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While it may not be as visually impressive as Sydney, it boasts the nation’s finest botanical gardens, contains a fine blend of new and stately buildings, a tram network, an abundance of bars, cafés, restaurants and live music venues and has a noticeably more relaxed air than Sydney.

It’s a wonderful city to enjoy for a few days. But when time is short, what are clients’ must-do sights? Follow Travel Weekly’s guide to getting the most of 24 hours in Melbourne.

Market forecasts

08:00: clients should start at the historical Queen Victoria Market, just north of the city centre. Opened in 1878, the market is classified by the National Trust and listed on the Historic Buildings Register.

It is Melbourne’s principal retail produce centre, a hectic and colourful multi-cultural scene, and is best visited in the early morning when it is at its most vibrant. Clients should browse the stalls, which sell everything imaginable, and soak up the buzzing atmosphere.

Gaol birds

09:00: stroll on to the Old Melbourne Gaol, stopping on the way for a coffee and hot pancake at XMS Café on Franklin Street. The Gaol is a cold, dark, grim place – but one that is undeniably fascinating. Built in 1842, it was in operation until 1929, during which time 135 prisoners were hanged for a variety of crimes. On display are the death masks of some of the more infamous bushrangers and convicts, along with the armour and scaffold that helped Ned Kelly meet his maker.

City break

11:00: hop on to one of Melbourne’s icons – the tram – and head into the city.

There are many impressive stately buildings in the city and three of them can be found at the intersection of Flinders and Swanston Streets – Flinders Street Railway Station, St Paul’s Cathedral and Young and Jackson’s pub, which was famed for a painting that hangs in the upstairs bar that was deemed indecent at the 1880 Melbourne Exhibition.

The station is one of the city’s oldest and grandest and ‘under the clocks’ at the entrance is Melbourne’s favourite meeting place.

Meanwhile, St Paul’s is a fine example of gothic architecture. The centre itself has an impressive shopping area spanning over a large grid of interconnecting streets and starting with a huge air-conditioned indoor complex, perfect for escaping the midday heat and browsing the mix of designer, high street and boutique shops.

Walk this way

12:30: a short walk along Flinders Streets is the first of Melbourne’s renowned gardens, Fitzroy. The state of Victoria is dubbed the garden state and its capital is no exception. The pathways of Fitzroy are laid out in the form of the Union Jack and contain Captain Cook’s Cottage, which was transported brick by brick from Yorkshire and reassembled in 1934.

Melbourne is also the sporting capital of Australia, and with good reason. It is home of the Australian open tennis championships, held in January, and it boasts the nation’s biggest sporting stadium – the 100,000 capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground, MCG. It is only a short walk from Fitzroy Gardens so clients should head to the MCG for a tour of the stadium which also takes in the Australian Gallery of Sport and Olympic Museum. The tour departs hourly and costs £6.

A short walk from here is the Southgate complex, on the Yarra River, with its stylish cafés, bars and restaurants. A great spot for lunch is the Southgate food court, a collection of 15 licensed eateries huddled around heated terraces.

Gardeners’ world

15:00: meander through the 88-acre botanical gardens, reckoned to be the finest in Australia and among the world’s best. Located next to the Yarra, it features a lake, 50 varieties of bird life, possums and a colony of fruit bats. Near the gardens is the Shrine of Remembrance, a war memorial detailing Australia’s involvement in several wars. There are views of the city from the top.

Beach bound

16:00: next clients should head south towards St Kilda, Melbourne’s cosmopolitan beach suburb, and home of the popular TV series The Secret Lives of Us. It’s a hive of activity with dozens of bars and cafés lining the beach and a pier from where it’s possible to take a trips out to see a small colony of penguins. Visitors can take time out for an al fresco coffee at the Metropol and enjoy a view of the coast.

That’s entertainment

18:00: after heading back to the centre clients should stop at the Crown Entertainment Complex on the river. The reception features a colourful fountain display, complete with music, and the glitzy Monte Carlo Room is a great place for a necessary minimum bet and pre-dinner cocktail.

Foodie heaven

19:30: the bohemian area of Fitzroy is the best place for clients to start (and finish) their evening. Dining possibilities are endless – there’s enough to eat somewhere different every day of the year and Melbourne is the only city in the world where a McDonald’s has closed through poor custom. Particularly recommended is the beautiful Dining Room 211 on Brunswick Street.

The late show

22:00: if clients stay in Fitzroy, which also has a thriving live entertainment scene, they should head to Bar Called Barry’s to sip cocktails and listen to live jazz until the early hours.

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