6 indie things to do in 6 indie places in Melbourne

Leggi in italiano 

I recently wrote a post on ‘wild’ things to do in Victoria State, Australia. 

Today I am a bit ‘nostalgic and I would like to tell you something about my habits in Melbourne, things that I experienced almost everyday way and became part of my daily routines, more or less as I would have done if I had been a local. When my parents didn’t take me around to see the beautiful things scattered in the region, I allowed myself to have my walks in the city, in places less central than the Business District (CBD), circumnavigated by the legendary Free City Circle Tram.

Now I will make a list of some special things I had the opportunity to slowly fall in love with and that can be considered as peculiar, alternative… indie.

If you love this kind of stuffs, I bet you’ll like, for instance,

#1 – Fitzroy and Carlton districts. 

North of CBD is the Fitzroy district. This is the place where alternative and modern art scene in Melbourne reaches its top expression, thanks to independent art galleries, craftsmen artists at work in their loft studios, small independent theaters. Even the streets and the walls and the structure of the houses are special, peculiar and worth visiting.

#2 Brunswick Street (always Fitzroy district) is my favorite!

Vintage shops, small bars, homemade cakes, ethnic restaurants open at any time of day. Here I sat, ate and wrote.

On Saturday, on Brunswick Street on Rose Street Artists’ Market you’ll find the exhibition of works of a hundred artists, in a colorful open street market.

For tea and infusions fans, along this street you won’t be disappointed by Tea2, 100% Australian brand.
Total black interiors, the colors come from the shelves where colorful teapots, cups, infusers stand together with an incredible variety of teas and both hot and cold teas (that you can freely taste in the store).

Getting there: by the tram line 112 from Collins Street or by line 86 from Bourke Street.

#3 South Melbourne and Albert Park

Let’s keep on talking about shopping and markets! Going south of the center, always taking the area of the CDB as a reference, you’ll enjoy daily street markets, boutiques and street music bands.
I must admit that this area had a strong flavor of Europe, more or less the same effect than Soho in NYC.

#4 – Chinatown

More beautiful than New York’s Chinatown, more authentic and cleaner (especially cleaner)!

Established in 1850, with the beginning of the gold rush, it is one of the oldest Chinatowns in the world.

Getting there: with the Free City Circle Tram get to the stop Parliament House, on Spring Street, and then walk up Little Bourke Street.

#5 Laneways Arcades

The side streets to the main roads in the center are a world to discover and to get lost in.

The Block Arcade and Royal Arcade flanked by Hardware Lane, the Degraves Street are colorful places, lively and very intimate, charming jazz clubs, wine bars or taverns in the Italian sense of the term.

For those who love art deco and vintage lamps, we recommend a walk on Crossley Street.

# 6 Yarra Street & Hoiser Lane

I have mentioned in this blog these two streets and related arteries several times, also because they are among the most beautiful graffiti streets I’ve ever seen.

Getting there: by the free City Circle Tram, getting off at Swanston and Elizabeth Street. Otherwise you can take as a starting point any stop along these two roads. I have also made walk from Federation Square (but from here you can also get on the Melbourne City Tourist Shuttle for three stops, and then walk).

Have you ever been to Melbourne? Have you experienced any other indie, colorful and peculiar place? Please tell me!