The weather isn’t the only thing that rapidly evolves in Melbourne. The dynamic cultural scene means no two visits to the Victorian capital are the same. With a rich tapestry of food, art and entertainment options opening in 2025, there’s never been a better time to dive right in.

Be dazzled by Yayoi Kusama at the NGV International

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With a life and career stretching over nine decades, the famed pumpkins and polka dots are just the tip of the artistic iceberg for Japanese contemporary art icon Yayoi Kusama. Her brilliant works, activism and once-in-a-generation talent are on display at the NGV International until 21 April in what is the largest Australian retrospective ever and the biggest collection of her signature installations anywhere in the world.

Explore the works of influential Indigenous artists

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Meaning “Many Mobs” in the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung language, Wurrdha Marra at the The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia aims to share the creative work of First Nations artists. This ever-changing exhibition will showcase art exploring ancestral stories, cultural knowledge and customs and its links to place and Country. Emerging and senior First Nations artists across different time periods and regions are represented, including Tony Albert, Marlene Gilson, Rover Thomas, Gary Lee, Dhambit Mununggurr, Nonggirrnga Marawili and more. Entry is free.

Image credit: Josh Robenstone

Have cocktails with the DJ at Crown’s buzzy new bar

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The brainchild of hospitality royalty and house DJ Grant Smillie, Marmont is the shiny new jewel in Melbourne’s glittering Crown. Snack on Abrolhos Island scallop tostada with green mango and basil from the Raw Bar or tuck into a hearty lamb backstrap from the Californian-inspired menu as you sip on cocktails and watch the sun sink over the Yarra while a mesmerising vinyl soundtrack plays in the background. Positioned as a day-to-night venue with both indoor and outdoor dining spaces, Marmont is the place to be seen this summer.

Enter here for a chance to win flights, accommodation and a private viewing of Yayoi Kusama's vibrant exhibition in Melbourne.

Check into a design destination with a rooftop bar

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With its warm terracotta tones, jarrah cabinetry and cosy rooms, Melbourne Place on Russell Street in the CBD offers a boutique hotel experience with flavour-packed dining offerings that make it a must-visit. Executive chef Nick Deligiannis’ Mid Air sits perched on the 12th-floor rooftop, dishing out pan-Mediterranean fare and city views, while Portuguese restaurant Marmelo, by Sunny and Ross Lusted, elevates woodfired cooking to an art form.

Image credit: Benny Capp

Have the perfect fright night with Beetlejuice

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Eight-time Tony Award-nominated Beetlejuice The Musical, with an original score by homegrown Melbourne boy Eddie Perfect, premieres at the Regent Theatre on 7 May. Described as a “jaw-dropping funhouse” by The New York Times, the musical promises a technicolour trip with Perfect taking on the titular role.

Sleep inside a revitalised heritage building

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In a former printing press overlooking Parliament Gardens, the first Australian hotel from the Hong Kong chain Lanson Place opened in September 2024, adding a sumptuous, tranquil offering to the CBD’s eastern fringe. With more than 300 pieces of commissioned art and sculptures inspired by the building’s history and signature eatery, Chronicle 502, which plates up classic Australian bistro fare and cocktails by The Everleigh Bottling Co., every cent of the building’s luxurious $80-million renovation is on full display.

In just one Melbourne weekend you can take in the hottest new performances and try some of Australia’s most inventive tastes with a new hotel as your luxury base. Plan your getaway now at qantas.com.

Image credit: Alex Drewniak

Enjoy fine French food with a Melbourne skyline

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All four levels of this landmark heritage site on Bourke Street in the heart of Melbourne are an ode to the golden era of hospitality, with the French-accented Maison Bâtard and its sprawling showpiece restaurant, rooftop bar and late-night basement supper club all housed within gilded Parisian Art Deco interiors. Restaurateur Chris Lucas’ 2600-bottle wine collection complements simple, expertly executed takes on French classics, including a show-stopping tableside chocolate mousse.

Head to the sky for Filipino snacks and cocktails

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The team behind inner-city Filipino joint Askal have opened Inuman, a dedicated rooftop cocktail bar directly above the restaurant, mixing up Filipino ingredients with the country’s trademark warmth and hospitality under the expert eye of beverage director Ralph Libo-on. The Tito Ray features durian and calamansi, while the Boba Blind Pig blends rum and bergamot liqueur with ube halaya, a purple jam made from yams.

