Melbourne on a Budget
by
Karli Geoghegan
Melbourne is referred to as Australias art and cultural capital and while that may give visitors the impression of expensive, Melbourne can be enjoyed on a budget. For all visitors, the Melbourne Visitor Centre at Federation Square should be your first stop to get any free brochures, maps, Whats On information, or advice from the staff.
Most places are walking distance within the City Square, but the City Circle Tram is free and on a 12 minute interval loop passing all the citys popular attractions. There is also a Melbourne Tourist Shuttle Bus offering free hop-on / hop-off service to all the best spots in the city and inner suburbs. Another great way to see Melbourne from a different perspective is by bikes. You can hire bikes along the Yarra Trail winding along the Yarra River for 35km of lush greenery. Along the trail bike riders can enjoy cafs, watch or hire a row-boat on the river, see beautiful views of the city or visit one of the many attractions.
Melbourne is a true foodie city with many interesting stops and not all of them have to break the bank. Only open for lunch time, Aix Creperie has a selection of crpes, Paiadina Slow Food serves delicious filled flatbreads and Earl Canteen makes a mean gourmet baguette. If you are feeling like a bit of Asian you can visit Camy Shanghai Dumpling for the best dumplings in town, Mekong for their famous Vietnamese noodle soup, Don Don for their Japanese Bento Boxes and Laksa Me offers a variety of modern Malaysian dishes. If you are more in the mood for Italian visit Grossi Florentino Cellar Bar, Pellegrinis Espresso Bar and Italian Waiters Club who all offer hearty home style dishes for a bargain. If you have found yourself hungry later in the night, Supper Inn has some great Cantonese food and is open til 2am.
Along with all the other titles Melbourne holds, bar capital seems to be another and there are several gems with budget price options. Some of the hole-in-the-wall bars that have a lot of character along with the great price include Rooftop Bar, Sister Bella, Loop, Red Hummingbird, Cho Gao, and Cocoon Bar.
For a sunny day, the Golden Mile Heritage Trail is a perfect free way to see the citys heritage along a 4 km trail, visit the Queen Victoria Markets for a bargain, or visit the Shrine of Remembrance to honour the ANZACS. For discount last minute tickets Half Tix offers large price deductions for shows in Melbourne or go to Comedy Night at Soft Belly for some up and coming comedians. For shopping deals, there are Factory Outlet Stores offering marked down prices on name brands.
Melbournes art scene is huge, but it can be cheap as well with many free admission galleries including Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, NGV Ian Potter Centre and Laneway Street Art. The Immigration Museum and The Melbourne Story Melbourne Museum both show the history and culture of the city through the years for a small entry fee.
There are many options for Melbourne budget accommodation like Econo Lodge City Square in the heart of Melbourne within walking distance of all Melbourne must see destinations.
For more information on
Econo Lodge City Square
visit
Choice Hotels Australia
online.
Article Source:
Melbourne on a Budget }