24 hours in Melbourne

This article first appeared in the WSOP 2012 special issue of World Gaming magazine.

Whether you’re a high roller operating on a tight schedule, a visiting poker player unwilling to drag yourself away from the tables for long, or a tourist travelling on a more modest budget, our guide to 24 hours in Melbourne caters to every pocket.

…on $30

If you are looking to see Melbourne on the cheap the most important investment is an all-day-zone-one public transport ticket, which will cost you $7.

• 8am: First stop is Queen Victoria Market for a fresh breakfast. Coffea on Elizabeth Street is best for a caffeine fix then try a Turkish borek pastry, stuffed with spicy lamb or potato, available for under $3 at the Deli (stall 94-96). Belly full and coffee in hand, wander the aisles sampling the fresh fruit, cheese cuts and a tipple of wine. Buy a ciabatta roll from Andrew’s Bread Stall (stall 29-30), slices of tasty local cheddar from Bill’s Farm (stall 17-18), a 70-cent organic Fuji apple and a handful of baby spinach from Garden Organics, pop it in your bag and that’s lunch taken care of, all for under $10.
  Queen Victoria Market, corner Elizabeth and Victoria Streets, Melbourne,
  qvm.com.au, +61 3 9320 5822

• 10am: Cultural tourism time at the State Library on Swanston Street. Explore the exhibitions and immerse yourself in a world of art, books, history and culture. Get a snapshot of Melbourne history and admire the stunning architecture that houses it all.
  State Library of Victoria, 328 Swanston Street, Melbourne,
  +61 3 8664 7000

• 11am: Take any tram down Swanston Street to the iconic Federation Square. Street performers, live music, passing protests and people-watching are on the agenda every day. Wander down to the Australian Centre for Moving Images (ACMI) for a free display of fascinating facts and features.
  ACMI, Federation Square, fedsquare.com, +61 3 8663 2200

• 12pm: Time to take some photos. Jump on the stairs of Flinders Street station and admire the street buskers before wandering across the Princes Bridge. Stop to take in the views of Southbank’s restaurants and the famous MCG. A few paces further takes you underneath Melbourne’s mini Eiffel Tower at the Arts Centre. Capture some history and pose with the ponies and their period carriages.

• 1:30pm: Lunchtime. Catch the number 8 tram to the Botanic Gardens and wander the flora and fauna bordering the city. This tranquil setting is the perfect place to tuck into your fresh lunch from the markets. If the weather’s not cooperating head to Mag Nation – a newsagent which encourages you to sit around all afternoon reading magazines. Buy a coffee and get comfy on one of the upstairs couches until the rain moves on.
  Mag Nation, 88 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, magnation.com,
  +61 3 9663 6091

• 4pm: A visit to the beach. Catch the 96 tram from Bourke Street to Acland Street in St Kilda and grab an ice cream from Seven Apples before taking a stroll towards Luna Park fairground and the beach. This is a great spot to take some photos and kick off your shoes, let the sand run through your toes and go for a paddle.

• 7pm: Dinner time. Take the 109 tram from Collins Street to Victoria Street, Richmond, to the street of cheap eats! There are plenty of hidden gems here. The bargain meal is the $6 phở at Thy Thy 2 – a big bowl of beef stock, beef, noodles, lime, herbs and chili and a complementary thermos of tea. Another option is a doner kebab at Alasya Bakery, which will set you back around $10, take the number 19 tram from Elizabeth Street.
  Thy Thy 2, 116 Victoria Street, Richmond, +61 3 9428 5914
  Alasya, 555 Sydney Road, Brunswick, +61 3 9387 0713

• 9pm: Sample the nightlife. Visit Fitzroy and witness what happens in Melbourne after dark. A favorite venue with both locals and tourists alike is the Night Cat. Fully loaded with live music and great crowds this is a great place to get your groove on. Catch the 112 to Brunswick Street, get off at Johnston Street and look for the building rocking back and forth to the beats. Sample a Carlton Draft and kick back, it may tip you over the $30 mark but you’ve earned it.
  The Night Cat, 137-141 Johnston Street, Fitzroy 3065,
  thenightcat.com.au, +61 3 9417 0090

…on $300

An extraordinary day awaits you in Melbourne, for no more than the cost of a single low stakes cash game buy-in.

