Hobart Itinerary: How to Spend 3 Days in Tasmania’s Capital

How to Use This Map

The interactive map above shows all the locations included in this 3-day Hobart itinerary. Use this map to see all the stops included in this 3-day Hobart itinerary, including Salamanca Place, the summit of Kunanyi / Mount Wellington, and the Bruny Island day trip.

• Blue pins – Hobart city highlights (Day 1)
• Green pins – Mount Wellington and nature stops (Day 2)
• Purple pins – Bruny Island day trip locations (Day 3)

You can click each pin to see the location details and use the map to navigate during your trip.

Morning – Salamanca Place, Battery Point & the Waterfront

Start your morning at Salamanca Place, Hobart’s most recognisable precinct. Hobart is one of the oldest cities in Australia, and you can really feel its history in Salamanca Place - the honey-coloured sandstone warehouses date back to the early 1800s, and the buildings played a vital part in Tasmania's whaling industry. Today, the area is home to cafés, galleries, and boutiques, plus Salamanca Market.

Grab coffee and a bite to eat from a small café along the wharf or in Salamanca Square - this area is great for dining, so you’ll have lots of choice! I was a big fan of Hobart's coffee scene; Hobart takes its coffee seriously, and many places roast their beans locally. After breakfast, head uphill into Battery Point - it’s about a five-minute walk away. This was Hobart's first suburb, and the neighbourhood feels like a village frozen in time, with narrow lanes and weatherboard cottages, all set into a classic Tasmanian mountain background. 

I think spending your first morning exploring these two areas is one of the best things to do in Hobart - it gives you such a good sense of Hobart's history. Just make sure to wear comfortable shoes - Hobart isn’t a very flat city! The hills aren’t too steep, but they’re pretty constant.

After MONA, if you have time, head back to the city and visit the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG). It’s centrally located, free, and offers excellent insight into Tasmania’s natural and cultural history through its collection of art and taxidermy. 

Evening – Waterfront Dining 

In the evening, head down to the waterfront. Constitution Dock and Franklin Wharf are packed with restaurants specialising in Tasmanian produce - think oysters, salmon, wallaby, and local wines. The two areas are located next to one another, and it's a great spot to spend your first evening in Hobart. 

Morning – Kunanyi / Mount Wellington

Begin early and head up Kunanyi / Mount Wellington. This mountain towers over the city, measuring just over 1200 meters. On a clear day, the summit offers sweeping views over Hobart, Bruny Island, and even the Tasman Peninsula. The mountain is located within Wellington Park, and there’s a vast network of trails in the area - there are over 40 recognised trails here, with durations ranging from short walks to long, challenging hikes. 

Start at The Springs, and take this Mount Wellington Circuit walk for the best views along the way to the summit. The loop takes around 1.5 - 2 hours to complete, and is pretty manageable - it starts at 720 meters above sea level, so the elevation isn’t too tough. 

If hiking isn’t your thing, you can drive to the summit via Pinnacle Road, and there’s a shuttle bus if you don’t have a vehicle for your Hobart itinerary. It’s also possible to book small group tours online, which include pickup in Hobart - these are a great option if you want to see the incredible views at the top, without having to worry about any of the logistics. 

Make sure to bring an extra layer with you, no matter what time of year you’re visiting - even in summer, temperatures at the top can be 10–15°C cooler than the city. If you’re driving yourself to the summit, it’s wise to check the live webcam for the latest weather conditions at the top; these can be vastly different from the weather in the CBD, and sometimes the summit is closed due to bad weather. 

Afternoon – Cascade Brewery & South Hobart

Head back down and spend the afternoon in South Hobart. Start at Cascade Brewery, Australia’s oldest operating brewery, which is set in a beautiful backdrop of forested hills. It’s a really cool spot, even for non-beer drinkers - the heritage architecture and sculpted gardens make it a great place to enjoy a scenic lunch. 

