Hobart - Charming Port City

Hobart is the capital of the Australian state of Tasmania and lies at the mouth of the Derwent River and at the foot of Mount Wellington (1,271 m). The greater area of the country's second oldest city covers 1,357 km² and is populated by 21,656 people. This makes Hobart Australia's eleventh biggest city. The temperate climate throughout the year causes temperate to mild temperatures in summer and winter.

Hobart is Australia's second oldest city after Sydney as well as Tasmania's commercial and financial centre. The metropolis, which was founded in 1804, was named "Hobart Town" after the former Earl of Buckinghamshire, Robert Hobart. The violent conflicts between the British settlers and Tasmania's native inhabitants (Mouheneener) are part of the city's history as are the harsh conditions of settlement at the beginning and the later economic boom due to the world's second deepest natural harbour. It is an important terminal for naval ships to the present day as well as an important stopping point for trips to the Antarctica. The harbour district of Sullivans Cove and the district of Battery Point constitute the city's historical centre. Old sandstone residential buildings and warehouses in Georgian style string together and remind of 17th century England. This is particularly apparent from the street Salamanca Place. Holidaymakers can learn about the harbour district, which was built by convicts, in the Maritime Museum of Tasmania in Argyle Street. You gain more insights into Hobart's past in the former Old Hobart Gaol in the Penitentiary Chapel and the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. The latter is located in the city's oldest house and accommodates both artefacts of the aborigines and exhibits from colonial times.

The harbour district and the old town of Battery Point are not only Hobart's historical centre but also its best culinary and shopping destinations. Once infamous and the meeting place of drunk sailors and prostitutes, the cosy district now contains numerous galleries, craftsman's shops, souvenir and antiquity shops, fashionable boutiques, cafes, pubs and restaurants. The latter mainly serve freshly caught fish, oysters and spiny lobsters as well as local delicacies such as wine, cheese, chocolate (Cadbury Chocolate Factory) and beer (Cascade Brewery, Australia's oldest brewery). Another part of Hobart's historical old town and one of its main attractions is the colourful and lively Salamanca Market at Salamanca Place. Many stalls with art handicraft, regional products, delicacies and second-hand goods invite people to spend money, while street artists present their work. Other entertaining sights and events are the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race in December, the Wrest Point Casino, Australia's first legal casino, and a ghost tour through the former Hobart Gaol.

Bellerive Beach and Seven Mile Beach near Hobart are excellently suited for doing water sports such as surfing, swimming, fishing, sailing or canoeing. Another destination for travellers who want to be active is Mount Wellington. The high mountain offers great conditions for going hiking, mountaineering and cycling. Once you have reached its top, you have a wonderful view of the city and of Tasmania's coast in good weather. If you want to relax rather than be active, you should visit the many parks and the botanical garden, which offer tranquillity and relaxation.

Travellers best arrive by ferry or at the Hobart International Airport, which is about 17 kilometres away from the city centre. It has connections to the great Australian metropolises of Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane and Cold Coast as well as to the neighbouring country of New Zealand. The best time for a trip to Tasmania's capital is the Australian summer (December to February).