The Melbourne Supremacy
Marie Claire - UK|May 2018

From vintage shopping to al fresco bars, world-class coffee and cutting-edge street art, Laura Millar takes a walking tour of Australia’s second city and discovers why it’s the newest hotspot for the cool crowd

Laura Millar
The Melbourne Supremacy

Subways and taxis may be the quickest way to navigate the world’s busiest cities – I’m looking at you, London and New York – but I’ve always felt that being underground or sightseeing from a cab is somewhat limiting, which might explain the current boom for ‘urban walking’. To remedy my FOMO, I’m taking a walking tour of Melbourne to find out why the city has been voted the ‘world’s most liveable city*’ for the seventh year in a row.

When it comes to Australia, Sydney gets all the headlines but over the past few years, I’ve heard from people in the know that Melbourne is a bit of a player its own right. Despite it being a somewhat exhausting 22-hour flight away, it is well worth the journey in order to discover its European-sounding appeal. Bursting with art galleries and museums? Check. Home to a vibrant food scene? Check. Street art on almost every corner? Check. And no need to worry about the jet lag – this city runs on caffeine, boasting hundreds of coffee shops and roasters.

For the first leg of the tour, it’s just me and my guide, Daniel Platt, a passionate native of the city and founder of Localing Tours. I’ve come on my own because a buzzing metropolis like Melbourne is the perfect place for the solo traveller. For a start, there’s no language barrier and, I later discover, as I stop at Market Lane Coffee, people are only too keen to strike up a conversation if you’re in a bar or restaurant on your own.

This story is from the May 2018 edition of Marie Claire - UK.

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This story is from the May 2018 edition of Marie Claire - UK.

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