20 Nov 2018
On Friday afternoon, check in at your home away from home, Citadines on Bourke Melbourne [131/135 Bourke Street, Melbourne], where you’ll enjoy staying in a contemporary studio, one- or two-bedroom apartment with everything you need to relax and unwind. Pop your bags down, enjoy the city views and take a moment to unwind before heading out on your laneway adventure.
Take a very short walk to Little Collins Street to enjoy a delicious dinner at Sezar [6 Melbourne Place, Melbourne]. Tuck into flavoursome Armenian dishes, made with fresh ingredients and peppered with traditional spices. If you have room for dessert, stroll down to Flinders Lane to the new Brunetti [250 Flinders Lane, Melbourne]. Select a treat from its cabinets of desserts or try one of the Italian gelatos. Pick up a pastry or two for your breakfast tomorrow, before heading back to the hotel for a good night’s rest.
Ease into your Saturday morning by taking an extra hour or so to enjoy the comfort of your room at Citadines on Bourke Melbourne. Make yourself a cup of tea to enjoy with the Brunetti pastries you so cleverly bought last night, and watch the city wake below you. Start the day by taking a dip in the heated lap pool or relaxing in the sauna. If you can’t skip a workout, the gymnasium is calling your name.
Now it’s time for some retail therapy. Melbourne’s laneways make an excellent playground for those with a passion for fashion and your first stop is Little Collins Street. Here you’ll find, among many other retailers, women’s shoe emporium Zomp, cult denim label Nudie Jeans and St Collins Lane, where you’ll find the latest from a range of international brands. Refuel with lunch at Chuckle Park Bar & Cafe [322 Little Collins Street, Melbourne], a quirky and colourful cafe positioned within the alleyway entrance of New Guernica nightclub. This pint-sized eatery serves seriously good sandwiches from its flower-clad caravan, as well as cheeseboards and cocktails. After lunch, continue sauntering through the laneways and discovering their hidden gems before heading back to your hotel.
After you’ve freshened up and put on your Saturday best, walk up Bourke Street to Meyers Place, where you’ll find Argentinian restaurant, San Telmo [14 Meyers Place, Melbourne]. Select from its menu of steak, chicken, sausages and more prepared over a charcoal grill. Don’t forget to try the empanadas or the tasty accompaniments like burnt carrots. Pair your meal with a glass of sangria and top off things with something sweet from the dessert menu like flan or alfajor (Argentinian cookies filled with cream caramel sauce).
Take in the stunning city views from your room one last time before beginning your journey home, but not before tucking into a laneway brunch. Make a beeline towards one of the city’s favourite cafes, Brick Lane [33 Guildford Lane, Melbourne], where you’ll enjoy good coffee and a range of brunch classics, served on Rustica Sourdough. Head up to Queen Victoria Market [Queen Street, Melbourne] and experience the sights and sounds of this Melbourne institution, picking up fresh produce, some excellent cheese, a gift or two and anything else you might like to take home with you.