I recently escaped to Tasmania for 10 relaxing days full of eating, hiking, coffee-sipping and more eating. Tasmania was even more beautiful than I expected, and had so much to offer – delicious fresh local produce, breathtaking national parks, an abundance of good coffee (a necessity for me), and quaint boutiques. We spent most of our time in Hobart and Launceston, with plenty of day trips. I highly recommend hiring a car (and a boyfriend to drive you if, like myself, you don’t drive…), as there are so many beautiful places that are a drive away.
STAY
We actually stayed in two separate places in Hobart. First off we spent five nights in a seriously great Air BnB in Dynnyrne (5 minute drive from the Hobart CBD). The view from the loft is easily 11/10, the host Eliza was splendid and offered countless fantastic restaurants and day trips, and the loft itself is simply gorgeous! I couldn’t recommend this place more. Waking up to that view of the bay was a little slice of European beach bliss in Aus!
We also stayed at Macq01 along the historic wharf precinct. What a hotel! A stellar location with all the bells and whistles. The mini bar was far from mini (it actually just won Best Hotel Mini Bar in Australia), the bed was 14/10 comfy, and storytelling theme of the hotel gives you a little taste of the rich history of Tassie.
For our time in Launceston, we stayed at Peppers Silo Hotel. The site is actually a renovated grain silo, hence the rooms are very generous in size and the perfect place to wind down after days full of outdoor activities. Plus, they have an on-site labrador called Archie who helps out at the concierge. I think that may be reason enough to stay!
PLAY
We were blessed with great weather on our trip, so we made the most of it by seeing as many of the beautiful natural wonders as we could.
Hobart –
The Royal Botanic Gardens were seemingly endless and absolutely stunning, with a huge array of flora to galavant though. A trip to the top of Mt Wellington was a must. The wind on top of the mountain was next level ridiculous, but the view made it so worth it. There was even snow up there despite it being Spring! On the way back down the mountain we stopped half way to do the O’Grady Falls Walk, which is a beautiful walk to a peaceful waterfall.
MONA is an absolute must-do – more whacky art than you can poke a stick at, plus a delightful ferry ride to get you there and back. More art was enjoyed at the Tasmania Art Museum and Art Gallery and QVMAG. Drive to Wrestpoint Casino to check out the view, feed roos at Bonarong Wildlife Sanctuary.
A day trip to Freycinet National Park was a highlight, checking out Wineglass Bay, Sandy Bay, and the Lighthouse. Another day trip to Port Arthur saw us visit theTessellated Pavement (beach), sip coffee with a view at Cubed, check out the Tasman Arch, Devils Kitchen and Eaglehawkes Neck.
A trip to Richmond to see the historic bridge, and check out the local bakery, lolly shop, church.
Launceston –
The many Cataract Gorge walks are scenic and refreshing (shout out to the First Basin swimming pool – too chilly to swim in, but cool to check out). The City Park Monkeys are a fun visit! There are lots of wineries on offer – we enjoyed Velo Vineyard.
EAT
Hobart
Hobart has really embraced the Melbournesque cafe culture, and has so many great brunch options. My favourites were Ginger Brown, Bear With Me, Amelia, Born in Brunswick, Amelia and Room for a Pony. We also had great coffee at Pigeonhole, Vicino, Yellow Bernard and Hamlet. Kudos to Instagram for always providing the goods when it comes to awesome coffee.
Some other delightful culinary experiences:
Urban Greek
Faro at MONA
Daci and Daci bakery
Templo
Fresh produce at Salamanca Markets
Sweet Brew
Villino
Great spots to grab a drink:
Henry Jones Art Hotel bar
By the fire at MACQ01
Cascade Brewery
Launceston
Quite a bit smaller, but still lots of yummy options.
Stillwater Restaraunt
Timbre Kitchen
Geronimo Apertivo Bar
Bryher
SHOP
It’s not a trip with me without some shopping. A few of the best boutiques I found:
Ally and Me
Luxe
Home State
Pitbull Mansion
Criterion St – Seagrass Design, Cloth, Homebody
State Book Store
WHAT TO PACK
Tassie errs on the chillier side most of the time (we saw snow during Spring) so pack warm get-ups. A cosy coat or two, boots that are comfy but still good to dine out in, blazers (gotta look the part for MONA), tailored pants and jeans will be you friend.
the fressh 