Hobart, Tasmania

Hobart (nipaluna) is the capital and largest city of Tasmania. It's also Australia's southernmost state capital. The city sits at the base of Mount Wellington (kunanyi) and on an estuary of the River Derwent along the island's southeast coast. It's home to about half a million people (that's 40% of the total population). This land was occupied by the Aboriginal Tasmanians before the British founded a penal colony 1804. Whalers, miners, farmers, and, eventually, Antarctic explorers, followed. Tourism has only recently begun to dominate the economy. Hobart's historic waterfront has cobblestone streets and sandstone warehouses. They're now full of new hotels, exciting art galleries, and locally sourced markets. Battery Point has colonial cottages and cute cafés. The eery Convict Trail starts here. The Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) is just a quick ride up the River Derwent. Mount Wellington hikes offer a great lay of the land. Craft breweries and distilleries keep popping up inside the city; wineries lie just outside. While the restaurant scene is booming. Hobart is more than just a stopover. You should plan to spend at least a few days getting to know Tassie's capital. This detailed guide includes: Places: cities, neighborhoods, towns Stay: hotels Eat: cafés, restaurants Drink: cocktail bars, distilleries Shop: bookstores, local produce Do: art museums, bridges, coves, cranes (really!), docks, gardens, memorials, parks, piers, rivers, sculptures, squares, stairs, trails, wharfs Transportation: airports, ferries, highways