Tasman Highway

Raw. Remote. Untamed. Tasmania is just waiting to be discovered. Clean air. Dense rainforests. Deserted beaches. Dramatic sea cliffs. Fascinating wildlife. Glacial valleys. Gorgeous national parks. Hidden caves. Deep lakes. Multi-day hikes. Rugged islands. Wild rivers. Windswept coastlines. Are you curious yet? Add emerging cities, award-winning wineries, straight-from-the-ocean seafood, and gorgeous lodges. Australia's smallest and least-populated state is starting to command attention. It's about time. The island is beautiful. Historic Hobart is now luring artists and foodies. While road trips move through diverse landscapes within relatively short distances. Tassie is not an accidental destination. But those who make the long journey will feel both at home and surprised at every turn. The Tasmania Guide focuses on Hobart, wine country, and three national parks. This detailed guide includes: Places: regions, cities, neighborhoods, towns, peninsulas Stay: hotels Eat: cafés, farms, food stands, restaurants Drink: breweries, cocktail bars, distilleries, wineries Shop: bookstores, local produce Do: art museums, bays, beaches, bridges, city parks, coves, docks, gardens, hikes, lakes, lookout points, memorials, mountains, national parks, piers, rivers, sculptures, squares, stairs, trails, waterfalls, wharfs, wine tours Transportation: airports, ferries, highways

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