Luna Park

• 9am: Breakfast time. Get things moving with a visit to Degraves Espresso on the iconic Degraves Street. Jump on the 75 tram at the corner of Degraves and Flinders Street and head out to Richmond. Your destination is OST, a new café-style venue boasting friendly staff and a reputation for the best morning nosh. Locals flock here for the one pan brekkie, a cast iron skillet loaded with bacon, fried eggs, chorizo, kipfler potato and mushrooms served with a slice of Noisette sourdough ($17.50). Wash it down with a Bloody Mary dosed with horseradish and celery ($12). Tram, brekkie and beverages come in at $40 total.
  Degraves Espresso, 23 Degraves Street, Melbourne, +61 3 9654 1245
  OST, 306 Bridge Road, Richmond, ost-bar-diner.com.au, +61 3 9429 6724

• 10:30am: Wander back down Bridge Road to work off the breakfast calories. The array of shops and discount warehouses offer up bargains galore, making the eyes bulge as much as the tummy. Heading back to the city center, cut through the luscious green Fitzroy Gardens, a paradise in the middle of metropolitan madness.

• 11:30am: Culture time. Your next destination is the National Gallery of Victoria. Exhibitions are seasonal but consistently impressive no matter your preference. Only the best of the best are shown here with past exhibitions including Dali, Monet and Van Gogh. Guaranteed to knock your arty socks off, entry is around $25.
  National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) St Kilda Road,
  ngv.vic.gov.au, +61 3 8620 2222

• 1:30pm: Let’s do lunch. Directly out the front of the gallery jump on the number 16 tram to Fitzroy Street and hop off at stop number 133. Seek out the new addition to the burgeoning restaurant scene, Golden Fields. Dishes of note are the shredded chicken in sesame paste with housemade cold rice noodles and chilli oil ($15), New England lobster roll with a hot buttered bun, cold poached crayfish, watercress and Kewpie ($15), duckfish with avocado and fresh horseradish and dried sea lettuce ($12). Top it off with a carafe of 2010 Jose the Rose, Yarra Valley ($36). Lunch with love for around $80.
  Golden Fields, 157 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda,
  goldenfields.com.au, +61 3 9525 4488

• 2:30pm: Let lunch settle with a wander down Fitzroy Street all the way to where the beach lines The Esplanade in St Kilda. Make your way down to Luna Park and enter the world of carnival madness and jaw-dropping thrill rides with an unlimited pass for $41.95.
  Luna Park, 18 Lower Esplanade, St Kilda,
  lunapark.com.au, +61 3 9525 5033

• 5:30pm: Take in the view. Tram it back to the city on the 16 and jump off at Southbank. Wander along the riverside and head towards the Eureka building. You can’t miss it, it’s the tallest in the Southern Hemisphere. The Skydeck offers the best panorama this gorgeous city has to offer and a ticket to the best view in town costs $17.50. Grab a photo of your high altitude adventure and savor the moment. Sky-high experience around $30.
  Eureka Skydeck 88, 7 Riverside Quay,
  Southbank, eurekaskydeck.com.au, +61 3 9693 8888

• 7pm: It’s so “Melbourne” to put a restaurant, bar or shop in a place no one thought possible and Ponyfish Island is a classic example. A must-try when walking back from Eureka across the bridge, you will not get a closer view of the Yarra River than when you’re floating at the Pony sipping on a beverage.
  Southgate Pedestrian Bridge, Melbourne, ponyfish.com.au

• 7:30pm: Grab some laughs. Tram or walk your way back to Collins Street and head for the Comedy Club. Melbourne is on the international map when it comes to funny guys and gals and a mix of globe-trotting gagsters are often on the bill. Tickets are $40 for dinner and a show.
  The Athenaeum Theater, 188 Collins Street, Melbourne,
  athenaeumtheatre.com.au, +61 3 9650 6668

• 10pm: It’s time for a drink. Make it a strong one to get the night rolling on into the wee hours. Catch the 112 from Collins out to Brunswick Street all the way to the end. It’s worth the ride to find Polly, the place to be when it comes to finely fused elixirs.
  Polly Bar, 401 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy,
  pollybar.com.au, +61 3 9417 0880

• 12am: Stumble back to the hotel. If you are feeling peckish head to Siglo, a rooftop garden bar serving the menu from the Supper Club one level below. This is the best rooftop dwelling in Melbourne. Soak up the booze with their gooey Croque Monsieur, this nocturnal soother will set you back $15 but is well worth cleaning out your wallet for.
  Siglo, Level 3, 161 Spring Street, Melbourne, +61 3 9654 0811

…on $3,000

If budgeting is not an issue Melbourne glitters with options. This 5-star experience is on the pricey side, but we promise you won’t be disappointed.

