Now, back to the food. I would estimate that about half the market is food. There's a large fruit-and-veg section, which is brilliant because you have a huge selection at a fraction of the price of the supermarket. The meat section is great as well. Every type of meat imaginable, and the store owners still manage to smile at you when you ask for "two sausages, please." It's nice - especially in markets - when shop owners are still nice to you even when you only buy 60 cents' worth of meat.

They also have plenty of little deli-type stalls with cheeses and all that type of stuff.

If you're finishing up your travels and flying out of Melbourne, you're guarenteed to be able to find some type of Aussie souvenir for everyone in the family!

One of the really good things about these markets is the opening hours ... because they are so big and popular, they are open most days: Tuesday 6am-2pm, Thursday 6am-2pm, Friday 6am-6pm, Sat. 6am-3pm, Sun. 9am-4pm.

If you are after souvernirs to take back home,I do suggest to get them for there as they are cheaper than the high street.

There you can find all sorts of fruits from all over the world,for mangoes(which are the best i have ever tasted)to good old granny smiths apples. If you are after a digiredoo, do have a look in the market as again they sell them a lot cheaper, and plus you will get the real thing.

Being called the Queen Victoria Market, it is the queen of markets I have ever seen.

And, if you do decide to shell out some dollars, it's still fine because you can find great bargains everywhere. In fact, I managed to buy my wool and cashmere black coat from this market (which I still use even after more than two years) for a good price. You might even want to try haggling!

There are also plenty of places to grab a bite - from fish and chips to pizza to Asian food. Just walk around and find what you fancy.

Some of the shops open as early as 6 am, so you can even have breakfast there if you like. It's also interesting to watch the place brighten up.

Apart from the usual array of clothes, fruits, flowers and such, you can even find quaint butcher shops, seafood stalls, chocolate shops, and more around the area. No wonder this is a *must see* place in Melbourne!

Victoria Market dates back officially to 1878, when it was formally inaugurated, although certain sections of the market are older- the meat market, for instance, opened in 1869. Many of the sections are classified as Historic Buildings, so there’s more to this market than just shopping. But if, like thousands of other visitors, you’re here for shopping, you’ll find plenty to choose from- DVDs, video cassettes, music CDs, T-shirts, sweaters and other clothing, food, electronic equipment, souvenirs- and more. There’s plenty here to keep you occupied for a few hours, and you pick up some great bargains.

If you are shopping here's the layout: 50% of the market is food and you'll find that in the market sheds between Queen and Elizabeth streets. Between Peel and Queen there are still more food stands, but most of this area is clothing, souvenirs, etc. You will find good bargains back here. And if you're looking for food you're in the right place, a lot of free samples too!

As far as when to visit you'll find Saturday morning busy with food shoppers. Sunday busier with shoe and clothing shoppers. But you can buy both any day that the market's open. During the summer on Wednesday nights the place comes alive with live bands, street performers, and al fresco dining!

You can also take a foodies tour, heritage tour, or enroll in cooking classes at the market. I haven't done any of these but you can check them out at www.qvm.com.au.

Market hours are: Tue & Thurs 6am-2pm; Fri 6am-6pm; Sat 6am-3pm; Sun 9am-4pm; During the summer it's also open Wed 5:30pm-10pm (27 Nov-19 Feb)