When I am travelling overseas I tend to find that the main shopping areas often have a “sameness” to them. More so when you go to Australia because many of the stores are also present here. That is not the same when it comes to markets. The major market in Melbourne is the Victoria Market that occupies over an entire city block. I have visited every time I have been to Melbourne and this time I could look at it in my own time without other people either getting bored or wanting something off every stall.

The market operates five days a week with different hours each day, and even within that different sections have different hours. It is actually several markets in one area selling everything from seafood and meat, fruit and vegetables to clothes and tourist items. I actually got there just after it opened which is often a good idea as it avoids a lot of tourist crowds that can come later in the day.

On Sundays there are two artists markets. One is located in the city by the Arts Centre while the other is on the promenade at St Kildas Beach. Both markets have a policy that the goods on sale have to be local work so in many cases you get to talk to the people who are producing the items.