Like a string of pearls across the city, eateries from fine dining establishments to modest roadside stalls pay homage to exquisite produce from land and sea. Thanks to Tasmania’s fertile soil, clear waters and fresh air, this island state truly has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to organic vegetables, seafood, cheeses, meats and cool-climate wines. The city is the starting point for a plethora of road trips through the cellar doors and cider houses of southern Tasmania, with just-shucked oysters on Bruny Island or cool-climate wines in the Huon Valley an easy meander away.

While the foodie scene with its trendy craft breweries and food festivals is a decidedly modern part of culture in Hobart today, it’s the city’s rich, deeply woven heritage that makes this destination so captivating. The story of the second-oldest capital in Australia is told through its architecture, from the Georgian sandstone buildings of Salamanca Place, around which sailors and whalers once milled, to the Victorian cottages of Battery Point.

The story of contemporary Hobart should undisputedly include the Museum of Old and New Art (Mona), a world-class exhibit whose inception in 2011 has attracted the attention of an international audience. Drawn in by Mona’s creative and controversial collection, visitors from around Australia and the world have discovered Hobart’s historic charm and hip gastronomic scene that gives the most dynamic of global cities a run for their money.

Main Image: Hobart and Tasman Bridge. Image by Luke Tscharke, courtesy of Tourism Tasmania.

Please note that due to current restrictions some operators may be temporarily closed. Check their websites for the most up-to-date information.