Take a cinematic trip to The Future & Other Fictions

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Running until April 27, an immersive exploration of futuristic art on the big screen at ACMI (formerly Australian Centre for the Moving Image) provides a glimpse into much more than creative film techniques. Showcasing artists and works imagining what the future might look like through film, video games, contemporary art and more, The Future & Other Fictions includes the creations of 19 visionaries from across the globe and is co-curated by ACMI's Amanda Haskard (Gunai/Kurnai) and Chelsey O'Brien, alongside film director and futurist Liam Young. Costumes from Marvel Studios' Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, sets and concept art from Blade Runner 2049 and Björk’s iconic dress from The Gate are among the not-to-be-missed exhibits.

Enter here for a chance to win flights, accommodation and a private viewing of Yayoi Kusama's vibrant exhibition in Melbourne.

Image credit: Luigi & Iango

Be immersed in a groundbreaking 3D performance piece

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From 19 February to 16 March, a mixed-reality performance is coming to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC). Kagami is a moving piece of music by the late Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto – whose work on The Last Emperor earned him an Academy Award – entwined with the output of mixed reality pioneers Tin Drum. With the help of 3D glasses, audiences will embark on a multi-sensory experience as the maestro, who died in 2023, materialises before them in holographic form.

Image credit: Dylan Kindermann

Plan a group feast at a contemporary Pan-Asian diner

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Michael Lambie, the acclaimed chef and creative brains behind cheerful inner-city eatery Lucy Liu Kitchen and Bar and Fed Square’s Taxi Kitchen, has hit another winner with South-east Asian eatery and cocktail bar Juni. Burrata with chilli oil and grilled Chinese doughnuts, Thai papaya salad and Cape Grim beef short rib served in Penang curry take you on a culinary tour of the continent, while sweet, zingy cocktail offerings like the sago margarita keep things upbeat at this Exhibition Street hotspot.

Stay at a funky hotel in the hip part of town

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Paying homage to the Hollywood glamour and brazen spirit of its Los Angeles counterpart, StandardX in the effortlessly cool suburb of Fitzroy is thrumming with energy. Interiors led by Melbourne-based firm Hecker Guthrie pair custom furnishings with antique pieces, while works from artist Jane Sinclair give things an unmistakably Melbourne heartbeat. With all-day Thai concept restaurant BANG, led by Executive Chef Justin Dingle-Garciyya, plating up street-food favourites made with local ingredients – think blue swimmer crab doughnuts and yellow curry with Port Phillip calamari – this vibing hotel has all the right moves.

A city getaway is even better when there are all-new cocktail bars, restaurants and hotels to try. Plan your Melbourne trip now at qantas.com.

Wander through Victoria’s first Koreatown

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While locals have known for years that the best place for all things Korean in Melbourne is Healeys Lane, it’s now official, with Lord Mayor Nick Reece officially declaring the precinct Koreatown in 2024. Grab a spicy back bone jjim at Seven Star Pocha, nosh on toasties with a twist at Seoul Toast and knock the froth off a frosty beer with a side of impossibly juicy fried chicken at the K-town outpost of Gami in this colourful, cultural and much-loved corner of town.

Image credit: Kate Shanasy

Indulge in Anglo-Aussie snacks from Ottolenghi alums

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Inspired by the quintessential British brasserie and helmed by Mark Hannell and Rebecca Baker, who met while working at Ottolenghi’s Nopi in London, Reed House is a cosy, warm and delicious take on traditional English recipes, nestled inside Lonsdale Street’s heritage Manse Building. The Welsh rarebit crumpet – melted cheesy beer sauce on a sourdough crumpet served with a bottle of Worcestershire sauce on the side – is a divine taste sensation and Hannell’s take on Scotch eggs (done ramen-style and cured in soy) gives new meaning to the phrase “comfort food”.

Embark on a plate-to-plate walking tour

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Melbourne’s food-capital status comes thanks to contributions from waves of immigrants, diverse regional produce and countless eating options, from hole-in-the-wall to high-end. On the Flavours of Melbourne Night Trail, you’ll depart Federation Square at dusk to amble through eclectic neighbourhoods while absorbing Melbourne’s history through the lens of its culinary evolution – and tasting the results along the way. Expect secret speakeasies, Chinatown classics, Instagram-worthy desserts, native flavours and, of course, coffee.

Enter here for a chance to win flights, accommodation and a private viewing of Yayoi Kusama's vibrant exhibition in Melbourne.