As I leave the Fed Square building on my lunch break, I’m greeted by a beautiful Melbourne day.

The sun is out, the air is cool and evidently the perfect weather has drawn quite a crowd to Federation Square. However, the weather can’t take all the credit, it seems  The Square is full of people enjoying ‘The Spirit of the Square’.

In a city full of tinsel and lights, Fed Square manages to catch the eye of the public and bring the holiday spirit with a Christmas ‘White Out’. Snow in the middle of a warm Melbourne summer day sound ridiculous but everyone seems to love it, from adults playing badminton to kids playing life size checkers and not one, but many Christmas trees throughout The Square. One very large Christmas tree attracts a lot of selfies while others enjoy a seat on the large snow white spheres throughout The Square.

If you lose track of time while having fun at Fed Square you need only to look over at one of the many clocks above the entrance of Flinders St Station.

The iconic building has been a place where generations of Melbournians have arranged to “meet under the clocks”. Located directly across from Fed Square, Flinders St Station is an interesting contrast to the new design of the Federation Square buildings.

Growing up in the country I longed for holidays to the big city, I dreamt of the day I would come to the city for a holiday and never go back. I was intrigued by all the high rises the bright lights and to this day Melbourne doesn’t fail to disappoint me. Doing my internship in the centre of the city has been a great experience, Melbourne is full of different things to do and see every day.

While the parks are beautifully manicured the Christmas decorations are also in full bloom. Melbourne’s a city where you’re always looking up, especially over the Christmas period.

Appealing to our festive side, Santa and his helpers are hard at work in the City Square on Swanston St, renamed the Christmas Square during December. While walking past Santa’s house the chime of sleigh bells play every so often and I can’t help but giggle as the eyes of young children widen in search of Father Christmas.

Strolling across the Prices Bridge is a relaxing way to spend your lunch break. Unless you don’t feel like walking in which case you can hire a horse and carriage for as little as $60.

The streets of Melbourne are full of different restaurants, cafes and bars, there is literally something for everyone. Some of the best little cafes are found down the side streets of Melbourne.

If you’re mum is anything like mine she would have taught you while growing up that you’re not to wander off down an alley way, however, Melbourne is the exception. The Melbourne side streets aren’t dark and scary but quite the opposite, Degraves Street for example is full of conversation, great food and street art. Some other Melbourne streets known for their restaurants include Little Bourke St, Chinatown and Lygon St which is lined with Italian restaurants.

Melbourne is a city filled with arts, culture and entertainment. Everyday I’m stopped in the street by talent and Kenneth Law didn’t fail to disappoint with some sick soccer tricks. I found the 24 year old smashing out some impressive soccer tricks along Flinders St, “I watched a video all night long of some guys doing some crazy soccer tricks and I was blown away.” Kenneth explains “I tried it myself and the more I do it the more I love it”. He then tells me about his future goals to become a pilot but says for now he’s happy sharing his love of soccer tricks with the people of Melbourne.

The strong voice and big smile of Kylee Waaka managed to stop me in my tracks. After no more than 5 minutes of listening to Kylee he was booked for a gig but the street performer from New Zealand says “I’m definitely going to sing for them, getting paid is just a bonus.”

The cheerful 30 year old who’s been in Melbourne for the past three months says he’s been singing his whole life, “I love the smiles it puts on people’s faces. It makes them and me happy”. You can usually find Kylee and his powerful voice on Swanston Street or on the Yarra River.

While entertainment is always fun there are also people trying to get heir voices heard. They’re passionate about what they have to say and will talk with anyone who’s willing to listen. Environmentalist Michelle De Chazel’s passion is the environment. Michelle educated me on the Victorian Forest not too far from where I’m living in Melbourne and says, “Us Melbournians have an awesome opportunity to get behind the plan for a Great Forest National Park, which is planned for the Central Highlands. It’s an area that is deemed of high ecological value and is right on Melbourne’s doors step. We want to make the entire area a federal forest which will protect all of our plants and animals from extinction. We need to stop cutting down the forests and leave them in tact to regenerate.”

Michelle explains how we can help, “we shouldn’t buy paper made from forests of such high ecological value.” She says we should be buying paper sourced from plantation forests.

Melbourne is always changing and evolving, with events and even places of interest coming and going. Before a day OR night on the streets of Melbourne I suggest you plan, so you can optimise your time as to not get too caught up in the wonderment that is Melbourne.