Queen Victoria Market

The Queen Victoria Market, on the northern edge of the Melbourne CBD, is one of the largest and most famous open-air markets in the Southern Hemisphere — and a genuine city icon. Trading since the 19th century, this sprawling heritage market spans deli, meat and produce halls, specialty stalls and a vast undercover bazaar of clothing, crafts and goods.

The appeal is that vibrant, only-in-Melbourne experience: the buzz of the traders, the incredible variety of fresh food and goods, and the chance to shop, browse and eat your way around one of the city's great institutions. It's beloved by locals doing their shopping and visitors soaking up the atmosphere, with seasonal night markets adding to the appeal.

With a 4.5 rating from nearly 60,000 reviews, it's an overwhelmingly cherished landmark. Trading days and hours vary by section — and the market isn't open every day — so it's worth checking the current opening times before you go, and arriving with an appetite and time to wander, as the sheer scale and variety reward a proper, unhurried explore.