Reach for the sky

Experience Melbourne from up on high

1 See a movie

The delights of Curtin House are myriad and storeyed, but in summer it’s worth making a beeline all the way to the top, when the literally named Rooftop Bar becomes the Rooftop Cinema.

The venue shows the latest releases, cult favourites andclassic films, and why would you ever want to be stuck in a dark theatre when you can watch a movie against the gorgeous backdrop of Melbourne’s skyline? Fuel up from Rooftop Bar’s burger stand, where you can also get your choc-top and popcorn fix ahead of the screening. The venue is fully licenced, so you can sip on Rooftop Bar’s wide selection of beers, wines, ciders and cocktails. More outdoor cinemas in Melbourne on p48.

à 252 Swanston St, Melbourne 3000. rooftopcinema.com.au. Daily sunset. $22-$26. Dec-mar.

2 Go for a swim

The rooftop pool at the

Adelphi Hotel is one of the most photographed pools in Melbourne, thanks to its cantilevering glass bottom, which juts out nine storeys over Flinders Lane. It’s open from 6am most days, and Friday evening is perfect for a swim and an after-work cocktail. You don’t have to be a guest at the hotel to experience it.

à 187 Flinders Ln, Melbourne 3000. 03 8080 8888. adelphi.com.au.

Daily 6am-7pm. $35/day.

3 Have a drink

This one’s pretty obvious, but summer nights are made for rooftop drinking. We’re partial to

Johnny’s Green Room, the rooftop bar on top of King and Godfree in Carlton, for its jaw-dropping views of the Melbourne skyline, freshly shucked oysters and cheese platters, and a list of cocktails, highballs and Spritzes. à Lvl 2/293297 Lygon St, Carlton 3053. 03 9347 1619. johnnysgreenroom.com. Daily noon-late.

4 Dine like a Parisian

French Saloon, housed above Kirk’s Wine Bar, looks and feels like it could have been serving oysters – natural with a tiny bottle of Tabasco, or punchily flecked in bottarga and horseradish – at the dawn of existentialism. à Lvl 1, 46 Hardware Ln, Melbourne 3000. 03 9600 2142. frenchsaloon.com. Daily noon-late.

5 Learn about bees

Melbourne City Rooftop Honey makes use of underutilised city rooftops to provide resting places and crucial nutrients for swarms of honeybees that might otherwise die. The company sells the honey collected from these urban hives on its website (you can even choose between honey collected north of the Yarra and honey collected south of the Yarra), and there is a mentoring program to help aspiring apiarists learn what the buzz is about. Beekeepers will take you to several rooftop sites to learn about various stages of hive development. à rooftophoney.com.au.

6 Answer a call of nature

Luxury hotel Sofitel boasts one of the best views of the city... in its swanky sky-high bathrooms. Sofitel’s loo has floor-to-ceiling windows, from which you can see all the way out to the Dandenongs, as well as theroyal Botanic Gardens, the Shrine of Remembrance, the ’G and even out to sea. While you’re up there, sit back with a cocktail at the luxe Atrium Bar on 35. à 25 Collins St, Melbourne 3000. 03 9653 0000. sofitel-melbourne.com.au.

7 Sing your lungs out

Head to the back of Nitro Lab ice cream and take the lift up to Heroes karaoke bar. The bar is stuffed with posters and tchotchkes, and there’s a panAsian menu of snacks to keep you fortified before your moment in the spotlight. Book a private room if you’d like to limit your embarrassment, or sing for free to a room full of strangers. After you sing, you can go up one more level to the rooftop to cool off, or just put your name down at the bar to have another go on the mic. ■

à 188 Bourke St, Melbourne 3000. 03 8639 0630. heroesbar.com.au. Thu-sat 4pm-1am; Wed & Sun 4pm-midnight.