Culture Trip’s Guide to Tasmania

Ideal for travellers on a budget, Montacute Boutique Bunkhouse is an airy and modern accommodation option, with rooms ranging from private doubles to shared dorms. Beds feature 100 percent Australian wool duvets and 100 percent Tasmanian merino blankets to keep you cosy no matter the weather. Found in the heart of Hobart’s historic Battery Point, this boutique hostel is close to some of the city’s best restaurants and just a five-minute walk to the waterfront Salamanca Place.

Peppers Silo Launceston is housed in a converted landmark building, set on a heritage site that dates back to the 1960s. Within the original silo buildings and a new tower, the modern rooms are dressed in earthy tones – a nod to their former life as a grain storage site – and many of them come with views of the Tamar River. You can even step out the front door to take a leisurely walk along the banks. An in-house gym lets you keep up with your fitness routine, while the spa allows you to relax in style.

Sitting on the banks of the River Derwent, these eight pavilions seem to emerge out of the bushland, fitting in perfectly with their arty locale. Owned by the museum of the same name (Mona stands for Museum of Old and New Art), the rooms are suitably stylish, with specially commissioned artworks on the walls, river views and impeccable modern architecture. You’ll find the hotel’s award-winning restaurants inside the museum – expect French-influenced Australian dishes at glass-wrapped Source, while the Cellar Door (a wine-tasting space) and Moorilla Wine Bar serve up locally produced wine.

With breathtaking natural scenery all around you, you’ll discover the gourmet delights of Bruny Island on this full-day tour to some of its best local foodie spots. With your knowledgeable guide, you’ll meet seven culinary artisans – including a cheesemaker, an oyster farmer and a winemaker – and eat and drink enough to satisfy even the heartiest of appetites.

Breeze your way down Mt Wellington and take in the stunning views of the Hobart region on this two-wheeled downhill mountain bike tour. With a local guide leading the way, you’ll begin your descent at the top of the 1,270-metre summit of the mountain, where you can marvel at the panoramas and surrounding scenery before pedalling 13 miles all the way back to sea level. Along the way, there will be the opportunity to let loose on an off-road section.

On this tour, you can explore Tasmania outside Hobart, with a visit to some of the island’s most unmissable sights, including Mt Field, Mt Wellington, the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary and the charming town of Richmond. Along the way, you’ll get to see a variety of Tasmanian topography, numerous endemic species, breathtaking waterfalls and incredible views.

This historic building, constructed in the 1830s as a flour mill, is now home to the spectacular Stillwater Restaurant. With views over the Tamar River, it occupies a breathtaking position, and while its home may be old-school, the food is anything but. Depending on when you visit, the ever-changing seasonal menu might feature dishes such as wallaby with celeriac, truffle and faro, or scallop tortellini with leek velouté.

Stepping into Fico feels like entering a secret brasserie in the heart of Paris, complete with dark wood and low lighting. While influenced by the tables of Europe, the food comes with a distinctively modern Australian twist – think risotto cacio e pepe topped with tomatoes and marjoram, and hare pithivier – and the menu changes seasonally with a focus on locally sourced ingredients. The Let Us Cook for You multi-course menus put you in the hands of the chef, or there’s a bar snacks menu for those looking for a more casual bite. Complement your meal with a bottle from the restaurant’s extensive wine list.

Italian-influenced Templo sits in a convivial space with exposed brick walls, shelves lined with wine bottles, and long communal dining tables. Here, the chefs have mastered the basics of Italian cooking, with a menu of pillowy gnocchetti served with a flavourful bolognese sauce, and charred carrots on a bed of bagna cauda (a delightfully salty anchovy and garlic sauce).