Melbourne Art Deco Architecture Tour
Description
Discover Melbourne’s fascinating Art Deco architecture on this small-group, 2-hour walking tour. Learn about the history and culture of Melbourne while admiring fine examples of the city’s most famous Art Deco buildings, including the Manchester Unity Building and Majorca Building. Learn fascinating details about the tiles, patterns, and designs that were popular in the 1930s, and discover how the 1934 Centenary of Melbourne, as well as Mayan, Spanish, and Egyptian art, influenced the city’s architecture.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Meet your guide at the Manchester Unity Building at 10am. In 1934, Melbourne celebrated its centenary and this event provided a catalyst for a building boom that transformed the city. As a result, Melbourne has some of the finest Art Deco buildings in the world, with many of the best examples located in the city centre. Follow your Art Deco guide to see and hear about various types of architecture in the city, including the Manchester Unity Building and the Majorca Building. Learn how to recognize the Art Deco style, including the use of terracotta ‘self-cleaning’ tiles, the distinctive patterning, and other design details of the genre. Discover how Spanish, Egyptian, Mayan and other cultures influenced the style and how this was an indicator as to what people were interested in during this time. Finish your tour at 12 noon in the city.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Minimum age is 13 years
- Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund.
Reviews(22)
Enjoyed a wonderful day exploring Melbourne's art deco buildings and laneways. Thanks to Sam our guide he was so interesting and informative on the art deco world. Highly recommend.
Hi Fiona, We are so pleased that you enjoyed your Art Deco tour with San - he will be delighted to receive your feedback. Many thanks for taking the time to submit this great review - we really appreciate it. Best wishes, The Team at MELTours
This walking tour is a wonderful way for lovers of history and architecture to gain a richer appreciation of the main Art Deco buildings in Melbourne's CBD. Our tour guide San, shared many fascinating insights and stories behind the buildings, the architects who designed them, as well as the era in which Art Deco flourished. An excellent and educational experience, highly recommend!
Hi AR, Thank you so much for this fantastic review. and recommendation. We are thrilled that you enjoyed the tour learning about Melbourne's great Art Deco buildings with our knowledgeable guide San. Best wishes, The Team at MELTours
Personable guide. Learned background of Art Deco and Melbourne. Not too much walking required. Saw other points of interest as well
Hi Alan, We are so pleased that you enjoyed your tour with John. Many thanks for taking the time to write this review - we really appreciate it. Best wishes, The Team at MELTours
Knowledgeable and personable Was very helpful with questions. Recommend highly. He also recommended restaurants and took photographs.
Hi Nancy, Thank you for taking the time to write this review and for your recommendation. We are really pleased you enjoyed your tour with San discovering Melbourne's wonderful Art Deco buildings as well as the fantastic places to eat in this city. Best wishes, The Team at MELTours
We really enjoyed the Melbourne Art Deco Architecture Tour with MELtours. Our guide, San, was very knowledgeable and shared so much about the city’s history and its Art Deco buildings. What made the experience extra special was being able to step inside some of the buildings to see the original decorations and furnishings up close—a real bonus. The tour gave us a deeper appreciation of Melbourne’s architecture and heritage and a two hour tour is just right for a Saturday morning stroll. Highly recommended!
Hi Sander, Many thanks for this great review and recommendation! Melbourne has some wonderful examples of Art Deco architecture and San loves showcasing these special buildings. He will be thrilled that you really enjoyed the tour. Best wishes, The Team at MELTours
Sam is very knowledgeable about Art Deco architecture and well prepared, plus his lived history with the city added a charming angle (we are Melbourne locals too). We both learned a lot as he knows where to look to find the real gems of architecture that people simply walk past every day. Excellent for visitors and locals alike.
Hi Chris, We are really pleased you enjoyed your tour with San discovering architectural gems in your own city. Many thanks for taking the time to write this great review - we really appreciate it. Best wishes, The Team at MELTours
John was very knowledgeable and entertaining when showing us the unique Art Deco buildings of Melbourne. It was 37 degrees for our tour but definitely worth it!
Hi PipB215, We are so pleased you enjoyed your Art Deco Architecture Tour with John despite the weather! Thank you for taking the time to write this great review. Best wishes, The Team at MELTours
Excellent, insightful and educational. This tour exposes one to significant architectural parts of the cityscape often overlooked, and encourages an appreciation of the amazing buildings, their history and particular design intricacies scattered around the city, often hidden in plain sight. Fantastic!
Hi Darren, Thank you for this fantastic review! We are very pleased your time with John, uncovering the Art Deco treasures of Melbourne. Best wishes from the team at MELTours
I have lived in Melbourne all my life but I had no idea the extent of Melbourne's Art Deco history. Sam was a walking encyclopaedia who was able to answer any question thrown at him. We were given enough time to appreciate the buildings inside and out. We cannot wait to book in our next Meltour.
Hi Maria S, Thank you so much for this great review. We are so pleased you enjoyed discovering Melbourne's wonderful Art Deco architecture with San who loves sharing his vast knowledge of Melbourne's architecture. Best wishes, The Team at MELTours
Sam our tour guide was very knowledgeable and passionate about the art deco in his town. We appreciated he managed to fit us in after other tours throughout the day. That's a lot of talking! He even kindly took us through extra arcades as spotted on the walk. There was so much to see and it was the perfect way to cover a lot of ground after having just arrived in town. Melbourne has done a great job restoring a lot of historical architecture while introducing a vast amount of stunning modern buildings around it.
Hi ambers, Thank you so much for taking the time to write this great review. We are thrilled that you enjoyed your tour with San seeing the fabulous art deco architecture in Melbourne and hearing the back stories relating to this time in the city. Best wishes, The Team at MELTours