Afterwards, explore nearby walking tracks or visit Cascade Female Factory, a UNESCO World Heritage site that tells the story of convict women in Tasmania. From 1826, thousands of female  convicts from Great Britain and Ireland were housed in the purpose-built colonial prison. The institution was designed to hold 100 women at any one time, but inhabitants regularly exceeded over 1000 women and children, living in overcrowded squalor. A visit to the museum is one of the more sobering but important things to do in Hobart, and it’s a fantastic way to learn about Tasmania's history as a penal colony. I really recommend taking one of the guided tours here, as the insights and stories they share add a layer of depth you don’t get on a self-guided visit.

After the museum, if you have extra energy, take a short walk along Hobart Rivulet Track, which follows a creek back toward the city.

Evening – North Hobart Dining Scene

In the evening, head to North Hobart. This area is known for its great dining scene and cool boho vibes; this is where Hobart locals eat. From Italian and Thai to modern Tasmanian bistros, the choices are excellent and generally more affordable than waterfront dining.

Finish the night with a drink at one of North Hobart's small, quirky bars, or with a visit to the State Cinema. Spending an evening exploring North Hobart is a must on any Hobart itinerary, as it’s a  great way to get a real, authentic feel of the city. 

You have two options for visiting Bruny Island: you can hire a car and cross using the vehicular ferry from Kettering, or you can join a guided Bruny Island day tour. There’s a lot to do on Bruny Island - if you opt for a self-drive day trip, I recommend visiting the following spots: 

• Cape Bruny Island Lighthouse - located on the southern tip of the island, Cape Bruny Lighthouse is the second oldest lighthouse in Australia, and it safely guided ships around the island for just under 200 years. It has a pretty interesting history - the lighthouse was built by a group of 12 convicts, who were promised freedom in return for their swift work. You can take a guided tour of the lighthouse if you want to learn all about its past, and the tour takes you all the way to the top, where you can admire the incredible view.    
• Truganini Lookout & Viewpoint - this viewpoint is on a part of Bruny Island called The Neck, which is a narrow strip of land connecting the north and south of the island. There’s a 300-step climb up, and when you reach the top, you’re rewarded with epic 360-degree views over the whole of Bruny Island. It’s pretty special and is a must-visit during your day trip. 
• Food and drink tasting - For such a small island, the food and drink offerings on Bruny Island are exceptional - it’s a great day trip for foodies, with so many small independent businesses serving local produce. My top recommendations are: Bruny Island Cheese & Beer Co, Get Shucked Oyster Bar, Bruny Island Premium Wines, and The Bruny Island Chocolate and Fudge Shop.  
• Cape Queen Elizabeth Trail - This is one of the best walks you can do on the island. The full trail is a 14 km return walk in the north of the island, which sees you pass some incredible coastal scenery. It takes between 3 and 5 hours to complete, but as you’re on a day trip and there’s so much to see on the island, instead of doing the full walk, I recommend only going as far as Mars Bluff. Here you’ll see one of the walk's highlights - a really cool natural rock arch that climbs out of the sand on the beach. 
• Adventure Bay - Located in the southern part of the island, this is one of Bruny's best beaches, and it’s also where you’re most likely to find the rare white wallabies that inhabit the island. These mythical-looking creatures exist because of a rare genetic mutation - it’s likely that anywhere else in the world, they wouldn’t survive, but a combination of the lack of predators on Bruny Island and valiant efforts from locals who look after them means there are around 200 of them on the island.  

Where to Stay in Hobart

I recommend staying either in the CBD, Salamanca, or Battery Point - these three areas provide the easiest access to most of the activities in this Hobart 3-day itinerary, and they’ve each got a great selection of places to eat and drink nearby. Here are my top three accommodation picks in Hobart: 

YHA Hobart ($) - There aren’t many hostels in Hobart, but the YHA is one of the best budget accommodation options. It’s very centrally located, clean and well-equipped, and the staff are super helpful for anything you need during your stay. 

Customs House Hotel ($$) - this is a great mid-range option in the CBD. Rooms are super modern and comfortable, and some even have a view over the harbour. The hotel is also home to one of Hobart's oldest pubs, and they have a great food menu here too.  

Moss Hotel ($$$) -  this is a beautiful, charmingly decorated heritage hotel, located in Salamanca. The rooms look incredible and full of character, and the luxury touches like underfloor heating in the bathroom make for a great stay.