St Kilda Sea Baths

• 7am: Start the day early and breathe in Melbourne whilst skimming through the sky in a hot air balloon. Balloon Sunrise is the best when it comes to the exhilarating experience of ballooning. A Balloon Sunrise Gold Ticket includes a 5-star gourmet champagne breakfast in the luxury of the Langham Hotel. The pilot will collect you and whisk you to home base where you can see the huge balloons firing up in the crisp morning air. Float into the morning sky as the sunlight slides across Melbourne, there really is no better way to see this city in all its beauty. $345 well spent. Balloon Sunrise, balloonsunrise.melbourneaustralia.com.au,
  +61 3 9730 2422

• 10am: It may sound a little decadent, but arrange a driver for most of the day to ensure you don’t waste time getting to and from destinations. Justify the expense by classifying it as extensive scenic sightseeing. Silver Line Limo Service will be at your beck and call for $75 an hour or a flat rate can be negotiated for the day for around $600.
  Silver Line Limo Service, silverlinelimoservice.com.au,
  +61 3 9460 1890

• 10:30am: The first stop for your trusty chauffeur is the St Kilda Sea Baths. Take the scenic route along The Esplanade until you reach Spa Dreamtime. Winner of best day spa Australasia by SpaAsia, Dreamtime’s waterfront facility combines the comforts of a 5-star retreat with an ideal location for the ultimate in relaxation, all with panoramic views of Port Phillip Bay. Treatments range from $110 to $280 for the hour.
  St Kilda Sea Baths 10-18 Jacka Boulevard, St Kilda,
  spadreamtime.com.au, +61 3 9525 3288

• 12pm: Take a relaxing gondola ride on the Yarra River. Get your driver to drop you off at either Crown’s floating landing near the Melbourne Exhibition Centre or at Southbank near Sheraton Towers. Stroll down to the departure pontoon and take a scheduled cruise on a Venetian gondola. Glide past all the main attractions – the Exhibition Centre, Aquarium, Southbank and Crown, Flinders Street Station, Federation Square and the tranquil Alexandra Gardens. Packages start from $265 and include a bottle of sparkling wine and other luxuries.
  Venice on the Yarra, veniceontheyarra.com.au, +61 3 9399 1991

• 2:30pm: Afternoon tea at the Hotel Windsor. This Victorian hotel boasts a dining room fit for royalty, where afternoon tea is served on three-tiered silver stands and consists of freshly baked scones with jam and cream, exquisite pastries and finger sandwiches. Afternoon tea is served 12 till 2pm and 2:30 to 4:30pm. Monday to Friday it will set you back $59 and on weekends $79. The Hotel Windsor, 111 Spring Street, Melbourne,
  thehotelwindsor.com.au, +61 3 9633 6004

• 3:30pm: Time for some shopping. Head down to the Paris end of Collins Street, Melbourne’s luxury retail precinct and browse brands including Chanel, Prada, Hermes and Louis Vuitton. Purchases can become the responsibility of the driver leaving you to enjoy the shopping. Consider a purchase to wear to the stage show later!

• 5:30pm: Dinner at Vue De Monde. This culinary journey will impress even the most experienced palate. Choose from à la carte or go all out with the Gastronomes Menu for the ultimate experience. This top-level menu incorporates premium ingredients and is priced at $250 per person.
  Vue De Monde, Rialto, 525 Collins Street, Melbourne,
  vuedemonde.com.au, +61 3 9691 3838

• 7:45pm: Lucky your driver is waiting to whisk you off to Collins Street to rush to your reserve seat for one of the highly anticipated internationally renowned stage shows at the prestigious Regent Theatre. Tickets start from $89.90.
  The Regent, 191 Collins St, Melbourne, Ticketing: ticketmaster.com.au

• 10:30pm: Time to stretch the legs. The driver is no longer needed and has delivered your day’s shopping and excess baggage back to the hotel. Inspired by the show wander the streets of Melbourne in search of a suitable cocktail. Spice Market is your next destination, located just off Russell Street on Beaney Lane. Grab a seat at the lavish bar and soak up the international atmosphere.
  Spice Market, Beany Lane, Melbourne,
  spicemarket.net.au, +61 3 9660 3777

• 12am and onwards: Enter the world of Baroq House. Melbourne’s exclusive mansion houses the most desired after-dark parties, and the extravagant surroundings set the scene for a night out even your imagination would feel intimidated by. Secure a seat in the Dom Pérignon Room by purchasing a bottle of 1992 Dom Pérignon Oenothèque champagne, priced at $680. The room is full of fillies and beauty, the dance floor sways and the bottles pop. Start and end the night as you please, the options are endless and the doors don’t close until 5am.
  Baroq House, 9-13 Drewery Lane, Melbourne,
  baroqhouse.com.au, +61 3 8199 3735