Have a layover in Melbourne? Whether you have 7, 12 or 24 hours in Australia’s most cosmopolitan city, here’s the ultimate guide to making the most of your short visit with ideas for activities to do near Melbourne Tullamarine Airport.
Planning Your Time
Melbourne Tullamarine Airport is located 23 kilometres from the Melbourne CBD. With a 7 hour layover, you’ll have approximately 3-4 hours to explore Melbourne. With a 12 hour layover, you’ll have 9 hours.
How To Make Your Melbourne Layover Simple and Stress-Free
To make your Melbourne airport layer a wonderful, stress-free experience, we recommend:
- Planning your time carefully – Be realistic about how much time you’ll have. Know ahead of time your top priorities for what you want to see and do during your short stay in Melbourne.
- Hiring a chauffeured car – Book a service such as Car Australia to make travelling from location to location easy and stress-free.
- Double-check when you’ll need to get back at Melbourne Tullamarine airport – Be sure to allow enough time to arrive back at Melbourne Airport to catch your next flight. A simple rule of thumb for domestic travellers is to arrive 2 hours before departure time to present at the boarding gate 30 to 40mins before it closes. For international travellers, it’s best to arrive at least 3 hours before departure time.
Layover in Melbourne
Wander Queen Victoria Market
Recommended time allocation: 3-4 hours
The largest open air market in the Southern Hemisphere, Queen Victoria Market offers an authentic market experience right in the heart of the city. Stretch your legs as you explore National Heritage-listed building, discovering amazing fresh produce, delicious food and coffee, clothing, antiques and unique bric-a-brac at every turn.
Get Your Coffee Fix
Recommended time allocation: 2 hours
Overflowing with gorgeous cafes, Melbourne is the perfect place for cafe-hopping. Melbourne is a city that lives and breathes coffee, so what better way to enjoy the city than stepping into one of its hundreds of unique cafes?
Explore Melbourne’s Museums
Recommended time allocation: 2+ hours for visiting the Melbourne Museum, 1 hour for the Immigration Museum, 2 hours for the Ian Potter Centre, 2+ hours to enjoy ACMI
Stop in at Federation Square to get your culture fix. Learn about the history of Australian Art at the Ian Potter Centre, or explore film, video games, digital culture and art at ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image). Hosier Lane, just four minutes away from Federation Square, displays ultra colourful artworks from local artists.
Have extra time up your sleeve? Melbourne Museum in the Carlton Gardens offers fantastic opportunities for adults and kids alike to learn about history, science and nature. Head to the Immigration Museum in the historic Old Customs House to learn about the local history and experiences of immigration and cultural diversity.
Relax in the Melbourne Royal Botanic Gardens
Recommended time allocation: 1-2 hours
If the day happens to be sunny, make the most of it by soaking up the natural beauty of the historical Royal Botanic Gardens in the Melbourne CBD. Enjoy the serenity of Ornamental Lake, take the Aboriginal Heritage Walk and savour breath-taking skyline views from Guilfoyle’s Volcano.
Looking for a comfortable ride to make your Melbourne airport layover simple and hassle-free? Car Australia has all your travel needs covered with our range of chauffeured cars. Get in touch today on 1300 661 119.