The 22 best things to do in Hobart

Of course, we’re starting our list with the jewel in the crown of Hobart’s arts culture. Visiting the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) is a tourist must-do, but take it from a local: the place is genuinely that good. Deliberately designed to be disorienting, the dark and cavernous subterranean space is filled with the infamously subversive (the poo machine, the wall of vulvas) and other hidden treasures you can stumble upon yourself. Go all in and catch the MONA ROMA ferry from downtown Hobart up the Derwent and approach the museum via boat. It’s well worth the extra splurge for the views of not only the imposing MONA structure, but the city itself.

Giving MONA a run for its money in the imposing landmark stakes (and coming out on top) is kunanyi / Mount Wellington, the 1271-metre peak that looms over the city of Hobart. With that unusual dolerite “organ pipes” formation and famous transmission tower on the top, kunanyi is a sight to behold from the ground and offers even better views from its peak. Pick a clear day for peak visibility and either tackle one of the several summit hikes or catch a bus from town to ascend to the top in comfort. Either way, you'll be rewarded with an unforgettable panoramic vista of Hobart, the River Derwent and a good chunk of Southern Tasmania. 

Every Saturday morning, it seems like half of Hobart converges on the historic Salamanca Place for its markets. Get there early to avoid the bulk of the crowds (which seem to peak at around 10am) and you’ll be able to wander, as opposed to shuffle, around the stalls. There’s plenty to enjoy here, with stalls from local artisans, authors and foodies alike. One minute you’ll be sampling a local gin, wine or honey; next you’ll be admiring artwork of Tasmanian devils, jewellery made using local gemstones and toasty socks that Tassie sheep have kindly provided the wool for. It’s mildly chaotic but in the best way, and luckily there are plenty of coffee and food trucks to keep you going.

Hobart’s more relaxed market offering is local favourite the Farm Gate Market, held on a closed-off street in the CBD every Sunday. Focused entirely on products that can be consumed or grown, it’s the perfect place to stock up on the best that Tassie has to offer: free-range meat and eggs, just-picked berries, top-tier peanut butter, fresh oysters, gins from local distilleries, veggies, homemade bread and pasta, sourdough crumpets (and the lemon curd, jam and honey to go on them), fresh-cut flowers, crunchy apples, giant cookies and so much more. Make sure you BYO shopping bag, if not several.

Tasmania’s clean air and geographical location mean that it has a well-deserved reputation as one of the best places in the world to see the Aurora Australis or Southern Lights. While it’s down to sheer luck whether or not the geomagnetic conditions will lead to a spectacular aurora show during your time here, you can maximise your chances of spotting one by joining the Aurora Australis Tasmania group on Facebook where 300,000 members share tips on everything from the best secret locations with a clear view of the night sky, to the best camera settings to ensure that perfect shot.

If you're headed down south, you're probably going to want to see a Tassie Devil – a cute little carnivore with very sharp teeth. Much like a lot of Australia's native animals, the Tassie devil faces extinction, which is why Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary is so important. This expansive outdoor sanctuary (just 30 minutes from Hobart) has been rescuing and rehabilitating native animals since 1981. Every animal that lives at Bonorong is extinct elsewhere in the world, and every dollar you spend here goes towards maintaining their animals and funding local conservation efforts.

If sourdough bakery Pigeon Whole ever closed down, there would be a gaping (perhaps pigeon-shaped) hole in Tasmania’s bakery scene. What started in 2011 by Jay Patey is now a 60-employee, three-store operation, baking the best bread and pastries in Tassie. Nothing beats visiting the grand, Art Deco flagship store in the heart of Hobart, though. There’s a wide range of loaves and treats on offer, with highlights including the ruby wheat loaf made from Tasmanian heritage wheat. Those visiting from the mainland who are feeling inspired should pick up a jar of their sourdough starter to take home.

