Nearby places

Getting between these venues on foot and by tram

Most of the places on this list sit within a short walk of one another, which makes it easy to string a gallery visit, a film and a concert into a single day. The Southbank cluster is the natural starting point: NGV International, Arts Centre Melbourne and Hamer Hall line St Kilda Road just south of the Yarra, and the Melbourne Recital Centre is a few minutes away around the corner on Sturt Street. Cross Princes Bridge and you reach Federation Square, home to ACMI, with the Forum on Flinders Street a short stroll east past the laneways that run off Flinders Lane.

Pairing a day out

• Art, then music: spend the afternoon at NGV International, then walk to Hamer Hall or the Recital Centre for an evening performance without needing transport.
• Screen and street: combine ACMI with a wander through nearby laneways such as Hosier Lane and the arcades north of Flinders Street.
• Gigs further out: the Corner Hotel in Richmond is reachable by train or tram along Swan Street, while the Croxton Bandroom in Thornbury sits on the High Street tram corridor north of the city.

Practical tips

Melbourne's free tram zone covers much of the CBD, but Southbank venues and the suburban pubs fall outside parts of it, so keep a myki card topped up. Programs, opening hours and ticketing change regularly, so always check each venue's official website before you set out, and book ahead for popular shows, as smaller rooms like the Corner and the Croxton can sell out quickly. Allow extra time on major event nights, when trams around Flinders Street and St Kilda Road get crowded.

For routes linking these venues to the city's best-known lanes, see our Laneways Guide, or browse more ideas in Guides.