Brighton Bathing Boxes

The Brighton Bathing Boxes sit along the Esplanade at Brighton Beach, on Port Phillip Bay in Melbourne's bayside south. One of the city's most iconic and photographed sights, this famous row of brightly coloured timber bathing boxes — each individually painted in vivid colours and patterns — lines the foreshore against a backdrop of the bay and the distant city skyline.

The appeal is that combination of a genuinely iconic, only-in-Melbourne sight and a beautiful beach setting: the colourful boxes make for a wonderful stroll, a classic photo and a lovely day at the bayside, with the beach right there for a swim or a walk along the sand. It's a quintessential Melbourne experience and a beloved landmark.

With a 4.4 rating from more than 11,900 reviews, it's clearly a hugely popular destination. The bathing boxes are a free, open public sight along the foreshore (they're privately owned, so you admire them from outside), and conditions vary with the weather, so it's worth picking a nice day and taking sun protection — while enjoying the famous colourful boxes and the lovely bayside setting at Brighton Beach.