The Royal Arcade hustles and bustles with Melbournians and tourists alike enjoying the vintage atmosphere with a classy cup of tea or macaroon. Everywhere you look someone flashes a phone or camera, with a person posing giddily not too far away. Business people in suits shuffle in and out, taking a shortcut through the arcade on their way to and from their nine-to-five job.

The vibe is just so charming in this place; waitresses stand in front of their quaint cafes and smile as you walk past. The historic archways curve around every corner, urging you to come inside and peep through the shops. One of my favourites included a witchcraft and magic shop called Spellbox, full of mystery with its intriguing books, crystals and potions. Not to mention it smelled fantastic in there. Another one of my favourites included a small pop-up macaroon shop. I asked the workers if I could take some photos of their beautifully picturesque macaroons and they agreed enthusiastically. They were all different colours, though mostly shades of pink and red, however the black and white photographs still capture their simple beauty perfectly. 

Kayla and I (who I was taking the photographs with) didn’t speak to anyone besides the macaroon shop workers as neither of us were particularly comfortable speaking to strangers. However, we didn’t need to speak to anyone to understand the gorgeous atmosphere of the Royal Arcade. The extraordinary designs of the building are truly stunning, and almost every cafe, restaurant and shop has happy customers inside. The vibe in there is unmatched to almost anywhere else in Melbourne and I can definitely say I had a lot of fun taking these photos.