Review: Melbourne Lanes and Arcades Walking Tour
Top Oz Tours offers a great range of Melbourne tours and experiences. You can book this tour here.
This may sound a little cocky, but the pulse of Melbourne practically beats in my veins.
You’ll often find me decked out in my finest black street-wear, zigzagging along laneways and arcades, dodging espresso martini-wielding waiters, and enjoying the heady aromas of various international cuisines. So, when I was asked to review Hidden Secrets’ Melbourne Lanes and Arcades Walking Tour, I couldn’t help but think I already had this city covered. I had a lot to learn!
Watch our video of ten top things to do in Melbourne:
Top 10 Things to Do in MELBOURNE, Australia in 2025 (Cheap to Chic!) | Ultimate Travel Guide
👉👉👉 Support our channel and save on travel by joining our new Top Traveller Club: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIWPeSl1aL72F1NCuS4ePTQ/join 👈👈👈 Member benefits include early access to videos, a branded travel water bottle, and 10% off day and multi-day tour bookings worldwide! Browse day tours: https://topoztours.partner.viator.com Browse multi-day tours: https://topoztours.trips.tourradar.com Join today!
On cue it starts drizzling. Luckily our guide Zoe, poised with a large yellow umbrella, is prepared for the ever-changing Melbourne weather. Zoe’s introduction at our meeting point in Federation Square reminds us of the controversy originally caused by the square’s architectural design. It’s now as synonymous with Melbourne as the laneways we’re about to explore.
Zoe has a wonderful way of transporting us back in time: for example, to when the Block Arcade (constructed in 1892) was the spot where women and men would promenade for stature and prestige — and perhaps the excitement of riding Melbourne’s first escalator!
We cross over busy Flinders Street and head along Degraves Street, which has a very European feel. While doing this tour, I try and look up from time to time to admire what’s above street level. This presents the curious case of pairs of sneakers draped over street light poles. Zoe explains it with an urban myth about hospitality staff and ‘shoe-flinging’ following their final day of work at a local cafe or restaurant.
Time for a refreshment stop; and while the rest of Melbourne feeds its coffee addiction, in this wintry setting I have a thirst for hot chocolate! Within the decadent décor of Koko Black’s Bruges Room in the opulent Royal Arcade, I’m served the creamiest Belgian hot chocolate possible, along with a mouthwatering piece of Chai Tea chocolate.
With our bellies warm, we traverse the Bourke Street Mall and shimmy along narrow Postal Lane — home to a number of bustling eateries. Here, amongst the chinking of cutlery and glasses, I’m introduced to what may well be Melbourne’s best-kept secret: a freshly cleaned bathroom, tucked away at the bottom of a hidden staircase!
From there, we backtrack to Howey Place — a former arcade of bookshops. It has a hook-shaped spur alley off to one side known as Presgrave Place, which at first glance appears only to hold rubbish skips. But closer observation reveals an intriguing art-scape: a brick wall covered in tiny photo frames. This is one laneway treasure I would never have found on my own!
Zoe delights in pointing out innovative enterprises along our route, such as a store where emerging fashion designers can rent small retail spaces to showcase their work, a city composting venture, and a sweet project known as Rooftop Honey — which is bringing bees back into the city. I can’t wait to taste their spring offering!
Melbourne’s laneway network is a treasure trove of hidden secrets, but it doesn’t give them up easily. Let those in the know be your guide.
The writer travelled as a guest of Hidden Secrets Tours. You can book this tour here.
Browse our full range of Melbourne tours and experiences here. We offer a Best Price Guarantee.
Cover image: Visit Victoria/Robert Blackburn. Additional images: Bigstock
About the writer
Vanessa O’Hanlon is an Australian television news and weather presenter, and an avid traveller. Her travels began with a flight to Egypt, a visit to the pyramids and a camel ride, and she knew there was no turning back. Since then, Vanessa’s backpack has seen a thing or two — from exploring relatively untouched Bhutan to braving the cold on the peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Travel essentials
You can book many aspects of your holiday on the Top Oz Tours & Travel Ideas website, including flights, hotels, car hire, travel insurance, and more. When you purchase a product or service using the following links from our partners, we receive a small commission. It does not affect the price you pay, and it enables us to continue to provide readers with amazing travel inspiration.
Flights
Compare airlines, flights, and fares in one place with Booking.com. They don’t charge any credit card fees and you can always see exactly what you’re paying for in the price breakdown. Search for flights with Booking.com
Hotels
If you’re looking for a great deal on your next hotel or homestay, look no further than Booking.com. Their mission is to make travel affordable and accessible to more people, and to deliver seamless accommodation experiences that complement your holiday. Search for hotels and homestays with Booking.com
Car hire
Discover Cars is an award-winning (World Travel Awards) car rental comparison website, which helps customers find, compare, and hire cars at the most competitive prices globally. Search for hire cars with Discover Cars
Campervans & motorhomes
Make Jucy your first choice for campervan and motorhome hire. Since 2001, this progressive company has had a vision to be world-famous for enabling experience seekers to discover happiness on the road. Search for campervans and motorhomes with Jucy
Day tours & experiences
Search and book day tours, guided experiences, and attraction tickets and passes worldwide with Top Oz Tours and Viator. There are no booking or credit card fees when you book through us, and you’ll have access to the widest choice of activities and most competitive prices. Browse day tours and experiences
Multi-day tours & trips
Top Oz Tours has joined forced with Tour Radar to bring you a fabulous range of multi-day tours and trips from the world’s leading operators. Travel with like minded people and get the best possible price on the holiday of your dreams. Browse multi-day tours and trips
Travel insurance
World Nomads aims to be a part of every traveller’s journey by providing a reassuring range of travel insurance services. Benefits include coverage for emergency medical and evacuation or repatriation, lost baggage, trip cancellation, and more than 150 adventure activities. Get an insurance costing
