Swanston Street, Melbourne (CBD), VIC 3000

Very good access to transport and is very lively

Swanton street is home to a number of nice hotels, parks, and a few nice galleries such as Skepsi. I haven't lived there myself but I know a few people who have, one friend of mine lived in the Seasons Apartments which was a nice place.

There really are nicer places in Melbourne, but this is a good starting point. Start at Flinders St end and walk into the city, you'll walk past the Melbourne Town Hall, you might get to see people playing chess on the street with the giant chess pieces (usually on a Saturday afternoon). There are plenty of shops, the shops along here are not Melbourne's best work but there are a few gems. Lush the soap place is awesome, but can be a little strong on the nose. You have to try tidbits of food along here, there is a restaurant serving food from a range of nationalities so eat light and often as you shop.

Eventually you will hit QV, they have a supermarket and food court down the bottom but the upper levels are the best for shopping and eating. Make sure you check out Max Brenners - Chocolate by the bald man. It is certainly rich. If you are looking for something healthier before you hit RMIT (the city university campus) there is a few Vietnamese restaurants, try Vietnamese noodle soup and then head to QV for a Boost Juice.

Anyway the point is this is a really busy, hectic, crowded area but it's great fun shopping and plenty of food options. It's a once you've been there you won't go back, there is nicer shopping and better food elsewhere but this is a nice introduction to the vibe of Melbourne. Remember you can branch off Swanston at almost any point and generally hit a nice street with shops and/or food options.

Swanston Street in Melbourne, like any street in the Melbourne CBD, has it's good parts, and not so good parts.

During the day, walking from Flinders Street Station at one end, right down to Latrobe Street, can give you a fantastic taste of Melbourne city life. From beautiful architecture, to fantastic shopping and more, Swanston St in Melbourne has many highlights. You will often see street acts in between Little Collins Street and Bourke Street which are always entertaining, and all too often you will find some amazing chinese\vietnamese cuisine up around chinatown. Also keep an eye out for the Horse and Carriage that frequent Swanston St, as they can be quite romantic :)

On the flip side, Swanston Street in Melbourne at night goes downhill. There are a lot of homeless people hanging around between Flinders Street and Flinders Lane. Late at night all the revelers from the clubs, seem to congregate around the McDonalds, KFC and Hungry Jacks, and as such can be quite dangerous and rowdy from midnight to 5 am. Something to avoid if you don't need the late night feed.

Overall, Swanston Street is the pinnacle of the Melbourne CBD, and I guess that is why is has become Swanston "Walk". It's a must for tourists, shoppers and those who want a taste of Melbourne city life...just try and avoid it at 3:00am in the morning :)