Melbourne's fiery side
Celebrate another beautiful day in Melbourne and watch the sun dip below the horizon with a cocktail in hand. Up for an all-nighter? Fend off your hangover with a sunrise viewing and coffee near your favourite all-night haunts.
Party by the seaside
Watch in wonder as the sun sets the sky on fire and lights up Melbourne's skyline. Take in views of Port Phillip Bay from St Kilda Beach or wander up the historical pier to glimpse the colony of furry little penguins who frequent the breakwater.
Keep the magic alive at The Espy. Take a seat in the garden terrace, enjoy a pint in the public bar, or sip a cheeky cocktail with beach views. When the bay plunges into darkness, head down to the Gershwin Room for live music, a comedy show or a big ol’ night of blues.
Soak up the southside's nightlife and head down Chapel Street for a full night of food, drinks, and dancing. Come morning, finish your big night out the way it started, back at St Kilda beach to watch the sky transform for sunrise.
Rooftop vibes
Ain’t no sunset like a rooftop sunset. Settle in with a spritz at a rooftop bar as the sky turns beautiful shades of pink, red and orange. Sip sundowners and relax in the casual-chic interior of Morris House, or bask in the fading sunlight on the rooftop. In Fitzroy, watch the city transform from day to night atop the roof at Naked for Satan.
Head to Johnny’s Green Room in Carlton for fabulous views of the city skyline ablaze in all its sunset glory. Rated one of Melbourne’s Top 50 Bars for 2022 by the Good Food Guide, expect drinks accompanied by tasty pizzas and croquettes or a hearty steak direct from the grill.
Riverside haunts
Soak up the last of the sun's rays and raise your glass to encroaching twilight along the Yarra at a riverside bar. Test your sea legs and have a beer at pop-up oasis, Ponyfish Island, or float the sun away aboard the two-level floating bar, Yarra Botanica.
Warm up with a boozy milo cocktail from Riverland Bar - an intoxicating mixture of rum, milo, toasted marshmallows, and whipped cream. Or, go full Aussie with the addition of wildflower distilling vodka, maple syrup and lamington fingers.
Skip your train ride home and opt for at sundowner at Arbory. Enjoy a drink – or two – as Southbank comes to life at the setting of the sun.
Garden views
Enjoy charcuterie among the sculptures with a picnic at Richard Pratt Gardens in Southbank. Lie back in the grass and watch the sun dip below the horizon before catching the latest performance at the Arts Centre Melbourne.
Catch the number 12 tram from Southern Cross Station to Albert Park and nibble on snacks by Albert Park Lake as the setting sun dazzles on the rippled water. Afterwards, pop into Patient Wolf Distilling Co for world-class cocktails and a gin tasting as the city goes from work to fun.
Treat yourself
Wine and dine in style at The Conservatory in Crown. Gaze out at the banks of the Yarra illuminated with shades of orange and pink and enjoy a five-star all-you-can-eat experience. Make sure you save room for dessert, with petit fours, fresh crepes and fondue to satiate any sweet lovers appetite.
Take a drive to watch the sun dive
Escape the city and take a short drive to the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges where you can visit SkyHigh – the ultimate spot to view the sunset in the east. Take a seat in the seasonal terrace and soak up panoramic views of the Melbourne skyline.
After something more lowkey? Imagine you’re in the African Serengeti on a sunset safari at Werribee Open Range Zoo, or don your finest attire and step back in time at Werribee Mansion.
