Hi there! Welcome to this Melbourne tour where you will explore the city, make choices on your own, come face to face with local culture and the hidden gems of Melbourne. I have been to Melbourne when I was a gap year taker and would like to help gap year takers immerse themselves in the local culture and get a good feeling of the city. In this tour, there is a focus on avoiding the busier areas. Since gap year takers like you and me have time to explore the city, we choose to skip some standard tourist attractions and create a more unique and more local experience. My local friend Sarah and I will show you some of the cities exciting spots on your first day.  The day will start in the morning when the city is just starting to come alive at Queen Victoria Market. No better way than to start your day with some fresh food and nice cuppa of coffee or tea. We will then explore some accessible and cheap cultural experiences where you can focus on art, history and music. When the city is getting crowded in the afternoon, it is time to escape the busyness of the centre and head to St Kilda, an area that embodies the laid-back vibe of Australia. St Kilda is one of the more artsy neighbourhoods of Melbourne with some relaxed nature settings and easy access to the beach. When you want to have a more exciting evening, St Kilda also has some bars where you can dance, drink and enjoy some good music.  During this tour, you will encounter multiple opportunities to get some lunch or snacks for your trip. Examples of this are Queen Victoria Market and China Town, but it is all up to you. Just don’t forget to take care of yourself and enjoy the local foods in Australia. Also, you might want to collect some nice pictures of street art that you encounter during the tour. Melbourne is full of street art, so you never know where you might encounter some. At the end of the tour, you can reflect on your personal art collection of the day.And, don't forget to stand still from time to time and look around! The city centre can be very overwhelming! So, when you feel overwhelmed, just take a moment, what do you see? What do you like? What don't you like? For instance, before entering Queen Victoria Market; what catches your eye? What does the building look like? Is it crowded? What do you hear? All set? Go in and enjoy!