Arcades and lanes
There are many laneways in Melbourne and today many of them are coffee havens and foodie outlets.
The best free tour guide for arcades and laneways is from the City of Melbourne. You can pick up a copy of this guide from the Melbourne Visitor Booth located on Burke Street Mall or Federation Square.
You can also download a copy here.
Follow the map in the Arcades and Lanes walk guide, and we will post many interesting pictures along the laneways and arcades.
1. Federation Square
Federation Square is a very prominent landmark and it is very easy to locate it.
Let’s start the walk tour from here.
2. ‘Under the Clocks’ & 3. Flinders Street Station
A very popular meeting place, ‘Under the Clock’, which is located in front of Flinders Station. You will see many people hanging around the clock.
4. Degraves Street
The most famous and busiest of Melbourne’s laneways with lots of cafes and shops. You can’t miss Doughnut Time, where there is always a queue.
5. Majorca Building
Right at the end and opposite of Degraves Street is the Majorca Building. Here you can find a shop selling all kinds of vintage dresses.
6. Centre Place
Centre place is packed with cafes and foodie outlets. It can be very busy on weekends. It’s one of Melbourne shortest laneways.
7. Centre Way
At the end of Centre Place you will step up into Centre Way. It’s a short shopping arcade where there are many interesting items to browse.
8. Block Arcade
Upon exiting Centre Way, cross Collins Street and turn left, which will lead you to Block Arcade.
The Block Arcade was constructed in 1891, which features mosaic tiled flooring and a large glass-doomed roof.
The Block Arcade has many fascinating shops to explore.
The busiest and most popular is the Hopetoun Tea Room. There is always a queue outside its door.
The Block Arcade is a popular destination for wedding portrait.
9. The Block Place
Check out the Block Place, which a sunlit narrow passage way linking The Block Arcade to Little Collins Street.
The Block Place is lined with cafes and shops, making it one of the narrowest laneways.
10. Royal Arcade
Exit Block Place and cross Little Collins Street and enter the Royal Arcade.
The Royal Arcade is Melbourne’s oldest arcade, which was opened in 1896. Here you can find some of the city’s most elegant shops.
11. Gog and Magog
These two figures strike the bell at the hour.
12. Bourke Street Mall
As you exit the Royal Arcade, you arrive at Bourke Street Mall.
The famous shopping street of Melbourne, which is tenanted with the most popular shops such as Myers, David Jones, Zara, H&M, and many more.
13. Public Purse
Cross the Bourket Street mall and turn left towards the GOP (General Post Office), you will come across a sculputre, which looks like a giant purse.
This is the Public Purse.
It was the work of British sculptor, Simon Perry and the Public Purse is one of his major public commissions.
The red-granite sculpture is reflective of the commercial nature of the area.
14. The Underground Public Toilets
Just round the corner of Bourke Street Mall are the underground public toilets for male and female.
These two underground public toilets are classified as unusual building types of architectural significance by the Heritage Council of Victoria.
15. Little Bourke Street
After passing the Male underground toilets, you will come to the junction of Little Bourke Street and Elizabeth Street.
16. Niagara Lane
As you are heading towards Niagara Lane, you will come across Rankins Lane, which is on the left of Little Bourke Street.
Here on Rankins Lane, you will find a popular brekkie place called Manchester Press. Don’t miss their smoked salmon bagel.
Turn right into Niagara Lane when you are there.
Niagara Lane is where you will fine the a group warehouses, which were built in 1880. The barrel hoists are the unique features of these warehouses.
17. Lonsdale Street
Just round the corner of Niagara Lane is the Niagara Hotel.
18. Hardware Lane
As you come to the end of Niagara Lane, you have reached Lonsdale Street (No. 17 on walk guide). Turn left and walk up Lonsdale, you will come to Hardware Lane.
Hardware Lane is filled with cafes and small specialty shops. The overhead umbrellas practically provide covers for the whole stretch of Hardware Lane.
19. Dynon’s Building
As you walk into Hardware Lane, you will notice a colourful roll of warehouses. This is the Dynon’s Building located at 63-73 hardware Lane.
Hardware Street
This is not on the brochure but it is worth mentioning and exploring.
From Hardware Lane and cross over Lonsdale Street you will see Hardware Street.
Hardware Street is the haven for Melbourne brunch cafes. The ever popular The Hardware Societe Melbourne is located here.
The others are Hash Specialty Coffee & Roaster and White Mojo.
A very popular small Korean food shop, CJ Lunchbar is just at the end of the street. It is so small and compact that there is hardly any room to move in between tables. But the food is good.
20. Hardware House
Right at the end of hardware Lane is the Hardware House. The Hardware Lane was named after this hardware House.
21. Galleria Plaza
Walk to the end of Hardware Lane and you will come to Bourke Street. Cross Bourke Street and take a short cut through Galleria Plaza.
23. Howey Place
Howey Place is named after Henry Howey who bought the land for £128 in 1837. However, it was Edward William Cole in 1896, who covered the lane with a glass canopy and provided glass showcases along the street.
The cast-iron glass canopy and the terrazzo marble pavements makes Howey Place unique.
Presgrave Place
A little lane joining Howey Place is Presgrave Place. Explore the lane and you will be pleasantly surprise to find a picture laden wall.
Bar Americano is just round the corner. Bar Americano is a tiniest bar in Melbourne with standing room for only ten guest at a time.
24. Capitol Arcade and 25. Capitol Theatre
Walk through Howey Place, you will see the entrance to Capitol Arcade.
The Capitol Arcade was opened in 1924 and upstairs is the Capitol Theatre, which was described as the best cinema that was ever built.
Today, it is owned by Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT University). RMIT uses the theatre for lectures and also cultural events.
26. Manchester Unity Arcade
Manchester Unity Building is a historical building that was built in 1932 with 12 floors of office space. Manchester Unity had the first escalator in Melbourne. On the ground floor a series of sand-blasted on black marble graphic design lined the walls of the arcade.
27. Manchester Lane
After exiting Manchester Unity Arcade, cross Collins Street and walk towards Manchester Lane.
Manchester Lane is a short lane filled with popular bar, lounge, restaurants and designer boutiques. It can be very busy and lively in the evening with live music filling the lane.
28. Flinders Lane
Flinders Lane used to be the centre of rag trade during the 1880s. Today it is home to many boutique hotels, café and bars.
29. Scott Alley and 30. Port Phillip Arcade
Scott Alley connects Flinders Lane to Port Phillip Arcade.
31. Young & Jackson’s
As you exit Port Philip Arcade, turn left and walk towards St Paul’s Cathedral. At the end of the block is Young & Jackson’s Hotel.
It’s a hotel that you can’t miss when you are standing at Federation Square or Flinders Street Station. The flashing LED screens on top the roof will attract you.
32. Chloe
Federation Square
Have a drink in Young and Jackson’s and make sure you sit by the window so that you can watch the outside world go by.
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