Equal parts dynamic, cosmopolitan, sports-mad and arty, Melbourne simultaneously exudes style and keeps its best spots hidden, inviting discovery by food and culture lovers. Set on the shores of picturesque Port Phillip Bay, the southernmost city of mainland Australia is rich in aesthetics, with its beauty enhanced by the meandering Yarra River, immaculate parks and gardens, public art, classical buildings and innovative design.

Melbourne is often dubbed the most ‘European’ of Australian cities and there is also a mini New York vibe here, thanks to the city’s well-ordered grid and scattering of art-deco high-rises. But Melbourne is uniquely Melbourne, too. Much of that is due to the 230-plus laneways that penetrate into the heart of city blocks, which are recognised for world-class street art, restaurants and bars.

Melbourne has long been food and coffee obsessed and had liberal, bohemian and progressive strands to its subculture. Top chefs are inspired by their heritage and don’t just cook local produce, but native ingredients used by Indigenous Australians for hundreds of thousands of years. Mingled with hotspots in laneways, warehouses and on rooftops, it’s clear that Melbourne doesn’t have to try – it just is.