Welcome to Hobart
Hobart — nipaluna — is Australia's soulful southern capital: a Georgian sandstone port on the deep Derwent, framed by kunanyi/Mount Wellington and reinvented as a cultural force by the audacious MONA. Compact, walkable and creative, it pairs a working harbour and heritage streets with a superb food, wine and whisky scene, and sits within easy reach of Bruny Island and Port Arthur. This is the guide we give our own guests — the icons, the neighbourhoods, and how to plan a trip.
MONA, Salamanca & the mountain
Hobart's must-dos cluster tightly. The MONA — David Walsh's subterranean museum — is a genuine phenomenon, best reached by its own ferry up the Derwent. In the heart of town, the honey-coloured Georgian warehouses of Salamanca Place host a superb Saturday market, dining and galleries. And towering over it all, kunanyi/Mount Wellington delivers a summit view (often snow-dusted) just 30 minutes from the city.
Battery Point & the waterfront
Few cities wear their history so well. The waterfront — Sullivans Cove, Constitution Dock and the fishing punts — is the working, walkable heart of Hobart, and just uphill the cottage lanes of Battery Point preserve the colonial port in miniature. It's a lovely area to wander, especially at dusk, and the stage for the Sydney to Hobart finish each New Year. Cap it with the city's excellent food, wine and whisky.
Bruny Island & Port Arthur
Hobart is a springboard. South lies Bruny Island, a foodie-and-wildlife haven of oysters, cheese and dramatic coast (an easy day by ferry); east, the World Heritage convict site of Port Arthur and the Tasman Peninsula are about 90 minutes away; and inland, Mount Field's Russell Falls and the historic village of Richmond make gentle escapes. See our day trips guide and the wider Tasmania guide.
The essentials
Planning Hobart: your questions
Very much so — Hobart blends Georgian sandstone heritage, a working harbour and a bold creative streak. Tour the extraordinary MONA, browse Salamanca Market, ride to the summit of kunanyi/Mount Wellington, wander historic Battery Point and the waterfront, and eat and drink superbly. Add day trips to Bruny Island and Port Arthur, and it's one of Australia's most rewarding small cities.
A 2 to 3-day stay covers the city highlights — MONA, Salamanca, the waterfront and kunanyi/Mount Wellington — with time for the food and bar scene. Add a day or two for day trips to Bruny Island, Port Arthur or Mount Field, and you're looking at 4–5 days based in Hobart. It's a compact, walkable city, so you can pack a lot in without rushing. See our day trips guide.
Hobart is famous for the provocative MONA (the Museum of Old and New Art), the Saturday Salamanca Market in its Georgian sandstone warehouses, the mountain backdrop of kunanyi/Mount Wellington, and a historic harbour that hosts the finish of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. It's also known for its winter festival Dark Mofo, superb food, cool-climate wine and whisky, and as the gateway to Bruny Island and Port Arthur.
Summer (December–February) is warmest and liveliest, with long daylight, the Sydney to Hobart finish and festival buzz. Autumn is mild and settled, winter brings the famous Dark Mofo and cosy nights, and spring is fresh. Note Hobart's cool, changeable weather year-round. See our best time to visit guide.
Most visitors fly — Hobart Airport has frequent services from the mainland capitals (about an hour from Melbourne), and it's around 20 minutes from the city. You can also sail your vehicle over on the Spirit of Tasmania ferry to Devonport and drive south (about 3.5 hours). Once here, a hire car helps for day trips. See our getting there guide.