Hiden Laneways and arcades in Melbourne

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By SidneyMorgan

Travelers to Melbourne have no shortage of exciting spots to people watch, do some dining, or find shopping unlike anything back home. After you’ve explored the entire city and need to focus on a particular area for your leisure activities, you might find the task a bit daunting. After all, Melbourne features a number of different laneways and arcades, each with their own charm and dizzying variety of shops, markets, and places to grab something to eat.

Block Arcade in Melbourne

Degraves St

Located close to more than one of the most noted options in Melbourne Accommodation is Degraves St, which is both a historically significant narrow street as well as a hugely popular contemporary spot to get some shopping done. This relatively short and skinny laneway runs right into the central business district of Melbourne from equally-popular Flinders Street, taking travelers back in time as they stroll along the cobblestones and gaze into the various merchant’s windows. Thanks to the streets status as pedestrian-only, it draws a number of locals who prefer to get to and from the nearby Flinder Street Station without tangling with with the bustle of traffic that can sometimes gather in the streets around Melbourne’s main business district.

In addition to a number of cozy cafes perfect for an afternoon coffee and some of the city’s more popular restaurants, Degraves St. is also a popular spot for locals who were smart enough to snap up the loft space that became available in the 1990s.

Degraves St in Melbourne
Flinders Street Station

Arcades

Of course, the most famous shopping in Melbourne cannot be found out on a street, because the arcades are the main focus. Built in the mid-1800s by architects envisioning the grandeur of Italy with the soaring iron and glass of Victorian architecture, the arcades offer an indoor shopping experience unlike any other. For locals, an occasional visit to the arcades for a day of shopping is par for the course, and for visitors, these are must-see spots even if you aren’t planning on picking anything up. It’s definitely worth a visit for the architecture alone.


Block Arcade

For a more bustling shopping and dining experience in Melbourne, it can be a tough choice between Block Arcade or Royal Arcade. Originally built in the late 1800s, the arcade features ornate architecture throughout its L-shaped concourse, showcasing the best of Victorian design from years past. While locals might prefer to do there shopping elsewhere, tourists absolutely love Block Arcade for its quaint and old-fashioned decor, and it is a major hot spot for visitors who want to see some of the most regal shopping decor this side of Milan.

Block Arcade in Melbourne

Royal Arcade

Equally popular Royal Arcade offers a similar experience, with breathtaking old Victorian design circa 1869 that has been maintained, despite restoration in the early 2000s. For those travelers who are looking for some excellent clothing shopping, the stores of Royal Arcade are an excellent bet, as it caters more to high-end fashion than any of the other shopping streets or arcades in the city. And for those who are looking for something that feels a little bit more right for a different era, take a break from all of the clothes shopping at Royal Arcade and get your fortune read by what is supposed to be one of the best tarot card readers in the entire city. Who knows? Maybe you’ll learn something new and exciting.

Royal Arcade

Centre Place

And of course no traveler in Melbourne can miss a trip to Centre Place, another vibrant and perpetually bustling shopping center that is constantly alive with both travelers and locals alike. Part laneway and part arcade, Centre Place feels at once incredibly Melbourne and also shockingly cosmopolitan. The people-watching from the numerous cafes lining the laneway is absolutely divine, with everyone from well-coiffed fashionistas parading by with umbrellas to groups of college students out drinking for the evening. A number of the city’s hottest bars are located in Centre Place, making it a hugely popular spot for nighttime activities as well as daytime shopping. If you’re looking for the very best in boutique shopping and want something truly unique and original to bring home from your trip to Melbourne, the numerous independent shops here can often have just what you’re looking for.

Centre Place
Art buffs and those who are fans of street art in particular have a special spot in their hearts for Centre Place thanks to popular tagging walls featuring everything from intricate stencils to more traditional graffiti and tags. It’s definitely true that a walk around Centre Place can feel like visiting a number of different countries all in one spot.

graffiti in Centre Place

Whether you’re interested in a delicious gourmet dinner or simply want to window shop until you drop, there’s no better spot to begin in Melbourne than at one of the numerous arcades or laneways around the city. Just get ready to restrain yourself when it comes time to shop, because there are some truly fabulous stores around.


Melbourne Travel

Experience Melbourne: a travel guide (2012)
Amazon Price: $2.99
Lonely Planet Melbourne & Victoria (Regional Travel Guide)
Amazon Price: $13.11
List Price: $21.99
Lonely Planet Discover Australia (Full Color Country Travel Guide)
Amazon Price: $17.14
List Price: $25.99
Lonely Planet Melbourne Encounter
Amazon Price: $7.75
List Price: $12.99

Melbourne Comments

Michael Shane profile image

Michael Shane 22 months ago

Looks fun!

mochileiro profile image

mochileiro 22 months ago

Looks a great place to visit.

I liked the hub and the photos.

princesswithapen profile image

princesswithapen Level 7 Commenter 7 months ago

This is exactly why I have exciting memories of my stay in Melbourne. There are some great places to have a late brekky on a weekend morning at Centre Place. Nice hub Sidney Morgan.

P

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