St Kilda

Highlights

• Beachside cool
• Café culture

St Kilda, once a seaside resort for genteel folk to take the sea air, is still Melbourne’s favourite playground. In the 1960s and 1970s St Kilda's faded grandeur took on a seedier edge, but today this racy atmosphere is replaced by a race to the next alfresco table.

On weekends, Melburnians flock here to walk, cycle and skate along the palm-lined foreshore or to lounge in an outdoor café or cocktail bar – and take in the panoramic views of Port Phillip Bay.

Away from the foreshore, you’ll find much of St Kilda’s activity concentrated in Fitzroy and Acland streets. Fitzroy Street is renowned for its cool cafes, restaurants and bars, with tables spilling onto the footpath, and is one of Melbourne’s most attractive eating and drinking streets. Nearby Acland Street is vibrant and bustling, with an eclectic mix of restaurants, wine bars and continental cake shops. By day the streets are lined with people drinking lattes; at night they’re buzzing with clubbers and night owls.

The second-hand stores in Acland Street are favourites for bric-a-brac shoppers and retro fashion dressers. Go treasure hunting for a stylish gift, and don’t miss the selection of independent music and book stores, as well as second-hand furniture.

How to get there
Tram: #16 from City, #96 from Bourke Street, #112 from Collins Street, #109 from Port Melbourne or #1 from South Melbourne beach via Albert Park
Travelling time: 25 minutes