Marvellous Melbourne

If Sydney is the movie, then Melbourne is the book. The Australian city has been named the world’s most liveable seven years in a row. Take a trip Down Under and discover why for yourself. —Amanda Lee

stay. The five-star Langham Melbourne, on the banks of the Yarra River in Southbank, puts you in the heart of great dining and shopping. A sweeping staircase leads up to a grand reception area. Rooms are elegantly designed with handcrafted furniture and spacious bathrooms. Upgrade to Club Privileges, where you’ll get access to the lovely and enjoy a comp traditional afternoon tea, as well as pre-dinner drinks and appies (we recommend it!).

do. Explore Melbourne’s bustling laneways. The best known is Hosier Lane, where the walls are tagged with every sort of urban street art and colourful murals. Reminiscent of a European street, Centre Place is lined with boutiques and cafes that spill out onto the bluestone cobbles. If getting up close and personal with a koala is on your bucket list, head to Healesville Sanctuary—home to more than 200 species of Australian wildlife—in the lush Dandenong Ranges. For a small additional fee, sign up for a close-up encounter, where you can feed the friendly kangaroos, or take a selfie with a sleepy koala.

see. The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia at Federation Square is a visual lesson in Australia’s history. The gallery includes pieces by the aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities, and art from the colonial period to the present day. Highlights include the famed Heidelberg School (Australia’s equivalent to the Group of Seven) and Sidney Nolan’s series of paintings on bush-ranger Ned Kelly. Best of all, admission is free of charge.

eat. You’re spoiled for choice when it comes to a good brekkie in Melbourne. Start with Hardware Societe on Hardware Street. With its butterfly wall and shabby-chic furnishings, you’ll feel more like you’re sitting in a Parisian café. Try the baked eggs with chorizo sausage or decadent fried fried brioche. Later, Cutler & Co. is housed in an old metalworks factory that’s been transformed into a sleek dining space with leather booths and granite feature wall. On the menu: modern Australian cuisine, with a focus on fresh seafood. Dishes include Rock Flathead with leek, sorrel and Mooloolaba prawns, followed by caramelized quince and Armagnac ice cream.

sip. Coffee runs through the veins of most Melbournians. Walk into any number of independent hole-in-the-wall cafes and, really, you can’t go wrong. Brother Baba Budan, on Little Bourke Street, is named after Sufi who stole seven seeds of coffee from the Middle East and took them to India. If there’s room, nab a seat at the tiny bar and order a flat white, or do what the locals do and ask for “take out.” Then, head to the risque-sounding Naked for Satan in Fitzroy. The bar specializes in vodka cocktails (an old vodka still stands in the middle of the room) and tapas plates. If the sun’s out, try bagging a seat on their rooftop bar, Naked in the Sky, where you can pair a glass of Cava with city views.