Cascade Brewery in South Hobart was first built in 1824, and if you passed Year 10 maths you’ll realise that it turns 200 this year. This makes Cascade the oldest continually operating brewery in the country, and as a bonus, it just so happens to be in a ridiculously picturesque spot at the base of kunanyi / Mount Wellington. There are two types of tours you can do here: an all-ages history tour and an 18-plus brewery tour, which obviously includes sampling some of Cascade’s finest beers. If you’d rather just sit and admire the lovely old façade of the building, head to the Cascade Brewery Bar for a bite to eat. The views and food are both top-notch and the gardens are a treat to stroll around after lunch. Keep an eye out for Butch, the restaurant’s resident rooster.

Seasonality shines on the menu at Tasmania’s award-winning restaurant and cooking school in New Norfolk, around a 30-minute drive from Hobart CBD. Begin your seasonal adventure in the gorgeous one-acre garden, which grows 90 per cent of the produce showcased in the restaurant and cooking school. From there, settle into the light and airy dining room where you’ll sample the season’s best bounty on the ever-changing, eight-course set menu. Alternatively, opt for a casual bite from the outdoor kiosk and enjoy it on the lush lawns out front.

While there’s plenty to do to keep you occupied in Hobart proper, a side adventure to Bruny Island is a feasible and fun day trip. The ferry terminal is at Kettering, a 35-minute drive south of Hobart. Arrive early to avoid a long queue of cars and spend your day exploring beautiful Bruny. Snap a photo at popular lookout The Neck, stock up on the best produce at Bruny Island Oysters and Bruny Island Cheese Co, grab some goodies out of the Bruny Island Baker’s roadside fridges, hike the Fluted Cape track, look for a rare white wallaby at Adventure Bay and admire the Cape Bruny Lighthouse. Make sure you don’t have too much fun and miss the last ferry home, though there are probably worse places to be stranded.

When you’ve just about had it with the cold, check yourself in for a pamper session at one of Hobart’s most luxurious spas and bathhouses. Warm up in the infrared sauna at White Sage Skin and Wellness, fully switch off with a Himalayan salt stone massage at Lavada, or steam yourself silly in the steam room at Savoy Day Spa.

Public gardens are beautiful as a rule, but Hobart’s version is on another level. The 14-hectare Royal Tasmanian Botanic Garden is an inner-city haven for all things flora with more than 6,000 species in 42 identifiable collections. You’ll find something different everywhere you turn, like the Japanese Garden, floral clock, the Tasmanian Native Plant Collection and Fernery, the lily pond and the Subantarctic Plant House. You can easily spend a day here strolling around and exploring each corner of the gardens, and the water views across the Derwent are an added bonus. Bring along a picnic lunch, find a shady spot under one of the many trees and enjoy the leafy serenity.

If you’re brave enough to dip your toes in Tasmania’s chilly waters, head to the bougie coastal enclave of Sandy Bay, where you’ll find Nutgrove Beach. One of only a few sandy swimming spots near Hobart’s CBD, you’ll see people strolling, paddling and picnicking here – even outside of summer! A bonus to Nutgrove Beach is the backdrop of fancy real estate and the ever-present kunanyi / Mt Wellington looming in the distance.

Though Port Arthur is Tasmania’s most famous convict site, you actually don’t need to drive out of Hobart to find others. At Cascades Female Factory Historic Site in South Hobart, you’ll learn about convict women and girls and their remarkable tales of grit and resilience. Meanwhile, the Hobart Convict Penitentiary may be opposite an OfficeWorks, but step inside and you’ll be transported back to the 1820s, when this place was a prison barracks and had more than 50,000 men pass through it before they were assigned to work. Both these convict sites have knowledgeable guides who you can join for tours, or you can venture down the self-guided route. If you don’t plan on sleeping during your trip to Hobart, the Penitentiary offers an after-dark ghost tour as well.

It’s up, up and away at this fine-dining restaurant, located on the top floor of Hobart’s majestic waterfront Brooke Street Pier. Diners lucky enough to score a table right by Aløft’s floor-to-ceiling windows will enjoy the sparkly views over the Derwent River. However, we’d fight for one of the restaurant’s prized bar seats, where you can watch head chef Christian Ryan and his team transform seasonal produce, local seafood and small-farm poultry into an extravagant nine-course degustation with a pan-Asian twist. It’s hands-down one of the best tasting menus in the country.

