Morning
Launch into Melbourne with a visit to Melbourne's vibrant heart, Federation Square. Browse the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia collection for an introduction to Australian art or drop in to see what's playing at ACMI (the Australian Centre for the Moving Image), then give your verdict on Twitter in Melbourne's biggest outdoor free wifi hotspot. To complete your art experience, make a date to catch the latest blockbuster exhibition at NGV International.
Lunchtime
Take a stroll along Southbank beside the Yarra River and choose your favourite cuisine – will it be waterfront dining at Tutto Bene, the fresh flavours of Tasmania at Pure South, French fare at Bistro Guillaume, modern Japanese at Nobu or contemporary Chinese at Neil Perry's Spice Temple?
Afternoon
Visit the Immigration Museum to hear stories from the new arrivals who've given Melbourne its cosmopolitan edge since the 1830s. Or plunge into Degraves Street, the atmospheric enclave that helped kick-start Melbourne's obsession with coffee, cafes and laneways. Refuel with a latte at Journal Cafe before threading your way through the network of arcades that connect always-buzzing Centre Place and the Block Arcade, with its mosaic floors, soaring glass ceilings and dome, inspired by Milan's sumptuous Galleria.
Evening
At cocktail hour, make your way to Hosier Lane for pre-dinner tapas and drinks at MoVida Next Door. The bluestone-cobbled laneway is Melbourne's most prized urban art venue, with graffiti murals that seem to change daily. Or admire the fairy-lit trees and floodlit historic buildings on a walk to Grossi Florentino Upstairs, where a superlative Italian feast is served amid gorgeous paintings depicting Renaissance Florentine scenes. If you catch a show at the Regent, Princess or Her Majesty's theatres, complete your evening with late-night snacks and drinks at the Melbourne Supper Club, with fabulous views of neighbouring Parliament House.
Need more ideas?
If you've got more than one day to spend in Melbourne, check out some of our other suggested itineraries.