Carlton does “easy weekend” better than most Melbourne neighbourhoods. Parks, galleries, good coffee, and even better food — all sitting close enough together that you barely need a plan.

Start at the Market Lane window with a coffee to-go, then wander through the nearby gardens. The morning here feels unhurried: wide lawns, a few locals out early, and that unmistakable statement-building rising in the background. If you’re hungry, pick up a loaf from the bakery next door and turn it into a casual picnic. Or, if it’s a market day, loop through the farmers market for something fresh before midday hits.

From there, Carlton naturally pulls you toward Readings — the kind of bookshop where you go in for “a quick look” and walk out with enough reading to last the month.

By late afternoon, the neighbourhood shifts gears. A new release from your favourite director is screening at Cinema Nova, and the timing lines up perfectly for a pre-film stop at Heart Attack and Wine. A bite, a drink, a moment to reset.

Dinner sits just a short stroll away. Leonardo’s if you’re after something lively and modern; Scopri if you’re craving classic Italian done exceptionally well.

Everything close. Everything walkable.

P. S. Melbourne’s best croissant still lives on the Carlton border, at a tiny bakery called Monforte — the kind of place you find once and immediately start telling everyone about.