Fashion and fun - Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Arrive at the Hotel Lindrum, a modern travellers' intimate haven that is housed in a classic building.

Hotel Lindrum

You could be forgiven for thinking you've walked into a private club; Lindrum is a stylish and modern yet comfortable, with an emphasis on privacy and attention to detail. Hang out in the cosy bar and billiard room and keep an eye out for rock or film idols wandering through the door. Just like you, the glamorous and famous find the Lindrum a peaceful inner sanctum in Melbourne's bustling CBD.

For car-free creative shopping, cafes and a glimpse of the designer community, head off the grid and into the 'little' streets the lanes and arcades.

Jungle Juice / Centre Place

Alphaville / Flinders Lane

Cathedral Arcade / Nicholas Building

Wander along the top end of Flinders Lane for accessories in basement boutiques, galleries and designer showrooms. The Nicholas Building is a 10-storey landmark where you will find local and imported fashions, studios and specialist outlets.

Nearby Degraves Street is a bustling block of alfresco eating and shopfronts selling imported paper, shoes to covet, lingerie and cup cakes. Campbell Arcade – Degraves Street subway is home to young designers, and Centre Place a bustling thoroughfare lined with trinkets and hole-in-the-wall cafes.

Melbourne is famous for its obsession with great food. Tour the city's excellent coffee, boutique beers, creative cocktails and local wine.

Helenic Republic

Red Hummingbird

Emerald Peacock

Award-winning chef George Calombaris has taken affordable simple Greek food to Lygon Street at his new venture Hellenic Republic. Featuring an easy atmosphere with a hint of smoke from the grill, and simple tiled blue and white decor, Hellenic Republic serves all your Greek favourites.

Order from a menu that features uncomplicated, home-style Greek cooking, including George's grandmother's recipe for traditional moussaka.

Choose a lounge or a seat at a communal table in the luxurious surroundings of the very new nightspot, Emerald Peacock. Sister venue to Red Hummingbird, this beautiful bird has a lounge, a retro dining room, and a cocktail bar, all decorated in elaborate wallpapers. Check out the rooftop space with city views.

Breakfast in the light and air that is Cumulus Inc., before setting out to discover the local designers, hole-in-the-wall cafes, and street art of city laneways.

Cumulus Inc. / Flinders Lane

Housed in an historic rag-trade warehouse and one-time gallery space, Chef Andrew McConnell's 'eating house and bar' is located in what is rapidly becoming the new food precinct of Melbourne. Wander along the top end of Flinders Lane to Cumulus, which is open from breakfast to dinner, six days of the week. Find a seat in the semi-industrial New York loft-style space and order from a creative menu featuring farmhouse slab bacon and smoked tomato, oysters shucked to order and a mind-boggling selection of Charcuterie.

Fortified by a great breakfast, it's now time to explore. Take a tram or stroll through city streets to North Melbourne, an eclectic neighbourhood with some treasures you'll miss if you don't have your ear to the pavement.

Queen Victoria Market

Kids in Berlin / North Melbourne

The first stop today is a North Melbourne icon. The Queen Victoria Market is famous as the largest and oldest market in the Southern Hemisphere and home to a colourful array of merchants and hawkers. From organic fruit and vegies to sheepskin slippers, the Vic Market is an experience not to be missed.

Looking for lunch? Graze your way through the market or head to Errol Street, which is emerging as a cool eating and drinking destination. If you have time for some shopping, make sure you stop at kids in berlin to check out their winter range.

Rest your weary feet in the Art Deco splendour of the Court House Hotel. The distinctive 'yellow brick' building is home to a dining room lauded for its European cuisine and seasonal menu. Peruse the cult and unique draught beers and wine list.

Take a tram to Docklands and grab a table at Mecca Bah. Linger over a delicious mezze plate (try the Kataifi pastry filled with Middle Eastern cheeses) and finish with a Turkish coffee.

Mecca Bah / Docklands

AFL / Etihad Stadium

Tempted to settle in? Or join the fans in their football colours at one of the city's state of the art stadiums. This winter Melbourne hosts our nation's best rugby union, soccer, and rugby league sides in closely contested competitions, and the annual AFL premiership season gets serious.

Experience the best in international rugby union as the Qantas Wallabies take on Italy at Melbourne's Etihad Stadium this winter. Having beaten Ireland here last year in the Qantas Wallabies' first Test for 2008, the home team will be keen to come away with another win.

Head to Brunswick Street for breakfast of bread baked on the premises topped with eggs, and a great coffee at Babka. Walk it off at the Saturday outdoor Rose Street Artists' Market.

Rose St. Artists' Market

Rebound Books – Rose St. Artists' Market

mattt – Rose St. Artists' Market

Head to Big Mouth. A St Kilda institution, the opulent art deco roots hint at its history as a ballroom and a gambling den.

Meet the maker, and see the work of emerging artists and designers at Rose St. Artists' Market. Peruse the stands to see handmade lighting, prints on canvas, hand printed clothing, and handmade silver, fabric and leather jewellery. The market also has a gourmet cafe as well as live entertainment throughout the day.

Enjoy an easy afternoon of shopping, eating and drinking as you discover Brunswick Street, Fitzroy with its fabulous range of boutiques, great music and bookstores and colourful cafes and bars.

When you're searching for that certain something, nothing beats a little local knowledge. And when it comes to fashion, Melbourne local Fiona Sweetman knows it all.

MoVida Next Door

Discover Melbourne's famous fashion triangle, be introduced to the delights of Gertrude Street, or explore fascinating arcades and laneways with Hidden Secrets tours.

Armed with a map, a smile and an encyclopedic knowledge of Melbourne's fashion and retail scene, Fiona takes shoppers on a tour of Melbourne's unique boutiques and designer labels, many of them hidden away in the tucks and folds of the city's alleyways and arcades.

Melbourne is brimming with fashion talent and Fiona knows about the clothes and their makers. As well as discovering home-grown threads, shoppers get the lowdown on the designers' backgrounds and careers. By the end of the tour, shoppers know the ins and outs of Melbourne's fashion scene and can negotiate the lesser-known laneways of Australia's style capital with confidence.

Movida Next Door is an easy dinner choice for its proximity to venues and galleries, and the great Spanish sherries and tapas on the menu.

Zentini

Aesop

Betty & Ford

Wander down Hosier Lane, past the colourful stencil and street art to sample a traditional Spanish tapas bar experience at Movida Next Door. Take a seat at the bar for tapas and a glass of sherry or wine and don't leave without sampling the churros and Spanish hot chocolate prepared by Frank Camorra, The Age Good Food Guide chef of the year.

On the way to the airport take a minute to marvel at Melbourne's creativity and couture and jot down a list of 'must-sees' for your next visit.