Check Out Federation Square: Right next to “Cup Of Truth” are a number of attractions you can check out. So order your coffee to go. Right next to Flinders station is the Yarra river. Go over to the bridge and enjoy the view of the Yarra waterfront and Melbourne skyline. There’s usually rowers in the waters getting their morning exercise. If you’re up for it, you can take a brisk (short) walk up or down the river to get your juices flowing.

Once done head over to Federation square and go into tourist information office. Grab a map of the city that will help you along your way during this day trip. Across the street from the tourist office is St. Paul’s Cathedral. This is a beautiful building showcasing the best architecture in Melbourne. It has a striking Gothic design and offers a peaceful solitude inside the cathedral.

Experience Melbourne Arcades and Lanes: Melbourne is famous for its lanes that are narrow alleys hosting micro spaced restaurants and are covered with spray-painted graffiti and street art. These lanes bustle with tourists who hurriedly pass through taking pictures, checking out the shops and admiring the street art.

Start your tour from Degraves Street. While technically not a lane, it offers the same experience. There are lots of cafes and shops on both sides of this street. Grab breakfast on this lane, find a place to sit and enjoy some people watching as you eat. Once done continue straight ahead and right across from it is Center Place. This is the most famous lane in Melbourne and is probably photographed a million times a day.

Next up are Melbourne’s arcades. These are very old indoor Victorian shopping malls from the 1800’s that are ornately decorated. Start with the Royal Arcade which is a small arcade with high glass archways and two famous statues of Magog and Gog at the end of the mall. After that visit The Block which is a beautifully decorated space holding several eye catching statues. If you have a sweet tooth then visit one of the Tea Rooms that serve decadent cakes.

Finally, you need to experience Melbourne’s street art. I recommend you first checkout Union Lane, which is close to the arcades. This small alleyway is covered from start to finish with graffiti. Then head over to Hoosier Lane which is the granddaddy of all graffiti’ed alleys. Both lanes are open to the public to paint on, so the quality ranges from “why did they bother” to very impressive and unique art.

Visit Melbourne’s Chinatown: Next head off to Chinatown which spans Little Bourke and Lonsdale Streets. Melbourne’s Chinatown is the longest continuous Chinese settlement in the western world. It’s a melting pot of Asian cultures that include Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Malaysian and Vietnamese people. This is a great place to eat, shop and explore; especially the Tianjin Garden. Make sure to grab lunch as you explore this district from the attached recommendation list of restaurants.