There’s more to MACq 01 than meets the eye. You’ll score a history lesson, an art exhibition and a fancy night’s stay all in one at Australia’s first ‘storytelling hotel’. Every guest holds the key to a different tale, with each of the 114 doors themed to tell the story of a different great Tasmanian, past and present. You can uncover the mysteries on MACq 01’s one-hour 114 Doors Tour, or dive beyond the doors on the Sticky Stones and Secrets Tour, where you’ll explore the hidden haunts and hangouts of Hobart’s historic Hunter Street buildings. For the ultimate history lessons, travel back in time with MACq 01’s master storytellers on the Hidden Hobart: The Viewfinder Tour, where you’ll see what the city looked like 150 years ago. All three tours run daily and are free for all hotel guests or $20 for the general public. 

One of Tasmania’s 60 Best Short Walks, this hike takes you right up to one of Hobart’s most beloved landmarks: the striking 'Organ Pipes' rock formation on kunanyi / Mount Wellington. Formed in the Jurassic period as molten dolerite rock cooled down, some of these imposing columns are 120 metres high and you’ll likely end up with a crick in your neck from staring up at them on this walk. This popular track begins at The Springs in Wellington Park and ends at a rustic stone structure known as the Chalet.

Tucked away between city streets and the famed Salamanca Markets, this historic site is a small slice of nature within close proximity to both the waterfront and city centre. Pop down for a stroll on your lunch break or your next visit to the markets, and find a shady spot beneath the towering trees. Be sure to swing by the park’s rotunda where, on any given day, you might stumble upon musical performances, poetry readings or even a wedding.

You can’t come to Tasmania without visiting a winery, and you can tick this off without leaving Hobart. Glaetzer-Dixon Family Winemakers operates out of an old ice factory on the city’s busy Brooker Highway, and calls itself the state’s “first urban winery”. The winery offers tastings by appointment, usually run by Nick Glaetzer, the award-winning sixth-generation winemaker who started the winery. Just a short drive up the Brooker to Berriedale and you’ll find Moorilla, a vineyard on the MONA grounds that’s been operational longer than the edgy art museum has been around. Now owned and operated by MONA’s David Walsh, head in for a tasting at Moorilla’s cellar door once you’re done looking at the artwork.

North Hobart, or NoHo as it’s somewhat ironically referred to, is known as the foodie destination in Hobart. Whether you’re going casual or looking for something more upmarket, you’ll find something to suit at the north end of town. The suburb is home to firm favourites like brunch and coffee spot Born in Brunswick, all-day food and booze gem Room for A Pony and bustling Japanese eatery Bar Wa Izakaya, as well as buzzy new-ish restaurants Trophy Room and Ogee. North Hobart also houses a slew of local institutions for you to stumble upon, like wine bar Willing Bros, upscale Mexican at Pancho Villa, classic neighbourhood café Raincheck Lounge and The Winston, a divey pub serving up some of the best burgers in Hobart.

High up on a hill just out of the CBD is Battery Point, the oldest suburb in Hobart. Back in the 1800s, it was a mish-mash of dockworkers’ cottages and merchant’s mansions, and amazingly, a lot of these still remain. Start your sightseeing tour by climbing Kelly’s Stairs, hacked into the cliff in 1839 by a whaling captain who wanted a shortcut between Salamanca and Battery Point, before visiting merchant’s mansion-turned-museum Narryna. You will have worked up an appetite after that, so head to Jackman and McRoss bakery for a scallop pie (a Tassie staple), then do a detour off Runnymede Street to check out the charming Arthur Circus, a circular street lined with beautifully restored old cottages. Cap it off with a drink at the historic Shipwrights Arms Hotel, aka the Shippies, a pub that first opened in 1846.

Time your visit to Tassie with Beaker Street Festival – the nation’s top science and arts celebration held annually during National Science Week every August. Highlights from the 2024 festival included an all-new Antarctic polar plunge and sauna experience, an innovative Future Foods dinner, and talks by Australia’s biggest scientists, including Dr Karl and Adam Spencer.