TRAVEL - MELBOURNE CITY BACKPACKERS REVIEW

After spending two and half weeks stranded in Cairns due to record rainfall; we were sick to death of the sight of grey clouds and muddy puddles. We scanned the internet for the cheapest and quickest flights out of Cairns – and choose a holiday (within a holiday) to Melbourne for the following morning.

We arrived just after 10pm in Melbourne and hopped on our Sky Bus towards Southern Cross Station before finishing our short walk to Melbourne City Backpackers for the weekend. Melbourne City Backpackers hostel offers quality and affordable accommodation right in the centre of Melbourne CBD.

The Location

Literally a 2-minute walk from the convenient free tram system and the Southern Cross Station where you can jump on trains and buses that’ll take you ANYWHERE in the city. The hostel is a stone throw away from several cafes, restaurants, bars and a few convenience stores such as 7eleven.

How to book

You can book your stay either directly through the Melbourne City Backpackers Website, or through the various accommodation websites such as Booking/Hostel world. They have 8-4 bed dorms and private rooms to suit everybody’s preference and budget. If you do want to book via Booking.com, Use THIS LINK to get 10% off your stay – and help me keep this blog running in the same transaction, with no added fees for you.

The Room

During our stay, we were placed in a 4 bed dorm with two other guests. The others had A LOT of stuff piled on the floor, but the rooms are so big and spacious it didn’t really make an issue for us. Just an eyesore – but that’s just down to bad luck! The beds consisted of two bunk beds, we both choose the top bunks. With the rooms being located on the top floor, there is next to none noise pollution from the street outside. We didn’t even notice the fire department battling a blaze down the road on the first night because it was so quiet!

The Atmosphere

A very chilled out hostel, no one was loud or drunk within the hostel. The common areas are open plan and very large. This meant we were all able to relax with everyone in the hostel having their own personal space. The guests were all still very social though, settling down for group dinners and talking about their next travel destinations. The hostel helped guests interact by offering movie nights, sausage nights and quiz nights!

This hostel is perfect for those who want to get the most out of their stay in Melbourne. It’s clean, conveniently placed and has so much to offer. The hostel offers free breakfast every morning, jobs boards for those looking to stick around a bit longer and can also help arrange any tours you fancy.

Stephanie xoxo

* DISCLAIMER - This was a complimentary stay provided as part of an agreement between myself and Melbourne City Backpackers. Although I received free accommodation the review itself is honest. I will only include Hostels that I would personally recommend on Blonde Daisy Chains.

The best FREE things to do in Melbourne!

So, you're thinking of visiting Melbourne? Well, let me make it easier for you.

DO IT!

We were stranded in Cairns for two and a half weeks due to floods and after 72 hours of non-stop rain we booked a flight for the next morning to Melbourne to get our dose of Vitamin D! Our holiday within our holiday only lasted eight days - and I'm already counting down the days until we return at the end of April/start of May.

We spent every moment in Melbourne exploring the city and covered a lot of ground. Without spending a penny on entrance fees, no booking in advance and pennies on public transport to reach place to.

Here's a list of just SOME of the amazing things you can do in Melbourne without damaging your bank account. 

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Wander through the world famous lane ways

Any blog you read will tell you to walk around the lane ways and it's for a very good reason. They're covered in some of the most unique artworks you'll ever see and add real personality to every lane. We specifically loved the AC/DC lane. These lanes are more than just that, they each hold hidden treasure troves of secret bars, galleries and plenty of little surprises along the way.

Rock out at Cherry Bar

While speaking of said lane way surprises, on AC/DC lane you can find a rock music venue called Cherry Bar (well, it's actually moving in a few weeks, so you'll need to google it's new location, soz.) Cherry Bar is Melbourne's first authentic rock bar. They have a wide range of local and imported drinks, play FREE gigs 3 nights a week (and some decent bands for $10 too) We had an amazing night of dancing to rock and roll and listening to two of our new favourite bands.

Visit the State Victoria Library

Even if you're not into reading, you'll wan to go and see this absolute gem. The architecture made me feel like I was entering a Harry Potter movie. Start up to the very top to get a birds eye view of the whole place. There are individual exhibitions on each floor for you to enjoy while exploring to.

Take a stroll around the Royal Botanic Gardens

Every day locals flock to these stunning botanical gardens. It's the perfect picnic destination on a nice day. You can easily take a whole afternoon to walk around the gardens and chill by the lake. There's also a green house to explore if you can find it.

Educate yourself at the Statue of Remembrance

This was probably my favourite thing we did during our time in Melbourne. Just across the road from the Royal Botanic Gardens is a memorial building that was originally built to honour those who served during WWI. Once in the main building, climb the stair case to reach the roof top where you can get a panoramic view of the city.
Then, head downstairs and around the back to the war museum that is built underneath - It's an eyeopener to how Australia was effect by the wars.

View some art at the National Gallery of Victoria

wither you love art, or just need to kill some time in the city with some AC the National Gallery of Victoria is the place to be. It's completely free and holds modern and traditional pieces of art from around the globe.

Learn about your favourite Aussie music stars at the Australian Music Vault

Located right next to the NGV, a brand new venue has opened it's doors to showcase Australian music talent. It's completely free and is home to a permanent exhibition which celebrates homegrown music, and also has new objects changed regularly so there's always something new to see. My favourite item was the famous AC/DC school uniform. I just wish they had more Kylie outfits!

Check out the best of Australian Screen Content

The ACMI offers a variety of multimedia work that showcases both Australian and international content. It's home to everything from popular video games such as Minecraft and Super Mario to original aboriginal films and Hollywood blockbusters. It's nice to get an insiders look into the technology and skills that went into making probably the biggest entertainment systems in the world.

Catch the latest sporting event at Fed Square

Federation Square is located across the street from Flinder's Station. It's home to many restaurants, the ACMI and so much more. There's a large screen on the side of a building that shows live sporting events. We were able to watch our first big NFL game while tucking into our picnic. (We're in the UK, so the football is always on at like 3am)

Find a festival

There is always something happening in Melbourne, be it a small band in a local park or the famous St Kilda festival make sure you check it out. We were fortunate enough to be in Melbourne while the St Kilda festival was on. A completely free music festival on the beach in the summer.

I hope this guide has been useful for you. Let me know if you're heading to Melbourne and need anymore information - or if I've missed anything you think I should know about please let me know. I'll be heading back in May so will need more things to see!

Stephanie xoxo