Brunswick is an eclectic suburb where a contemporary crowd of university students and young families mingles with the neighbourhood’s multicultural founders. Stroll down Brunswick’s main street, Sydney Road, and find hip bars, friendly pubs and vintage clothing boutiques alongside Mediterranean grocery stores and Middle Eastern restaurants.

This suburb is home to some of Melbourne’s most popular cafés. Pick from several breakfast haunts around Nicholson Street, Lygon Street or Sydney Road. Enjoy inexpensive bakery goods with the student crowd on Sydney Road, or treat yourself to an exciting sensorial experience in a café serving locally roasted specialty coffee. Sydney Road has an intriguing selection of independent galleries and design studios showcasing work by local artists. Browse collections of the latest season’s designs at boutique fashion stores.

Rent a bike and cycle north along the Merri Creek Trail that snakes along Brunswick’s eastern border to find yourself at CERES Community Environment Park, just off Nicholson Street. This open area is a green oasis with educational workshops on the environment, cafés, plant nurseries and markets selling fresh organic produce. Hit the Brunswick Baths just off Sydney Road for a relaxing swim in the pool or a soak in the spa.

As night falls, be sure to visit one of Brunswick’s live music venues to catch acts by local musicians or touring performers. Brunswick has several pubs, as well as a wide selection of atmospheric bars serving cocktails and locally brewed craft beers. Experience Middle Eastern ambiance at one of the shisha bars along Sydney Road.

Brunswick is accessible via the Upfield train line and three tram lines, which travel north along Sydney Road, Lygon Street and Nicholson Street from the city centre. Buses connect East Brunswick to West Brunswick at several major intersecting streets. Make the most of Brunswick’s designated bike paths, which include the lush and green Merri Creek Trail and the Upfield Bike Path. Visit Brunswick in March to take part in the Sydney Road Street Party, a one-day celebration of the suburb’s cultural diversity and local talents. Combine your visit to Brunswick with a trip to the Melbourne Zoo, located nearby the suburb’s southwestern border.