Melbourne Booze Makes History Better Tour

Forgot history textbooks and boring guidebooks, we’ll undercover the real characters and hidden history of Melbourne/Naarm (alongside a bar or two!) that have made marvellous Melbourne what it is today. Experience the city’s unique bar scene with a local guide and have a drink at three amazing venues. By the end of this tour, you’ll discover that history really is better with booze (as if there was ever any doubt)!

We begin in the heart of Melbourne's historic Parliamentary precinct and after an introduction by your guide, you’ll set of for your first bar. At each venue, and along the way, you’ll learn about Melbourne’s fascinating and conflicting history. Learn about the first peoples, the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation ,and their ongoing connection to what is now called Melbourne. Explore the early colonisation of 'Batmania' as well as the gold rush era that led to the city being known as Marvellous Melbourne. Later known by other names, hear stories of the city’s debaucherous past of when it’s red light district ran rife , and the quintessential layers of multicultural migration to the city. You’re guaranteed to learn something new! The order of the venues may change, but together we will visit a variety of our favourite local watering holes, these may include, a laneway bar, a hidden speakeasy, a charming historic pub or a rooftop bar. Many of Melbourne’s most popular bars are in tiny, hidden laneways and survive on word of mouth alone. Visit a speakeasy-style bar and learn about how and why Melbourne’s laneway scene developed. Rooftop bars are a favourite place for Melbournians to gather and not just in summer. During winter, some rooftops add a marquee and heaters and carry on regardless. Melbourne’s bar scene is ever-changing, so one of the bars will be chosen by your guide on the day, depending on the group’s desires, the weather, and what is trending in Melbourne at the time.
Everyone has their favourite drink but you’ll be encouraged to try something different on this tour. Not normally a gin fan? We’ll take you to a place where you can discover its charms. Want to check out some local wines? With the Yarra Valley just a stone’s throw away, it would be a sin not to taste some of the delectable wines in the region. Whatever you’re in the mood for, we’ll have you covered. If you’re still thirsty by the end of the tour, don’t forget to ask your local guide for some recommendations to continue on. Hungry? We’ll have recommendations for that also!