5 days in Hobart

Day by day

1. Day 1: MONA – Museum of Old and New Art and Salamanca Market

   MONA – Museum of Old and New Art, Salamanca Market and kunanyi/Mount Wellington, then Salamanca Place in the evening.

   1. Morning

      MONA – Museum of Old and New Art

      Take the MONA ferry from Brooke Street Pier rather than the bus; the 25-minute ride up the Derwent is part of the experience. (3–4 hours, expensive).

   2. Late morning

      Salamanca Market

      Arrive before 10am for the produce stalls and space to move, then climb Kelly's Steps to Battery Point for coffee. (2 hours, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Tasmanian oysters

      Fish punts at Constitution Dock, waterfront restaurants and farm-gate shops on Bruny Island and near the airport at Barilla Bay.

   4. Afternoon

      kunanyi/Mount Wellington

      Bring warm, windproof layers even in summer; the summit can be 10°C colder than the waterfront, and the road can close after snow. (2–3 hours, free).

   5. Evening

      Salamanca Place

      Walk through the arched lanes into the Salamanca Arts Centre courtyard, which most visitors miss.

2. Day 2: Constitution Dock and the fish punts and Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery

   Constitution Dock and the fish punts, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery and Mawson's Huts Replica Museum, then Theatre Royal in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Constitution Dock and the fish punts

      Eat flathead and chips on the dock wall, keeping an eye on the gulls, then walk to Mawson's Huts Replica Museum next door. (1 hour, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery

      Head first to the thylacine displays and the palawa gallery, then leave time for the colonial art upstairs. (2 hours, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Scallop pie

      Bakeries across Hobart and Battery Point, and roadside bakeries on the way to Richmond and Port Arthur.

   4. Afternoon

      Mawson's Huts Replica Museum

      Ask the volunteer guides about the expedition's survival story; it adds a lot to the small space. (45 minutes, low cost).

   5. Evening

      Theatre Royal

      Check the programme before you travel; even a modest touring show is worth it for the historic interior.

3. Day 3: Battery Point and Arthur Circus and Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens

   Battery Point and Arthur Circus, Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens and Cascade Brewery, then Salamanca Place in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Battery Point and Arthur Circus

      Walk up Kelly's Steps from Salamanca, loop through Arthur Circus and come down via Princes Park for river views. (1–2 hours, free).

   2. Late morning

      Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens

      Visit the Subantarctic Plant House on a warm day for a cool, misty contrast, then picnic on the lawns above the river. (1.5–2 hours, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Fish and chips

      The floating fish punts at Constitution and Victoria Docks.

   4. Afternoon

      Cascade Brewery

      Walk there along the Hobart Rivulet Track from the city, about 45 minutes, and take a bus back. (1.5 hours, mid-priced).

   5. Evening

      Salamanca Place

      Pubs and wine bars in the sandstone warehouses, busiest on Friday and Saturday nights.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Port Arthur Historic Site

   About 1.5 hours by car each way. Getting there: Car or organised tour.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Port Arthur Historic Site

      About 1.5 hours by car (Car or organised tour); about 95 km.

   2. Day

      Port Arthur Historic Site

      The best-known of Australia's convict sites, with the ruined penitentiary, the separate prison and dozens of restored buildings on a harbourside lawn. Best for first-timers, culture and families.

   3. Evening

      Back in Hobart

      Dinner: try Tasmanian salmon.

5. Day 5: Cascades Female Factory and Hobart Rivulet Track

   Cascades Female Factory, Hobart Rivulet Track and Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, then North Hobart in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Cascades Female Factory

      Book the guided tour or performance rather than wandering alone; the empty yards make much more sense with the stories. (1 hour, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      Hobart Rivulet Track

      Start at the Collins Street end near Molle Street and walk uphill to the brewery, which is the more scenic direction. (1.5 hours return, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Tasmanian salmon

      Waterfront and Salamanca restaurants, and smoked salmon at Salamanca and Farm Gate markets.

   4. Afternoon

      Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

      Join a guided tour to see the devils fed, and combine the drive with historic Richmond on the way back. (2 hours, mid-priced).

   5. Evening

      North Hobart

      The Republic Bar for live music, the State Cinema's rooftop bar and late-ish restaurants on Elizabeth Street.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for MONA – Museum of Old and New Art and Cascade Brewery before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 5 nights, Waterfront and CBD keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Salamanca and Battery Point ($$$$) suits couples, culture, food lovers and luxury. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 22–27 hours of visiting over 5 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9 hours in June to 15.3 hours in December, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Hobart
• 2 days in Hobart
• 3 days in Hobart

Questions travellers ask