Hobart, Tasmania – The world’s southernmost capital city and gateway to the Antarctic! Whether you want to explore historic Hobart or meet penguins on a boat trip – we have your visit covered with our three-day itinerary.
Day One
We decided to take an early flight from Sydney and arrived around just before lunchtime. We picked up our car from Thrifty Car Rental (super conveniently inside the Airport) and started our adventure!
Having a car means we can keep our luggage in the boot without needing to check in straight away, and we can stop off at our own leisure. It’s fantastic!
Salamanca Market
Address: Corner of Davey and Salamanca Streets, Hobart
Open: Every day from 8:30am – 3pm (every Saturday)
Landing on a Saturday morning naturally meant our first stop was the Salamanca Market! The market is wonderful, and the food available looked amazing! There is plenty of fresh fruit and vegetable vendors, wines, cheeses and all sorts.
I had a browse around the shops there which were great! I picked up some spices and fresh pastry for our road trip. We had some fresh oysters and the famous scallop pies, so good!
Ultimately, it’s not a big market, but it’s stunning, and there are some great treats. So I’d definitely recommend stopping by if you’re in the area for the day, or even just as a pit stop if you have a car.
Once we were done there, it was time to explore Hobart!
MONA Museum
Address: 12 David Walsh Ave, Berriedale, Hobart
Open: Daily from 11am – 5pm (closes at 6pm Tuesday to Thursday and 4.30pm on Sunday)
The next place we visited was the MONA Museum, a contemporary art museum located on the shore of the Derwent River. A world-renowned American architect designed the building.
Zaha Hadid and is one of Tasmania’s main tourist attractions. We had purchased tickets online before we left, so we got to skip the queue and enter early. I believe if you do not have tickets in advance, you can buy them upon arrival.
MONA is like no other museum I’ve ever been to. It’s surreal inside and looks amazing; it’s definitely one of the coolest buildings I’ve seen. The exhibitions are also awe-inspiring; we saw a mix of local works, Jeff Koons and Damien Hirst.
MONA is definitely worth a visit if you have the time; lots of interesting and rare pieces here!
The Source Restaurant
Address: 67 Bathurst St, Hobart
Located near MONA Museum was my favourite restaurant from this trip, The Source, a seasonal Tasmanian experience.
According to the seasons, the restaurant changes its menu, and much of the produce is organic with a strong focus on local. The food here was amazing, and I am still dreaming about it!
Bookings are a must if you want to eat here. After that, it gets hard to get a spot.
Accommodation at Freycinet Waters at Swansea
Address: Swansea, Tasmania
Tasmania is known for its beautiful beaches, and Wineglass Bay Road is the best way to reach them. The road outside of Swansea connects all the way around Tasmania’s wild, pristine coast and ends in Hobart. The most scenic portion of this road is between Swansea and Freycinet, hence why we choose to stay here. We spent the night at Freycinet Waters, bed and breakfast accommodation in the heart of Swansea, Tasmania.
It was a beautiful house with a hot and welcoming environment; the hosts were lovely! The room we were given had an amazing view of the Bay.
The house was immaculate, and the owners were great! They provided a whole list of things to do and really prepared us for the next day.
Day Two
Wineglass Bay and Freycinet National Park
We made our way up to the top for panoramic views of Wineglass Bay and Freycinet National Park in the morning.
Wineglass Bay is beautiful! It’s definitely a must-see if you’re in the area. It looks like something straight out of a movie.
We made our way down to the beach but were not brave enough for the swim. The bay consists of white sand and crystal clear waters that stretch on for miles, with no signs of human life.
Freycinet Marine Farm
Address: Freycinet Marine Farm, adjacent to Coles Bay
After our morning hike, we made our way to visit the marine farm! The Freycinet Marine Farm is recognised as one of the world’s most successful large-scale marine farming operations. It offers visitors a chance to see how lobsters are farmed and learn about their processes.
We had a seafood feast for lunch. The oysters were the freshest I’ve ever had. I could have eaten here every day. It was so good!
Coles Bay Conservation Area
We stopped at this conservation area on our way to Coles Bay for a short walk and picnic by the water. It was really nice there! The beach is very scenic with beautiful sand, rock formations and of course a lighthouse! I would recommend taking some time out here if you’re in the area.
Day Three
Sullivans Cove
Our last day was spent around Hobart CBD before we headed on our flight home. We had a stroll around Sullivans Cove. It was a great place for lunch and dinner, there is a lot of waterfront dining, and the scenery is lovely. It still has that feel of an old fashioned seaside town with fish and chips stores, ice cream and souvenir shops. One ice cream shop we visited was a floating boat store! The area is also nicely styled with cobblestone streets and colourful houses.
To wrap up
Spending a few days in Tasmania has left me wanting more. I enjoyed the small little towns and relaxed feel of this island. You can definitely tell it’s one that people come to visit just for a few days holiday.
There are many things to do in such a little space of time. It’s easy to see why people come back year after year. We hope this article has given you some insight into what makes this state special – we can’t wait for our chance to return visit!