Exploring the City by Foot

Lanes in Melbourne

Several of the other cities I've been to have offered comprehensive walking tours, which I've always found to be a great way for me to familiarize myself with my surroundings a little bit, especially Krakow since I only had a short amount of time to get to know the area. Melbourne doesn't offer any such guided tours; however, the information center in Federation Square has a decent selection of self-guided walking tours that anyone who's

Coffee break

interested in doing can do. These include everything from the beautiful gardens and the stunning waterfront to the gorgeous Victorian buildings and the magnificent cathedrals.

My friend Jason had a friend visiting from Adelaide so he arranged a tour for him and anyone else who wanted to join called Arcades and Lanes that led us down some of Melbourne's smaller cobblestone alleyways, lined with funky stores and adorable cafes. Walking along these narrow, more hidden streets reminded me of

Outside the GPO on Bourke Street

Europe, especially the dozens of open cafes with the outdoor seating that almost made me think I was back in Paris or Porto.

When I first arrived in Melbourne, I feel like Ben may have taken me down some of these streets, but it's all sort of a daze since that mini-tour came after a twelve-hour bus ride from Sydney. Back then, Melbourne was unfamiliar so the city seemed immense and like a place where I could easily get lost, but now that I've been here for a couple months, I've come to learn how compact it is. Even though there's still more for me to see, with all the little side roads and boutiques, sometimes I miss the vastness I had felt when I was new to the city; however, I'll admit that it's nice to know my way around.