Discover Which Melbourne Neighborhood Fits You The Best

Are you searching for that perfect place in Melbourne to call home? A neighborhood that fits your lifestyle and is conveniently located? Perhaps you’re in need of a suburb to settle down in with your family or maybe you’re looking for an area with a thriving nightlife, historical landmarks or someplace with a short commute. Below are seven suburbs to choose from depending on your lifestyle and living situation.

Keeping active

Does your perfect day begin with a morning jog and end with stroll down to the water? If you answered yes then perhaps a St Kilda or Albert Park postcode is right for you. St Kilda is six kilometers from the city, while Albert Park is only three kilometers away, and both suburbs are on the waterfront. In St Kilda you’ll find the sea dotted with paddle boarders, swimmers, kite surfers and cruise ships, while at Albert Park Lake you can join the sailing club or take a dip at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. If all those water sports are making you hungry then you can head down to St Kilda’s multicultural Acland Street or Albert Park’s Bridport Street. Luna Park, the Palais Theatre, the St Kilda Sea Baths and the historical Esplanade Hotel are St Kilda hot spots for locals and tourists alike, while Albert Park is home to the Australian Grand Prix.

Aerial shot of Albert Park, Victoria, Australia

Family focused

Bohemian

If you’re searching for an unconventional suburb where free thinkers and wild spirits are embraced, then look no further than Fitzroy. Just two kilometers outside of the city, Fitzroy was originally planned as Melbourne’s first suburb and there are homes still standing dating back to the 1850s. On the popular Brunswick Street you’ll find cafes, bars, vintage clothes stores, second hand bookshops, and every year from September to October there’s the Melbourne Fringe Festival. Veggie Bar has put this area on the map for vegetarians and vegans. Houses in Fitzroy come in all shapes and sizes from terraced homes to apartments so there are plenty of options when it comes to property.

City slicker

Do you crave the hustle and bustle of city living? Then Southbank is for you. Less than one kilometre from the CBD, Southbank is a riverfront suburb home to some of the best restaurants and upmarket hotels in Melbourne. Southbank is also the Arts Precinct of Melbourne and includes the National Gallery of Victoria, Hamer Hall, Melbourne Recital Centre, Malthouse Theatre, the Sidney Myer Music Bowl and the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, meaning that you will never run out of things to see. On the weekends people come from all over the state for a walk down Southbank’s Promenade, and on every Sunday there’s an arts and craft market. Being an inner city suburb, Southbank is full of high rise apartments.

Southbank (Melbourne) as viewed from the Rialto Towers, in May 2015

Historically inclined

Do you dream of Victorian terraced homes and leafy streets? Then the suburb of Abbotsford is for you. This suburb will immerse you within Victoria’s history with heritage listed properties and local landmarks. First subdivided in 1838 Abbotsford’s landmarks include the Abbotsford Convent, Collingwood Children’s Farm, ‘Skipping Girl’ and Dights Falls. Victoria Street, also known as Little Saigon, is packed with some of the best Vietnamese restaurants in Melbourne and as the suburb is within two kilometers of the city you’re never too far away from anything. Abbotsford is popular with kayakers, cyclists and joggers and has two train stations as well as a tram.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.