There’s always a new vibe to Melbourne in Australia, and no matter how many times you go there, it is always a new experience.

The first thing I did when I got there was hop onto the free purple tram at the Flinders station, which takes you around the entire city centre. It stops at all the main tourist attractions in the city and is also a good way to get your bearings and decide which sights are worth your while.

The tram makes a loop, so I got off where I started and headed to the information centre at the Federation Square to check out what acts were in town.

Melbourne has one of the most vibrant theatre and art scenes and no matter what time of year you go, there is always some international festival going on — film, art, music or comedy.

Hairspray and the famous Doctor Zhivago were performing when I was there, but the act that stole the entire scene that week was the annual Melbourne international comedy festival, held around the end of March.

The most famous stand-up comedians from all over the world were performing across town. Tickets were affordable and performances were held in the various theatres, pubs, and other cosy little unsuspecting bars in the city centre where you could order a beer and waltz up close to the stage like it was your friend’s living room.

Art treasures

Next stop for me was the National Gallery of Victoria. This is one of the most amazing repositories of art in the world.

There is always a major exhibition from Europe or Africa but the gallery’s own collection of paintings, from the colonial-European depiction of life in Australia to aboriginal art work, crafts and accessories are spectacular.

Don’t forget to have a coffee break at the Crossbar Café, which serves excellent coffee that comes with a lovely view of the Yarra River.

The bridge walk from the National Gallery to the Flinders train station, where the shopping district begins on the other side of the Yarra River, is a particularly scenic one.

You can get a nice view of the charmingly quaint train station, shops and buildings that line the river bay. This view is even more enchanting at night, when the mosaic of lights from the buildings reflect on the river surface to create a parallel city under water.

And of course, no holiday is complete without shopping. Melbourne’s Swanston, Bourke and Elizabeth streets have all the big brands and year-round super sales.

But my favourite buys were from the smaller alleys where I found quirkier and more original clothes, shoes and accessories by budding local designers.

Bohemian touch

Brunswick Street , however, trumped them all for me. It is just a couple of tram stops away from Swanston station and the moment you get off the tram, you immediately feel like you are in Bohemia.

Here, people walk slower and there’s a Zen-ness about the place. This is Melbourne’s counter-cultural haven where you will meet gothics, musicians, artists and all manner of hippies hanging out at the various cafes and bars that line the street.

You won’t find a Starbucks joint here, but you can be assured of quality coffee, with vegan cupcakes and other homemade pastries at any of the cafes here.

There are vintage shops galore in Brunswick where you can get anything from clothes, bags and shoes to sailor uniforms, jewellery and tribal paraphernalia.

There are also factory outlets, puppet shops, second-hand books and little alternative art galleries. I strolled into one and met the artist who happily stopped his work for a long chat, which was quite a pleasant surprise.

At the end of four days, I had to buy extra luggage, my feet were sore, and I left feeling that there was so much more of the city I had to see.