Fabulous bargains and the freshest of local food await you at this enormous open-air market, the undisputed best in Melbourne.
One of the biggest unsheltered markets in the Southern Hemisphere, Queen Victoria Market is made up of well over 600 stalls, each offering their own individual wares. Fresh fruit and vegetables are plentiful here, as well as souvenirs and sumptuous seafood. Individual style is also on offer at the many independent and vintage clothing stalls.The market was opened towards the end of the 19th century, and has long been a significant part of the cultural landscape. It was actually built on the site of an old cemetery, home to an estimated 9,000 graves.Queen Victoria Market specialises in fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, fish and other seafood. The excellent quality of the food is testified to by the fact that many of Melbourne’s top chefs get their ingredients here. If you really want to soak up the market atmosphere, it’s best to get here in the early morning when it’s busy and brimming with life. The stallholders add to the entertainment with their warm, but competitive, invitations to come and look at their wares.To find out more about the very best bargains, along with the history of the market, try a guided tour – tickets can be bought on the website. Or do it yourself and download the market information to show yourself around!Entry to Queen Victoria Market is free, and it’s open daily except for Mondays and Wednesdays. If you’d like a gentler stroll around the market, come in the afternoon, when it is quieter. Summertime sees the return of the night market, where tasty hawker-style food is readily available.Queen Victoria Market is close enough to the city centre to get here on foot, and is easily accessible by tram also. There is a car park behind the market on Franklin Street if you plan on loading up on produce.
