Top 10 Instagrammable spots in Melbourne

Like a good bottle of wine, Melbourne is a city that reveals many of her best qualities with time. Curiosity is rewarded with all manner of (photogenic) finds and (must-share) experiences in the city’s many laneways and arcades, in basements and on rooftops, and throughout its wildly diverse neighbourhoods.

But visitors pressed for time can also fill their feeds with images of the city’s landmark locations, with the help of this shortlist of the ten most Instagrammable spots in Melbourne:

Flinders Street Station The historic railway station with its prominent dome, arched entrance, tower and row of clocks is one of the city’s most photographed buildings. Backing onto the Yarra River, the imposing station extends two whole city blocks – so there are plenty of angles to choose from to capture this cultural icon, day or night.

City views across the Yarra RiverCarving its way through the city, the Yarra River offers an assortment of scenic Melbourne shots with the city rising from its banks or reflected in its flowing waters. One of the most photographed views of the city can be captured from Southbank, with some of Melbourne’s most recognisable landmarks all in frame: Princes Bridge, the Yarra River, Flinders Street Station and Federation Square.

Eureka Skydeck 88Raise a lofty lens over the city from atop Melbourne’s highest building; also the highest public vantage point in a building in the Southern Hemisphere. The ‘Skydeck’ on Level 88 offers 360-degree views over the city – and, for those wanting a novel selfie suspended above the city, ‘The Edge’ is a glass cube that extends itself three metres out from the building, 300 metres up.

Shrine of RemembranceThe centrepiece of the sprawling parklands and Royal Botanical Gardens at the southern end of the city’s cultural precinct, the Shrine provides unrivalled panoramic views of Melbourne. With its clean lines and Classical-inspired architecture, the Shrine itself – the State’s memorial to Australians who served the nation in global conflicts – also strikes an insta-worthy pose.

Centre PlaceLined with bustling cafes, with bars and restaurants crammed into every nook, cranny and basement, shoebox sized shops and boutiques, and some of Melbourne’s best street art and installations, the colourful Centre Place offers a condensed snapshot of Melbourne life in one single laneway.

Rooftop BarMelbourne’s nightlife and cultural scene continues to play out on the city’s rooftops. Rooftop Bar, atop Curtin House, is unquestionably one of the best spots in the city to party with the locals, soak up the city vibe and enjoy an open-air drink or catch a film when Rooftop Cinema takes over five nights a week during summer.

Royal Exhibition BuildingThe picture-perfect Royal Exhibition Building is World-Heritage listed and is one of the most photographed buildings in Melbourne. It is flanked by the stunning Carlton Gardens, a fountain oft frequented by wedding parties, and avenues of trees that are at their most majestic in autumn but which beautifully frame the building all year round. The meticulously restored interior serves up further photographic delights with its expansive galleries and elaborately painted dome.

State Library of VictoriaAnother of Melbourne’s landmark buildings and cultural icons, the historic State Library of Victoria is arguably even more impressive on the inside. The central Reading Room is a photographer’s dream with its beautiful dome, octagonal shape and simple symmetry.

William Barak BridgeThe William Barak Bridge at Birrarung Marr provides a different perspective of Melbourne as it stretches between the city and Melbourne’s sporting precinct. Offering a more industrial-style shot of the city over the rail tracks and views over some of Melbourne’s major sporting venues, the bridge is also symbolic link between modern-day Melbourne and its areas of Aboriginal heritage. William Barak was the last traditional Elder of the Wurundjeri clan, who were the first inhabitants of present-day Melbourne.

Elizabeth StreetNo Melbourne album is complete without a tram. Melbourne’s famous tramway system is the only surviving tram network in Australia, and the largest in the Southern Hemisphere with 244 kilometres of track and 450 trams. Elizabeth Street has a constant stream of them cutting through the cityscape, door-stopped by Flinders Street Station at the southern end.

Close contenders for the top 10 include The Block Arcade, the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), the beachside suburb of St Kilda and colourful Brighton Beach bathing boxes.

Follow @visitmelbourne for more Insta-inspiration, and tag #visitmelbourne for a chance to feature in Melbourne’s official Instagram feed.