Which Melbourne neighbourhood are you?

You are: artistic, a bit bohemian and happiest by the water

If you're all about the beach, welcome to your perfect match: St Kilda is Melbourne's most popular seaside suburb.

It's only natural then that the day starts and ends on the foreshore. A walk along St Kilda Pier, ice cream in hand, is a rite of passage. Keep your eye out for little penguins at the St Kilda Breakwater.

Locals down here are social creatures. Join them on inline skates or your bike along the boardwalk, or find a different perspective on a roller-coaster at Luna Park. Back on the beach, freshening up St Kilda-style means a dip in the heated seawater spas and pools at St Kilda Sea Baths (or the bay, if brave).

On the flip side to all this seaside, St Kilda is artsy and a free spirit, finding flair with fine dining at waterfront restaurant Stokehouse (almost a celebrity itself); creative musings at cafes along Fitzroy, Carlisle and Acland Streets; and plenty of I-like-it-my-own-way fashion and tunes in independent stores.

Back by the foreshore by night, be ready to enjoy a true St Kilda finale: a live gig at the historic Palais Theatre or Prince Bandroom.

You are: romantic, passionate and a bit of a foodie

If you're the type who will head across town to satisfy a craving for sumptuous beef cheek pappardelle or a particularly moreish tiramisu, this is the neighbourhood for you. Welcome to Melbourne's very own Italian precinct, unsurprisingly thought of as the birthplace of our food-loving culture.

Gelato? You've got it. Pizza? Yep, by the wood-fired ovenful. Take your loved one by the arm for a gelato and passeggiata (after-dinner stroll) down Lygon Street, or sip a sunset cocktail on the rooftop at Johnny's Green Room.

Culture around here can lean classic or arthouse: don't forget to browse the shelves with local book-lovers at Readings, perhaps rubbing shoulders with a local author at the bargain table, or sink into a purple velvet seat for some visual escape at independent Cinema Nova.

Carlton knows how to pull out the winners to make it count: Melbourne Museum and the adjacent tree-covered lawns of Carlton Gardens are a perfectly packaged duo in a single neighbourhood block.

You are: eclectic, irreverent but also earthy

Brunswick’s vibe is both alternative and down-to-earth. This is where students, arts workers and nonnas rub shoulders for hot za’atar bread or baclava at Middle Eastern and Greek bakeries along multicultural Sydney Road and beyond.

Life here is about that early morning run around Princess Park or laps at Brunswick City Baths before at least one strong coffee and an expertly cheffed brunch. You'll want to be seen over a batch brew and avo smash at Code Black or Wide Open Road.

Remember, this 'hood also likes to keep it real: do some organic food market shopping at CERES, flick through colourful racks of vintage at a second-hand clothing shop or two.

You’re the kind who’s happiest seeing out the afternoon at a hip but unfussy pub, so head to The Retreat and let go all your alt-country leanings when the band kicks in. For a little more flash, seek moody after-dark scats at JazzLab and graze on slick share plates and natural vino at Old Palm Liquor. 

You are: at home in an artistic and multicultural community

Congratulations: your nose for creativity and diversity pairs you up with inner Melbourne's most up-and-coming neighbourhood.

You may have caught a whiff of what's cooking in Footscray's multicultural kitchens. The neighbourhood's strong Vietnamese, Chinese and North African communities are responsible for some of the tastiest gastronomic options around. Choose from wonton noodle soup, pho, masala dosa or an Ethiopian share plate with spongy injera bread.

Having tasted such mighty flavours, you're not content to stop there, right? Footscray Market is the place to source all those special ingredients and spices for your DIY cooking journey.

Get to know the Westside's artistic side at creative hub Footscray Community Arts Centre – pop in for local theatre and visual arts exhibitions. And you've found the ideal music festival partner each year as the neighbourhood plays host to the St Jerome's Laneway Festival.

You are: a perfect mix of stylish and sporty

Richmond is about enthusiasm, no matter which side of the arts versus sports divide you fall on. In fact, these two integral aspects of Melbourne's nature are harmoniously combined in this 'hood.

You'll fit right in at the famous MCG, home to Victoria's own AFL football each winter. Don team colours to experience the roaring crowds, the skill on the field, the meat pies with a splash of tomato sauce. Hot tip: Richmond's team is the Tigers. They’re the ones in black and gold.

Digest the game over a beer at a local pub, cheerful pho on Vietnamese-focused Victoria Street, or dress for chef's-hatted Japanese at Minamishima. 

Either way, you'll want to look the part. The marathon of fashion boutiques and factory outlets along Bridge Road requires a true meeting of style and athleticism. As does carting home furniture buys from Church Street designers.

From there you're good to roll straight into a rock gig at the legendary Corner Hotel, where music lovers are equally passionate about the performance.