Melbourne's city fringe

Just north of the Melbourne city centre are the suburbs of Fitzroy and Carlton, respective homes to Melbourne's alternative and Italian communities. To the east, Richmond is famed for its Greek and Vietnamese culture and eateries as well as its shopping, while just south of the Yarra are the style-conscious suburbs of South Yarra, Toorak and Prahran, the city's premier destinations for designer fashion and food.

Head west to the bayside suburbs of Port Melbourne, South Melbourne and Albert Park for food markets, delis, upmarket stores and elegant nineteenth-century streetscapes. Further south, seaside St Kilda is a famous melting pot of people and cultures, while Balaclava is a European enclave where the old and the new happily coexist in perfect harmony.