We describe how two different kinds of ordered bimetallic nanostructures (Au/Pt, Au/Ag) with hierarchical porosity, such as macroporous nanostructures and nanostructures constructed from hollow spheres, can be selectively and conveniently fabricated by a general template technique on silicon wafers and on glass substrates, and how such nanostructures can find application in catalyst or surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates.