Discover new parts of Melbourne with a tour on the City Circle route 35

The audio guide on the route 35 City Circle tram describes the CBD as “cosmopolitan”, “whimsical” and even “funky”.

Even this rainy day can’t stop the funk it seems, while there is a flood of suit wearers, tourists and robust urban dwellers to cover the city carrying their accessory of choice: a takeaway coffee.

I hop off the heritage tram at Flinders Street Station, in the thick of Melbourne’s quintessential Flinders’ Quarter.

Weaving through the crowded lanes, smelling of espresso and toasted sandwiches, I stop near another of the cities’ best known attributes, an arcade, for a spot of tea and cake at Hopetoun Tea Rooms.

After that, in classic Melbourne style, the hidden spots were all stumbled upon by pure chance, and they also made for the perfect shelter to the rain.

A concealed panini shop, Saluministi, provides a slow-roasted pork panini – the perfect warming contrast to my now sodden shoes.

Not put off, I wander through Queen Victoria Market. It would be easy to do laps of the deli for cheese samples, but to earn my keep, a $3.50 cheese and spinach borek from The Borek Shop does the trick.

After another stroll, find Lucy Folk, tucked around the corner from Parliament – a stand-alone accessory store, with quirky pieces from designer hair ties, to clutches, eyewear and more.

Lastly, it would be a crime to not suggest a coffee stop in the city, and I particularly liked Bonnie Coffee.

Their newspaper board makes for perfect reading material whilst you wait for your takeaway, and ready yourself to join the herds of people in the city carrying one too.

Eat

Hopetoun Tea Rooms

This classic venue, a green wallpapered tea house inside The Block Arcade, has a sign – “Where there’s tea, there’s hope”. I want to add to that “chocolate roulade”, after the one I ate. If it is hard to just choose one cake from the opulent display, go for two.

The Block Arcade, 1-2/282 Collins Street

• hopetountearooms.com.au

Explore

Embiggen Books

Located conveniently behind the State Library, Embiggen Books is a proudly independent book store with an exceptionally large science and philosophy collection. Wooden ladders on wheels add a touch of whimsy. The shop also hosts a monthly book club.

197-203 Little Lonsdale Street

• embiggenbooks.com

Shop

Melbournalia

Not just another souvenir store, Melbournalia has every icon the city is famous for. There are suburb names on college pennants, tram socks (how relevant) and even Australian food earrings, including the iced vovo. All the designers are based in Melbourne.

5/50 Bourke Street

• melbournalia.com.au