Weekend Wonderland

Lose yourself in Melbourne’s laneways this winter

Could there be a better weekend destination than Melbourne? Winter is especially cosy, from bar-hopping to boutique browsing and more. Here, the ultimate weekend guide to the laneways of Melbourne.

FRIDAY NIGHT

Start off in one of the laneways that started it all: Meyers Place. Climb the stairs to Loop Roof for decadent cocktails surrounded by palms and panoramic views. Stay close-by for dinner – you're only a short stroll from Bar Lourinhã's delectable tapas, HuTong's famous dumplings, and Pellegrini's homestyle Italian. For a nightcap, head to Liverpool Street's Double Happiness

SATURDAY MORNING

Breakfast at Cumulus Inc. will see you fuelled to explore nearby street art. Take your camera out and wander down Flinders Lane to Hosier Lane, scouting out stencils and pasteups, murals and installations. For the local, inside word on Melbourne's famous urban art, consider taking a street art walking tour.

Hosier Lane

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

Check out the murals on Movida Next Door's exterior walls before stepping inside for Frank Camorra's superb tapas. If it's looking a little busy, head next door to Tres a Cinco for a Mexican feast and a lively cantina vibe on Hosier Lane. Spend the afternoon browsing the boutiques in Centre Place and head for an art fix along Flinders Lane at Flinders Lane Gallery and Craft Victoria. If a serious caffeine hit is in order, Industry Beans and Sensory Lab will set you straight, or if it's time for something a little stronger, Flinders Lane's Garden State is just the spot.

Industry Beans

SATURDAY NIGHT

Find the perfect feast in Flinders Lane, one of the city's best addresses for dining. Queue up for pan-Asian flavour sensations at Chin Chin or Supernormal, or duck into nearby Pastuso for Peruvian fare on AC/DC Lane.

Nightcap options abound here: head down the stairs to Eau de Vie or explore plenty of laneway bars in between. If entertainment is in order, check out the program at independent gallery and theatre space, fortyfivedownstairs.

Pastuso

Chin Chin

SUNDAY MORNING

Kick start your Sunday with coffee aficionados at Manchester Press before exploring the shops and galleries of Rankins Lane and neighbouring Guildford Lane and Somerset Place. Gentlemen's outfitter and cafe Captains of Industry will fix you a coffee and offer a cut-throat shave, while Comme des Garçons will deck you out in cutting-edge cute. If it's a multicoffee morning, get an extra kick from Cartel Coffee Roasters or a dose of architecture along with Proud Mary coffee at Krimper.

Manchester Press

Further laneway retail therapy awaits in Crossley Street, where boutiques stocked with jewellery, fashion, memorabilia, and much in between, stand wall to wall with inviting restaurants and bars.

Shopping on Flinders Lane

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

Like some of the best bars, some of the city's best finds are upstairs, in 'vertical laneways.' Swanston Street's historic Nicholas Building is a creative hub housing artist studios, galleries and shops. Take the almost-antique elevators to explore the art, fashion and curiosities. Make time to browse Blindside gallery and phone ahead to view Louise Macdonald's millinery masterpieces. Downstairs, check out the wares of independent local designers and the retro fabulousness stocked in the boutiques of Cathedral Arcade and around Flinders Quarter.

Section 8

Further north on Swanston Street, pay a visit to Curtin House, where the seven-level stair-climb takes you to boutiques and restaurants, and bar and bandroom The Toff in Town.

Toff in Town

SUNDAY NIGHT

Back on street level, pull up a piece of crate at outdoor bar Section 8, or take the stairs to neighbouring Ferdydurke. For dinner, Chinatown cheap eats are just a chopstick away, and for a special night, inspired Indian at Tonka is well worth the walk back to Flinders Lane.

nspired Indian at Tonka

Stretch out your Sunday with a show at the Butterfly Club and a laneway tipple at Chuckle Park before surrendering to the call of Monday morning.

Butterfly Club