroll down ACDC lane to discover more street art as well as a popular rock bar called Cherry Bar where lots of famous bands have played as well as lots of local bands today. Unfortunately there was a special event on so I couldn't visit the bar 😔
My hostel was only a few minutes walk from a very poplular laneway called Hosier Lane packed with street art pretty much everywhere you look.
Hosier Lane
I found this nearby which I thought was pretty impressive.
I'll be honest, a lot of street art was basically graffiti. Even Hosier Lane had tags sprayed over a work of art.
I visited Hosier Lane about 3 times in the space of 10 days and I was surprised to see new art in such a short space of time.
Hosier Lane on the 3rd visit
I really liked this dog.
*And this dinosaur* 
Sadly I lost alot of pictures
Melbourne Cricket Ground (M.C.G)
Our hostel also had discounts on lots of things, one of which was an AFL game at the M.C.G which I'd highly recommend. I had a ticket to go and see two of Melbourne's rival teams - Collingwood and Carlton.
Since these two teams were such rivals, the turnout was pretty big and the atmosphere was amazing! I'd not been to see an AFL game before and this match was a great introduction.
As you can see, the stadium was pretty full!
**The Market** 
*Queen Victoria Market* is worth checking out. It's a fairly big market that focuses alot on food. Not only but it has alot of food tasting as well as whine tasting too! (My kinda place😉)
There's other markets too, one of which is a chocolate market which I'm gutted I missed!
Going out
It may not be as fancy as Sydney but going out for drinks was such a stress free experience. Of course the free entry wristbands and 1 free drink in each bar that I got because of the hostel helped.
That aside, it's so much more relaxed. You can wear a hoody and get let into most places. You don't need really fancy shoes or clothes, and best of all, the bouncers arn't dickheads...
Oh the drinks are cheaper too! 😉🍻
Overall the one thing I really like about Melbourne is the laneways and atmosphere. If you walk from A to B you will most likely find something interesting be it a hidden bar, a work of art or a small cafe tucked away somewhere. *Discovered these simply on the way to the mall* 
*Cakes!*
It's a busy city yet it still feels relaxed and safe.
In my opinion Melbourne is definitely worth a visit. I looked online and people recommend only 3 days. This may be enough time for the city centre but honestly there's more to see than you think.
I hope you found this post interesting. I'll be making more including The Great Ocean Road
Till next time...