3 days in Hobart: itinerary

Hobart is small and walkable, so the itinerary is built around three decisions: what you do on foot, what you do on the water or the mountain, and which single day trip you commit to. Trying to fit Port Arthur and Bruny Island into the same three days means two long days on the road and no time in the city.

Day 1 stays in the centre: Constitution Dock and the waterfront, Salamanca Place, then Battery Point on foot. Day 2 pairs kunanyi / Mount Wellington in the morning with MONA in the afternoon — the ferry from Brooke Street Pier is the easy way across, and the museum needs at least three hours. Day 3 is the day trip: Port Arthur for convict history and the Tasman Peninsula, or Bruny Island for coast, oysters and the neck lookout.

If you have a fourth day, add the second trip rather than squeezing both into day 3. If you have only one day, use the one-day plan instead.

Hobart's paid attractions are few, and the big ones price ferry and entry separately. Treat every figure below as a 2026 estimate and confirm on the operator's own page before you book, because Tasmanian operators change seasonal timetables between winter and summer.

MONA runs on a seasonal schedule with reduced days in winter; the ferry from Brooke Street Pier sells timed departures and can sell out in January. Port Arthur is open daily apart from Christmas Day, and the site is large enough that you should plan on half a day there before the drive back. Mount Wellington is free to visit by car, but the summit road can close in snow or high wind at any time of year — check the status on the morning you go.

Most visitors arrive on a flight from the mainland. Hobart airport sits about 20 minutes' drive from the CBD; a taxi or rideshare is the quickest option, and an airport shuttle bus runs to the centre for less. If you are coming from Sydney or Melbourne, the flight is short and there are several departures a day — book early for summer school holidays, when fares rise.

The Spirit of Tasmania ferry links Devonport, in the north of the state, with the mainland; from Devonport it is roughly a 3-hour drive to Hobart. That route suits a longer Tasmania trip rather than a three-day city stay.

Once you are in Hobart, the centre is walkable. Use the MONA ferry for the museum, a local bus for the mountain foothills, and a tour or hire car for Port Arthur and Bruny Island — public transport to both is limited.

Weather changes fast and the mountain makes its own. Even in summer, carry a windproof layer and expect the summit to be several degrees colder and much windier than the city. Snow is possible in the highlands in any month.

Book the two things that sell out: MONA ferry slots and Port Arthur tours in the summer school holidays. Outside those weeks you can often decide the day before.

Saturday is the best day to be in the city because Salamanca Market runs then; if your three days do not include a Saturday, plan the waterfront walk anyway and skip the market.

Hobart is a good base for the south of the state. If you want wine, orchards and quiet roads, the Huon Valley and the Derwent Valley are both easy half-day drives.