The 5 Best Shopping Tours in Melbourne

1.Queen Victoria Market Ultimate Foodie Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 295 reviews · from $78Our pick

Spend two hours exploring Queen Victoria Market with a local guide and a group of no more than 10. Expect market history, produce advice, vendor stories, and changing samples such as oysters, kangaroo, local cheese, hot jam doughnuts, and gelato. Guides have included Hannah, Irene, Mandy, and Sophie. Bring a refillable water bottle and arrive hungry.

“Irene was very informative and brought the group together, we enjoyed everything about the tour. Guide, stall holders, information, company, food and drink.”

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2.Melbourne Historical Walking Tour: Crime, Gangsters & Lolly Shops

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 137 reviews · from $35Best value

Spend two hours walking Melbourne’s CBD with guide Michael Shelford, exploring the Little Lon district and its past as a haunt of gangsters, brothels and sly-grog sellers. Hear stories of Squizzy Taylor and lolly shops used as fronts for drug operations, see historic buildings and receive a booklet with photographs of the people in the tales.

“Great Tour! Michael was elaborate and had great detail & knowledge for all involved. Couldn’t ask for a better guide/tour. Exceptional enthralling story telling, kind and more than willing to answering any questions guests had throughout.”

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3.Melbourne Flavors: Queen Victoria Market Food Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 63 reviews · 2h 30m · from $176

Start outside the Multicultural Hub, then walk about 1 km through Queen Victoria Market with a local English-speaking guide. Over 150 minutes, sample local and multicultural foods, try a Melbourne coffee, and hear how immigration shaped the city’s food culture. Guides include Tristan and Anna, and groups are capped at 12.

“Our Guide Tristian was exceptional; knowlegable and personable. It was evident that he had a fantastic rapport with with the stallholders that we stopped and talked to. Great value for money with all the different tastings from the dfferent stallholders. Would definately recommend.”

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4.Gangsters, Brothels and Lolly Shops Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 45 reviews · 2 hours · from $35

Spend two hours walking Melbourne’s former Little Lon district with writer and historian Michael Shelford. See former brothels, sly grog shops, opium dens and the home of gangster Squizzy Taylor, while hearing about the women and crime syndicates that shaped the area. A photo booklet is included.

“Michael's knowledge was amazing, she knew so much about everything that kept you fascinated the whole time.”

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5.South Melbourne Market Foodie Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $85

Start at 9:30 am with Flavourhood Tours for a 90-minute small-group walk through South Melbourne Market. Taste food from a patisserie, chocolatier, cheese shop, oyster bar and Spanish bodega while a local guide introduces traders, seasonal produce and practical food tips. Cameron and Joel have led the tour. Tastings are included, and dietary needs can often be accommodated with advance notice.

“I had the most amazing morning on the South Melbourne Market tour run by Cameron and Joel from Flavourhood Tours. Although I visit this market regularly, it was wonderful to meet the vendors in person and hear their passionate insights aRead more”

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