Stephanie W.
Yelp
The Royal Arcade is a beautiful old shopping arcade right off bourke st mall, that houses small specialty shops and gorgeous architecture.
Its actually hard to describe the Royal Arcade. It sits in the centre of the Bourke st mall, little collins st, Elizabeth st and Swanston st, and its indoor laneways hold the charm of a different era of architecture, high skylight roofs, and gorgeous storefronts.
2 old statues and a clock look over the main thoroughfare. Gog and Magog are over 200 years old, and have been brought over from Europe as a gift to the city of Melbourne. There is a little plaque which gives the history of the statues for those interested in history.
As for the stores, you wil find an array of small eateries, gift stores, and specialty product shops. Each store is quaint and suits the surrounding decor. Highlights for me include the Babushka store selling little russian dolls, Koko Black with their delectable chocolates, and the hightoun tea room serving high tea to ladies who lunch everywhere.
If you are in the area, be sure to take a stroll through.