It's great when visitors come to town because you get to go to places on your own door step that you wouldn't otherwise. The Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne is one such place. Thousands of local and international tourists visit each week (often by the bus load) and i guess if you are someone who dwells in the inner city suburbs you might make it your weekly shopping destination. Many do. How awesome would that be? By the time we have driven in and paid for parking the savings would certainly deteriorate and so for us it is a tourist destination, one that certainly delivers.
I dropped our much younger visiting relatives off to wander the variety stalls full of clothes, handbags, jewellery and and and......... all spread out over two city blocks. This historic markets have been apart of the Melbourne landscape since 1878 and it doesn't come much older that that in Melbourne.
Today the markets were transformed into a Turkish Pazar Festival with traditional and modern Turkish music and speciality stalls of regional foods. Yummo, it all looked so good and many were in traditional dress. We are so lucky to have such a multicultural city whereby on any given weekend you can find a festival from almost anywhere in the world. Given that i am not into shopping, i wandered the organic fruit & veg stalls admiring the veggies and the stall holders displaying their home-made relishes and sauces (well done - a dream come true I'm sure) and then into the main building where there are stalls present that have operated for decades and by many generations of the same families. I'm going to let my pictures do the talking. Food, doesn't get better or fresher than this.
You can visit the QVM website here and keep track of the myriad of activities taking place throughout the year. Upcoming events include the Night Markets, Sticky Fingers (stick food), Brocante Marche (French Vintage Market), or you can join in one of the many cooking days where you can be guided by some of Melbourne's best chefs.
After wandering around looking at all the wonderful food and soaking up the atmosphere, i found myself a strong long black coffee with some Italian Crostoli and a quiet corner to read a book. I enjoyed myself and vowed to come back more often and very hungry.
Thanks for Visiting Living In The Land of Oz
I hadn't been there for years but we went the
ReplyDeletelast time were visiting the inlaws in Melbourne.
I didn't think it was a good as Central Market
here in Adelaide (but we don't get tour
buses!) - but one thing that intrigues us was
several shops that sold (perfectly drinkable)
wine in returnable bottles! What a great
green idea - what a shame they don't do
that in SA (maybe it's a licensing thing).
They are awesome markets but we ended up having breakfast at a cafe opposite south Melbourne markets and did our food shopping there for over a year when I lived there. Regards Kathy A, Brisbane
ReplyDeleteI think I went there once when I lived in Melbourne back in the day. I am sure I would really appreciate it more if I visited now. Then again, I don't plan on visiting Melbourne any time soon. They are fabulous markets.
ReplyDeleteThey are a fabulous market, not that I get the opportunity to get there very often being in southern NSW myself. I love the huge variety of stalls and food. Melbourne is very multicultural, and these markets really reflect that. I love to watch the caricature artists. Amazing talent.
ReplyDeleteI love the Vic market, you captured it beautifully. I must get down there some time soon
ReplyDeleteOn the website it says that they are having a stick day soon where all the hawkers sell things on sticks. I think that will be cool.
DeleteThat market looks fantastic, it's made me very hungry, we have nothing like that here. I also don't 'do' shopping however a market that sells real food doesn't fall into the category of shopping.
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