Just behind Melbourne’s iconic St. Kilda Beach, this historic suburb is famous for its art scene, live music venues, mouth-watering cakes and the wild rides of Luna Park.
Long established as one of Melbourne’s creative hubs, St. Kilda is the city’s beachfront cultural hub, where the suburb’s bohemian roots mingle with new urban developments. Check out St. Kilda’s palm-lined beach and learn to kitesurf in the bay. Spend the day wandering along one of St. Kilda’s bustling main streets and experience stylish cafés, excellent restaurants, art galleries and boutique fashion stores.
A good way to start your day in St. Kilda is with a walk along the Esplanade. Stroll along the waterfront and take in views of the bay, dotted with ships coming and going from Docklands. Join the joggers, cyclists and skaters on the Bayside Cycling Trail, take a refreshing dip in the ocean or relax in the heated and filtered seawater at St. Kilda Sea Baths.
Explore Acland Street or Fitzroy Street to find a wide selection of casual cafés, upscale restaurants, fish and chip shops, gelatarias and cake shops. These streets are also filled with fashionable clothing shops, intriguing independent bookstores and a range of atmospheric bars. Stroll down Carlisle Street to experience the area’s European influence. Pick up a tasty bagel from one of the bakeries and learn about Melbourne’s Jewish heritage at the Jewish Museum of Australia.
No trip to St. Kilda is complete without a visit to Luna Park. Take in unbeatable views of the city and the bay from atop a rollercoaster or Ferris wheel or try your luck on the fun-filled carnival games for all ages.
As the sun sets, relax with a cold drink at the Esplanade Hotel, simply known as the Espy, a Melbourne mainstay in the rock ’n' roll scene. You might be able to see the colony of little penguins coming in to roost in their rookery by the St. Kilda Pier breakwater.
St. Kilda is easily reachable via the central city tram that runs through the Bourke Street Mall in the CBD. Visit St. Kilda in February to experience the wonderful St. Kilda Festival, a 9-day carnival of local music, arts and culture. Melbourne’s Pride March, which celebrates local gay and lesbian communities, also occurs in St. Kilda in February.
