2 Days in Melbourne and Victoria
Even with just two days, Melbourne’s day-trip radius pays off: a fast day covering the CBD, then a real day trip into the Yarra Valley rather than another day in the city. Sort your entry first: an ETA (subclass 601, about AUD $20) for most passports, or the free eVisitor for EU/UK. There’s no train from Melbourne Airport, so budget the SkyBus (about AUD $25.90) or a taxi/Uber (roughly AUD $65-75).
Day 1: Melbourne CBD, fast
Start at Federation Square and the Ian Potter Centre (NGV Australia, free), then work the laneways: Hosier Lane for street art, Degraves Street for coffee, and a quick pass through the 1892 Block Arcade and 1870 Royal Arcade. Walk the Yarra River promenade toward Southbank in the afternoon, and have dinner in one of the CBD’s laneway restaurants, roughly AUD $30-50 a head. This entire day sits inside the Free Tram Zone, so trams cost nothing.
Day 2: Yarra Valley day trip
The Yarra Valley is about 1 hour 15 minutes from the city by car or tour, close enough to be a genuine day trip rather than a rush. Spend the day on wine tastings at the cellar doors, and if you have a few extra hours, add Healesville Sanctuary to see native wildlife up close. Book a guided tour if you’re not driving yourself, since there’s no direct designated-driver-free way to do a proper wine day otherwise.
Concrete tip: book your Yarra Valley tour before you land, especially on weekends, when the popular cellar-door tours fill up days in advance.
Two days only samples the base-and-day-trip concept. For a fuller version, the 3-day itinerary adds an honest single-day run at the Great Ocean Road, and the full Melbourne, Australia guide covers the whole day-trip radius. If you’d rather spend both days in the city itself, the Melbourne 2-day itinerary does exactly that.
Before you fly: confirm your ETA or eVisitor, and pick up a Myki card once you’re ready to leave the Free Tram Zone.