Cafe culture, arts and sport make for Melbourne’s magic blend

Education, culture and sport: if a city was a slogan, these three words would define Melbourne, Australia’s second-biggest city and the nation’s arts and sports capital.

Dubbed the “education state”, Melbourne is home to some of the world’s best universities, including The University of Melbourne, one of Australia’s oldest and most respected tertiary institutions, as well as Monash University, its largest.

It also features six other great universities, spread out across the sprawling metropolis with campuses in neighbouring rural cities such as Bendigo and Geelong: the inner-city RMIT University, La Trobe University, Swinburne University, University of Divinity, Victoria University and Deakin University.

Marvellous Melbourne.Credit: Joe Armao

As a result, students who wish to study and live in Melbourne are spoilt for choice. The coffee is sublime (the city has been crowned the coffee capital of the world) and plentiful (read: affordable), and the food culture is not only incredible but versatile, owing to Melbourne’s migrant culture and history.

With easy access to some of the nation’s best cultural facilities – including the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Theatre Company, the Australian Centre for Contemporary Arts and the Melbourne Recital Centre - and legendary sports landmarks like the MCG and Melbourne Park – the city has something for everyone.

Melbourne is also home to the largest tram network in the world - including 520 trams, 24 routes and around 1700 stops spanning 250 kilometres - so getting around is pretty easy, especially if you’re living close to a university. Here are our picks for the best suburbs for students.

MELBOURNE CITY CENTRE (CBD)

While it may not be as pretty as Sydney, Melbourne’s gridded central business district is a breeze to navigate – not to mention close to RMIT and Melbourne universities, as well as the Victorian College of the Arts (owned by The University of Melbourne).

Centre Place in Melbpourne CBD.Credit: Craig Sillitoe

The extensive tram network (which is free for anyone travelling within the CBD), runs hundreds of trams a day making it easy to get basically anywhere within a 10-kilometre radius of the city centre, and the cute lanes that weave through the main roads are easily accessible by foot – you won’t want to miss the secret bars, coffee spots and independent boutiques that inhabit Melbourne’s famous laneways.

CARLTON

Known for its proximity to RMIT City Campus and The University of Melbourne, Carlton is a hotspot for students and young professionals. Home to a great mix of cafes, pubs, restaurants and shops (including Melbourne’s iconic independent bookstore Readings) as well as Lygon Street – Melbourne’s Little Italy – Carlton is the perfect place for a day or night out.

If you like your pizza and pasta, this is the place to visit: Tiamo, Lygon Street Espresso Bar and DOC Pizza and Mozzarella Bar are just some of the options available to Italian food lovers. Its proximity to beautiful parks is also a bonus: Carlton Gardens is right around the corner, and the suburb itself is known for its leafy green streets.

FITZROY

Nestled in Melbourne’s north, Fitzroy is the original hipster precinct. Its mix of street art, quirky shops, trendy eateries, old-fashioned workers pubs, live music and countercultural vibe earned it Time Out’s title of Australia’s coolest suburb in 2022 (and the world’s 27th).

Fitzroy’s buzzing Brunswick Street.Credit: Eddie Jim

If you’re into rooftop bars, there’s Naked for Satan (which sells cheap pintxos), and cafes and restaurants like Vegie Bar and Smith & Daughters that offer delicious options for those not inclined towards meat. If you’re after something more fancy but just as fun, just walk down to leafy Gertrude Street (named the second-coolest street in the world) to find the much-loved Builders Arms pub and excellent boutique shopping.

Close to RMIT and Melbourne universities (and attached to a busy tram network) Fitzroy is another great choice for students.

PARKVILLE

If you want to live literally next door to a university, Parkville is the place for you. An inner-city suburb that’s adjacent to the University of Melbourne, Parkville has all the conveniences of the CBD, but with added greenery and a more academic atmosphere.

Despite its quieter vibe, Parkville is still very much on the pub crawl circuit and students who like a big night out will find themselves close to Prince Alfred Hotel and The Clyde. For those more interested in brunch culture, nearby Seven Seeds and The University Café offer amazing food (let’s face it – all of Melbourne does). It’s also close to trams and trains (Melbourne Central Station is walking distance).

CAULFIELD

Further afield is Caulfield, a beautiful suburb 10 kilometres south-east of Melbourne’s CBD. While it takes a little longer to get into the city than some other popular student suburbs, it does have some distinct advantages: Caulfield is home to one of Monash University’s campuses (the other is in Clayton, which is quite a bit further out); and it has a convenient train station, with services every 10 minutes.

With a large Jewish population, Caulfield and the surrounding areas of Balaclava and St Kilda feature delicious Jewish and Eastern European food, including bagel shops and bakeries with head-turning aromas, as well as the retail convenience of Caulfield Plaza, a must for any student living in the area.