Melbourne Central Business District Self Guided Walk

Melbourne, Australia
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Duration2h
Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before
Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away
TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted
LanguagesEnglish
Group sizeUp to 20 travelers

Overview

Discover Melbourne at your own pace with this self guided CBD walking tour. Using your smartphone, follow a carefully tested and mapped 2 hour route from Flinders Street Station to the State Library of Victoria, with 15 numbered stops covering Melbourne icons, laneways, historic arcades, street art and hidden details.

At each stop, notes guide you on what to look for, notice and experience, helping you see more than you might on your own. There is no guide to meet and no dedicated app to download. The route is already planned for you, so you can simply open the walk, start when you choose and explore Melbourne at your own pace.

Follow a mapped route with 15 numbered Melbourne stops
Explore laneways, arcades, street art and lesser known details
Visit places including AC or DC Lane, Hosier Lane, Block Arcade and Chinatown
Start when you choose with no itinerary planning required
Includes optional detours and an after hours route

What's included

  • Onboarding instructions explaining how to open and use the walk
  • Optional detours and after hours route
  • Interactive walking map with written stop notes
  • In person tour guide
  • Food and drinks
  • Mobile data or internet access
  • Transport to the start or from the finish

What to expect

  1. Flinders Street Station
    5m
    Begin the self guided walk beneath the famous clocks at Flinders Street Station. Take in one of Melbourne’s best known landmarks before opening the mapped route on your smartphone and starting the walk.
  2. Degraves Street
    5m
    Walk through one of Melbourne’s best known laneways, lined with cafés, heritage buildings and the lively atmosphere the city is famous for. Grab a takeaway coffee if you like, then use the stop notes to notice details that are easy to miss as you explore.
  3. 5m
    Go underground through Campbell Arcade, entering from Degraves Street and emerging onto Flinders Street. Step into a pink tiled 1950s time capsule, recently reopened after the Metro Tunnel works and still evolving as the arcade is brought back to life.
  4. Young and Jacksons
    5m
    Step inside Young & Jackson to see Chloé, the famous 19th century nude painting that has become one of Melbourne’s most unusual cultural icons. Take a moment to view the artwork and learn why it has been part of the city’s story for generations.
  5. Fed Square
    5m
    Walk through Federation Square and take in its distinctive architecture and central city atmosphere. You can continue the mapped walk in around 5 minutes, or pause longer to visit ACMI or NGV Australia if you choose.
  6. ACDC Lane
    15m
    Explore AC/DC Lane, known for its rock music heritage, murals and street art. Take time to look around, then continue through the optional Duckboard Place loop for more laneway art and hidden details before rejoining the main route.
  7. Hosier Lane
    15m
    Explore Hosier Lane, one of Melbourne’s best known street art laneways. Take time to look closely at the ever changing murals and details, with the option to wander into nearby Rutledge Lane before continuing the walk.
  8. St Paul's Cathedral
    5m
    Walk down atmospheric Chapter House Lane beside St Paul’s Cathedral. Continue along the mapped route, or take a short optional detour inside the cathedral to admire the interior before rejoining the walk.
  9. Centre Place
    5m
    Walk through Centre Place, one of Melbourne’s most recognisable laneways, packed with cafés, street art and narrow shopfronts. Take in the atmosphere and the small details that make this laneway feel distinctly Melbourne.
  10. The Block Arcade
    10m
    Explore the elegant Block Arcade, one of Melbourne’s best known heritage shopping arcades. Take time to admire the mosaic floors, glass canopy and ornate architecture, and browse the historic shopfronts as you follow the route through.
  11. Royal Arcade
    5m
    Walk through the historic Royal Arcade and take in its elegant architecture, shopfronts and famous Gog and Magog figures above Gaunt’s Clock. Allow time to look around and notice the details before continuing the route.
  12. Bourke Street Mall
    10m
    Walk through Bourke Street Mall and take in the heart of Melbourne’s retail precinct. From here, you can follow an optional loop past the historic GPO and Postal Lane before returning to the main route.
  13. Chinatown
    10m
    Continue through Tattersalls Lane on the main route, with the option to extend your walk through Melbourne’s Chinatown. Explore more of the precinct and follow the optional loop to Croft Alley before rejoining the main route.
  14. Drewery Lane
    10m
    Explore Drewery Lane and discover some of the small artworks, mosaics and hidden details tucked into this quieter Melbourne laneway. Take your time to look closely before continuing along the route.
  15. State Library Victoria
    5m
    Finish the walk at the State Library of Victoria. Take in the grand Swanston Street façade and forecourt, and step inside if you wish to explore one of Melbourne’s landmark public buildings before ending your walk.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

This is the starting point for the self guided walk. No guide will meet you. Begin on the steps under the clocks at the main Flinders Street Station entrance, corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets. Open the map on your smartphone and start when ready.

End point

The walk ends in the forecourt at the front of the State Library of Victoria on Swanston Street.

Additional information

  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
From
14.95 AUD per group
Check availability & book
  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts
  • Instant confirmation
  • You'll choose your date and travelers and pay on viator.com. Prices vary by date, group size and option.
Operated by Melbourne Footnotes · Booked through Viator
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From
14.95 AUD per group
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