Melbourne’s vibrant cultural precincts show off the city's rich history and diversity.
Catch a tram, bus or train and visit one of Melbourne’s many food destinations to make the most of its various culinary traditions.
Melbourne city
VU has four campuses in the heart of the central business district (CBD).
The city of Melbourne has it all: galleries, parks, shopping and nightlife. The National Gallery is here, as are the gorgeous Botanic Gardens and the stately State Library.
The city is also a food-lover's dream, dishing up hundreds of top-quality restaurants, bars and cafes to suit every budget and appetite.
Explore Melbourne's famous laneways by foot to discover some of the city's best cafes, street art and boutique fashion stores.
Vibrant Chinatown, in the east of the city along Little Bourke Street, bustles with Chinese shops and restaurants. Its history dates back to the 1850s goldrush.
Melbourne city's Greek precinct, on Lonsdale and Russell Streets in the north of the city, celebrates Melbourne's Greek community with fine dining and traditional bakeries.
Victoria Market is another must-see, where you can pick up fresh fruit and vegetables, hot coffee and a deli speciality.
Footscray, Sunshine, St Albans & Werribee
To the west of the CBD, you'll find the remainder of VU's campuses.
Footscray, 5km west of the CBD, is home to two of Victoria University's biggest campuses. The suburb is changing rapidly, with student-friendly bars and cafes opening up alongside the delectable Vietnamese, Turkish, Chinese, African and French restaurants. Try Footscray Market for fresh fruit, vegetables and seafood.
Highpoint Shopping Centre, just north of Footscray on the 82 tram, has 500 shops, including high fashion boutiques, department stores, food courts, homewares, cinema complex with IMAX theatre, bowling and arcade games.
Sunshine and St Albans are a busy multicultural suburbs in the city of Brimbank, with their own facilities including libraries and swimming pools, and restaurants from around the world.
Werribee is another suburban hub further west. It has the wonderful open-range zoo, and Werribee mansion.
Carlton, Brunswick, Fitzroy, Collingwood & Abbotsford
To the north of Melbourne's central business district (CBD) are the suburbs of Carlton, Fitzroy, Collingwood and Abbotsford (from west to east). All are easily accessible by tram, train or bus.
Carlton is home to Lygon Street, Melbourne's Little Italy, offering up character-filled Italian restaurants and cafes by the dozen.
Fitzroy and neighbouring Collingwood will keep VU's students entertained with their café culture, funky clothes shops, bookstores, galleries and vibrant night life. Brunswick Street is the centre of it all, with entertainment served up day and night.
To the east of Collingwood, you'll find Abbotsford, with cheap-and-delicious Vietnamese restaurants on Victoria street and, further east, the peaceful Abbotsford Convent and Collingwood Children’s Farm set on the Yarra River.
North of Carlton, Sydney Road in Brunswick is another excellent destination for the exploring international student. As well as live-music venues and boutique cafes, Brunswick is home to some of Melbourne's finest Middle Eastern restaurants and halal stores.
Prahran, Windsor & St Kilda
South of the city is the suburb of Prahran, bisected by Chapel Street, a fashion strip scattered with cafes and clubs. Further down Chapel Street, Windsor offers vintage markets and secondhand stores.
Seaside St Kilda, a thriving entertainment hub and one of Melbourne's most popular traveller destinations, is also south of the city.
In East St Kilda you'll find Carlisle Street, where you can taste another aspect of the city's heritage in Eastern European and kosher restaurants and food stores.
Outside Melbourne
There are stunning tourist attractions just a few hours’ drive out of Melbourne.
See the fairy penguin parade at Phillip Island, marvel at the stunning scenery of the Great Ocean Road or enjoy an outdoor adventure in one of our many national parks.
There are also heritage-listed towns in the Goldfields, beautiful beaches and ski fields to suit everyone. Visit Victoria is a great place to start for travel advice.
