Hidden city gems: A spotlight on Melbourne's nightlife

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Naturally, as Australia's "culture capital", the city of Melbourne is rich with a variety of vibrant sights and unforgettable musical, culinary, and generally 'cultural' experiences.

Whilst many of the city's most signature delights can be enjoyed at any hour, there's no denying that the city truly does come alive once the sunsets.

Often referred to as Australia's own 'New York', the Melbourne CBD has been praised for its bustling nightlife, boasting a plethora of award-winning bars and restaurants, nightclubs, live music venues, and many other experiences that are well worth pencilling into your Melbourne trip itinerary.

We'll be exploring some of these worthy itinerary additions below.

More often than not, you won't even need to leave your hotel in order to find a five-star dining experience in the city of Melbourne.

For instance, the W Hotel in Melbourne is a fantastic stay, both with regards to its amenities, as well as the fact that it is home to one of award-winning chef Adam D'Sylva's most highly reviewed restaurants, Lollo.

Lollo's signature duck lasagne is highly recommended if you are looking to sample some of D'Sylva's own creations.

The fantastic thing about Melbourne, however, is that the exceptional fine dining experience that Lollo offers is by no means an outlier.

There is a myriad of other fine dining experiences available to urban explorers who are on the hunt for a good feed before a night of music and dancing.

A short walk through the CBD will take you to some of the city's most iconic dining districts, including Southbank which overlooks the inky Yarra River, the Italian restaurants of Carlton's Lygon Street, as well as the hidden gems dotting the length of Melbourne's many laneways.

The city's Hardware Lane is a pocket that you won't want to miss out on, being home to some of Melbourne's oldest and most beloved restaurants and eateries, including Campari House, a multi-level restaurant, bistro, and rooftop bar that offers an Italian-style menu, fantastic cocktails, and some striking views of Melbourne's towering skyscrapers and heritage buildings alike.

Campari House has been a favourite haunt of Melbourne residents for over 50 years now, so get ready to hear some stories from locals if you're a sociable drinker!

By its design, Melbourne is a highly tourist-friendly city, and not just because of its Free Tram Zone that provides city explorers with access to free public transport in and around the heart of the CBD.

Many Melbourne hotels are situated right beside some of the city's most famous bars and pubs, so you'll have easy access to some signature cocktails wherever you may find yourself.

And when all of those bars and pubs tend to also double up as some of the city's most famous live music venues, you'll be sure to have plenty of entertainment accompanying you throughout your night on the town.

If you are searching for a bar that won't just be a pit stop on your way to something more exciting, then we certainly do have some recommendations for places that will undoubtedly take your fancy.

Heading north of the CBD and towards the eclectic inner-city suburb of Fitzroy, you'll find a stretch of exciting nightclubs and bars along the length of Johnston Street.

Amongst those sits The Night Cat, a live music venue that's characterised by its energetic rock, alternative, and cultural music performances as well as its weekly salsa dancing nights.

The venue is highly accessible and features a central stage and other modular performance spaces, meaning that the space can truly transform from set to set.

Another must-see live music venue has to be St Kilda's Hotel Esplanade.

Consisting of five different floors including a rooftop bar that looks out on St Kilda's palm-dotted coastline, 'the Espy' is often referred to by both St Kilda locals and Melbournians alike as 'the home of live music'.

Some of Australia's most popular musical groups and independent artists have taken to the stage on weekend nights, including Australian singer-songwriter Paul Kelly, who has been calling St Kilda home since the 1970s.

If you're a few days into your Melbourne trip and have been feeling thoroughly boogied out, there's no better recipe for an enjoyable and low-energy night out than with a trip to the theatre or, better yet, to a comedy show!

Being home to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the city's comedy scene is just as eclectic as its music and foodie scene too, so there's rarely a shortage of fun, quirky, independent comedy shows and performances to go to in all corners of the CBD.

True die-hard comedy fans will, however, absolutely want to schedule a trip to the city's signature comedy club, The Comic's Lounge.

Being the largest and most prestigious comedy club in the city, The Comic's Lounge has hosted some of Australia's most renowned comedians, including Wil Anderson, Jimeoin, and other big-name newcomers like Nat's What I Reckon and comedian and YouTuber Neel Kolhatkar.

The Comic's Lounge also plays a major role in the lead-up to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, as comedians take the opportunity to test some of their newest material on their peers and comedy fanatics alike at the Lounge before debuting the material in their new shows.

Finally, if you're on the hunt for a little bit of fine dining, cocktails, arts, culture, and live music all rolled into one delectable package, then look no further than Friday Nights at the NGV, or the National Gallery of Victoria.

As one of Melbourne's most popular and established art galleries and museum spaces, the NGV is an absolute must-add to your Melbourne itinerary, whether you'll be heading there for the day or are looking to enjoy their signature curated Friday Night experiences, that consist of live DJs, drinks, and finger foods, all accompanied by incredibly enriching artistic experiences.

NGV's Friday Nights events also often include special, limited-time exhibits that aren't accessible to the general public.

It's well worth noting, however, that even their evergreen exhibits take on a new life in the atmosphere that accompanies their Friday Nights.

Basically, if the idea of walking through an art gallery after-hours with disco lighting and a live DJ present to enhance the experience appeals to you, then you should absolutely consider booking tickets to this singular artsy experience, positioned in the centre of Melbourne's bustling arts precinct.

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Although we have outlined some of the city's most unmissable cultural experiences, the city itself is so rich with things to see, do, and quite honestly taste, so our little overview is by no means an exhaustive list.

If you do want to experience the magic of Melbourne at your own pace, we absolutely recommend keeping some of the days in your trip itinerary totally blank and carved out for independent exploration.

With all of the city's hidden laneways and underground scenes, there's really no limit to what you may be able to discover just by taking a walk and enjoying the cool night air!