Hobart, the capital of Australia’s red headed step-child, Tasmania. Although the Aussies on the ‘Big Island’ give Tasmania hate, the place has a lot to offer. Stunning natural environments, amazing beaches, unique wildlife and some pretty great cities to boot. With Hobart being one of the biggest cities in Tasmania, if you’re thinking about heading to the land under the land down under, it’s definitely worth a visit. The city is severely underrated as a place to go but with so many things to do you’ll be happy you went. Speaking of things to do, here’s some of our favourites.
Image thanks to MONA
MONA is an art gallery for artists and that’s not a bad thing. The people at MONA really care about the art they display and do a great deal of work to make sure that what’s on show is top notch. The art they display is weird, wonderful, out of this world and everything in between. MONA is probably most well known for it’s big, over the top sculptural art, with one of the most famous being Cloaca Professional, more commonly known as the “Poop Machine”. The machine really does what is says on the tin, after being fed twice a day it will then produce an essentially scientifically designed poo. Despite some of the weirder art inside MONA, the place is a destination hot spot packed with personality and a star attraction in Hobart. We recommend heading over on a weekday when it’s less busy because the place gets so packed there can be lines out the door.
For anyone that wants to soak in all of Tasmania’s natural beauty Mount Fields National Park is the perfect day trip. Located about an hour from Hobart it’s easy to get to and the drive is beautiful, passing fields of grapes, rolling hills and adorable little towns. Russell falls is one of the more popular spots to visit in Mount Fields and it’s obvious to see why. Nestled in a rainforest high up in the hills of Tasmania is this magnificent waterfall that seriously feels like you’ve stepped into some magical world. There are more trails you can spend all day on, including the aptly named tall trees trail which has some of the tallest trees in Tasmania. If you have a craving for some nature don’t pass up a trip to Mount Fields.
Image thanks to Innkeepers Tasmania
Easily the most popular markets in Tasmania are the Salamanca Markets. Held every Saturday over 300 vendors from around Tassie come to sell their glorious produce, crafts, play music and so much more. This market is really the lifeline of Hobart and attracts visitors as well as locals week after week. If you have more time left over during your visit in Hobart it’s really worth it to buy your groceries from the markets here to use during your stay. It’s a win-win since you are shopping locally and it always tastes better than the chain supermarkets. There’s also always artists playing their music and market-goers dancing around them. The place is always a great time, even if you’re not a local. Make sure you don’t miss it when you’re in Hobart.
Image thanks to Lenna of Hobart
If there’s one rule in life it’s that you can never go to enough farmers markets, so here’s another beauty. The Farm Gate Market is a lot smaller than the Salamanca markets but it has an adorable charm to it. The market has some great flower stalls and food vendors around as well as some more hand-made goods. Definitely come hungry to this one because the food there is absolutely fantastic. If you love your seafood the market hosts Jono & Jo’s BBQ Octopus which is market favourite that always seems to have a big line.
Image thanks to Experience Oz
The tallest peak in Hobart is the absolute best spot to view the city and surrounding areas. It hosts some stunning views and is a favourite among locals and tourists alike.For the ultimate experience get there early in the morning and watch the sunrise. Normally the gates to the summit are closed until around 7am to make sure there is no ice on the road but you can park and walk up. Even if you’re not keen for a hike about 5 minutes up the road you can still get some incredible views. Plus, if you get there early you basically have the whole mountain to yourself!
The summit of Mt. Wellington is one of those places where you just stop, stare at the world and think how fortunate we are to be seeing this. It’s a special place that will make you feel so small in the world yet so important at the same time. Don’t forget your camera because there are so many great photo ops when you’re there. And yes, being up that high does mean you will want to bring a few layers. It gets cold, especially before the sun comes up/goes down.
A slight bonus with this amazing mountain, if you’re keen on trying to see the still stunning but much less popular Southern Lights (Aurora Australis) heading up to the top of Mt. Wellington at night is a great place to go.Just remember the gates do close at night so your options will be to either hike up/down in the dark or camp in the parking area overnight.
Hobart is really a severely underrated city with so much to offer, there are so many other places to visit around Hobart like Wineglass Bay, Port Arthur and Bruny Island just to name a few. The place is surrounded by beautiful nature and packs plenty of culture making it a must if you ever plan on visiting Tasmania.
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