5 Days in Melbourne
☕ Complete Itinerary & Cost Guide
5 days in Melbourne lets you go beyond the highlights — take day trips, revisit favourites, and enjoy slow mornings. Here's a realistic day-by-day plan plus what it costs.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
This plan covers the essentials without burnout. Adjust based on opening hours, weather, and your stamina. Most days are 4–6 hours of activity with long meals and downtime built in.
Settle into your hotel, grab a light lunch, then ease into Melbourne with Laneway crawl — Hosier Lane street art to Degraves St coffee. Don't overbook day one — jet lag is real.
Queen Victoria Market (night market in summer). Pair it with a sit-down lunch nearby and an evening walk through a different neighbourhood.
St Kilda pier — little penguins at sunset (free). Take the morning slow and use the afternoon to explore a quieter district away from the tourist core.
Great Ocean Road day trip to the Twelve Apostles. Pair with a long lunch — Melbourne arguably has the world's best coffee — try Patricia or Market Lane. Lygon Street is the Italian quarter; dumplings at ShanDong MaMa are a cult lunch.
Hit one final must-see (Great Ocean Road day trip to the Twelve Apostles), pick up souvenirs, and leave time for a relaxed lunch before your flight or onward train.
What does 5 days in Melbourne cost?
Estimates below are per person, including accommodation, food, local transport, and ~1 paid activity per day. Flights to Melbourne are not included — they vary wildly by origin.
Melbourne survival tips
Trams in the CBD Free Tram Zone cost nothing. Beyond it you need a Myki card — buy at any 7-Eleven.
Melbourne arguably has the world's best coffee — try Patricia or Market Lane. Lygon Street is the Italian quarter; dumplings at ShanDong MaMa are a cult lunch.
Very safe. Watch only for tram fare inspectors (fines if Myki untapped) and overpriced "Great Ocean Road" bus tours — small-group operators are worth the extra A$30.
When to go
March, April, May, September, October, November are the best months for Melbourne — the climate is at its best and crowds haven't peaked. Avoid July–August (cold drizzle).