Escape the heat this summer; head to Hobart for a cool change.
The quirky, confident capital city at the edge of Australia, Hobart is not short of boundary-pushing culture (hey, Mona!), epic vistas or a thriving, adventurous food scene.
As the weather warms, Hobart’s natural beauty is the backdrop for wild walks, long harbourside afternoons and dishes showcasing exceptional local produce.
Taste a Hobart summer at these restaurants and bars…
Delectable catch-of-the-day specials feature at the harbourfront’s bobbing fish shops.
Bar Wa Izakaya is where Hobart meets Tokyo.
In North Hobart, Born in Brunswick’s hotcakes or pork belly soba salad kick off a great day; dinner at Trophy Room promises exemplary modern Australian dishes artfully prepared in a cosy cornerfront.
Trophy Room is a cosy corner restaurant.
Hit izakaya Bar Wa’s happy hour for half-price oysters, and grab a bowl of tomatoey mussels among locals at The Whaler after a Saturday stroll at Salamanca Market.
Find authentic Japanese fare.
Hit snooze at these Hobart stays…
In Battery Point, Moss Hotel is a luxurious, foliage-filled adventure. Perfectly appointed loft rooms enjoy sandstone walls so thick you’re guaranteed a quiet night’s sleep.
Out of the CBD, the seven newly renovated rooms at The Waggon offer king-size beds and boutique furnishings one block from the Elizabeth Street strip. (Airbnbs are first-rate, too, especially in eclectic West Hobart.)
Book a loft room at Moss Hotel. (Image: Supplied/Peter Shires)
Hobart’s summer to-do list
Sydney to Hobart Race aside, the city comes alive with the Taste of Summer, a week-long celebration of food and fun.
Scenic wanders around the city’s beloved natural landmark Kunanyi/Mt Wellington and her Organ Pipes, enjoyed via a three-hour walk; the tunes of the Cygnet Folk Festival; and languid afternoons spent with a schooner of local beer in the dog-friendly beer garden of Boodle Beasley.
Taste of Summer is a week-long celebration of food and fun.
Our hot tip: Pop on comfortable shoes to make the most of Hobart’s walkable (albeit hilly) streets, stopping by weekly produce markets – stocked by local growers – to fuel up.
Spend the day at Clifton Beach, 30 minutes south of downtown, for soft yellow sand and quality swell. You can see the stunning aurora australis year-round down here, too; drive 10 minutes out of town to Rosny Hill Lookout to catch it.
Spend summer afternoons on the harbour. (Image: Tourism Australia/Lusy Productions)
