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Salamanca Place: Your Guide to Tasmania’s Premier Waterfront Destination

  • Salamanca. Image Credit: Darren Wright

Salamanca Place stands as Hobart’s most iconic waterfront precinct, where historic Georgian sandstone warehouses meet contemporary culture in a vibrant celebration of Tasmania’s creative spirit.

This charming area, sitting between the Derwent River and the historic suburb of Battery Point, offers a blend of heritage architecture, world-class dining, thriving arts scene, and Tasmania’s most famous market.

The Famous Salamanca Market: Tasmania’s Must-Visit Saturday Experience

Every Saturday from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM, Salamanca Place transforms into Australia’s largest outdoor market and Tasmania’s most visited tourist attraction.

With over 300 stallholders stretching the full length of historic Salamanca Place, the market showcases the very best of Tasmanian creativity, craftsmanship, and local produce.​

Salamanca Market. Image Credit: Graham Freeman/Tourism Australia
Salamanca Market. Image Credit: Graham Freeman/Tourism Australia

The market has been a beloved local institution since 1972, offering everything from handcrafted Huon pine furniture and Tasmanian timber treasures to artisanal cheeses, local wines and spirits, fresh seasonal produce, and unique souvenirs.

Visitors can meet the makers themselves, local artisans, designers, collectors, and producers who bring their stories and passion to each Saturday gathering.

What to Experience at the Market:

  • Tasmanian Gourmet Delights: Sample award-winning cheeses, locally produced honey, artisanal breads, and fresh berries​

  • Handcrafted Arts and Crafts: Discover unique jewellery, ceramics, leather goods, and artwork from local artists​

  • Live Entertainment: Enjoy buskers and street musicians who create a vibrant atmosphere throughout the market​

  • Local Produce: Browse stalls offering organic vegetables, seasonal fruits, and specialty Tasmanian delicacies

Planning Your Market Visit:

Arrive early (8:30-9:30 AM) for the best selection and smaller crowds.

Allow at least 2-3 hours to fully explore the market and surrounding areas. The market operates rain or shine and is only cancelled under extreme weather conditions.

Free entry makes it accessible to all visitors.

Salamanca Market

World-Class Dining and Culinary Experiences

Salamanca’s restaurant scene represents some of Hobart’s finest dining, housed within beautifully converted sandstone warehouses that create an atmospheric backdrop for memorable meals.

Peppina
Peppina, Salamanca Place Hobart.
Peppina, Salamanca Place Hobart.

Signature Restaurants and Bars

Contemporary Dining:

  • Suzie Luck’s Restaurant + Bar: Asian-inspired cuisine featuring fresh Tasmanian produce with signature cocktails, open for dinner seven days and lunch Wednesday-Friday​

  • Blue Eye Seafood Restaurant: Specializing in fresh local seafood including oysters, grilled fish, and their famous afternoon “Oyster Orgy” ($2 oysters 3-5 PM Tuesday-Saturday)​

  • Peppina at The Tasman: Italian-inspired restaurant celebrating Tasmanian ingredients and local producers​

Historic Venues with Character:

  • Maldini Italian Cafe & Restaurant: A Hobart institution serving authentic Italian cuisine with sidewalk dining, perfect for Saturday market watching​

  • Ball and Chain Grill: Premium steakhouse offering quality cuts in a sophisticated setting​

  • Jack Greene: American-style bar and pub featuring unique decor and gourmet mini hamburgers

Craft Cocktails and Local Spirits

Salamanca’s bar scene showcases Tasmania’s renowned distilling heritage:

  • Society Salamanca: Underground cocktail bar featuring Tasmania’s largest selection of gin and whisky, complete with a library ladder to access their impressive spirits collection​

  • The Den: Intimate cocktail bar within historic sandstone walls, known for carefully balanced cocktails in atmospheric surroundings​

  • Mary Mary: Hidden speakeasy-style bar within the old St Mary’s Hospital building, featuring imaginative cocktails with local ingredients​

  • Botanica Bar: Situated in a transformed Georgian warehouse, showcasing local distilleries, breweries, and delicacies

Local Tasting Experiences:

Visit the Salamanca Market Wine & Spirits Tasting Stalls every Saturday to sample the best locally produced wines and spirits. Many venues offer tastings of Tasmania’s acclaimed whisky, gin, and craft beer productions.

Hobart Wine & Dine

Arts, Galleries, and Cultural Attractions

Salamanca Arts Centre: The Creative Hub

The Salamanca Arts Centre stands as one of Tasmania’s most significant cultural institutions, and a major arts hub in Hobart, housing over 60 artists, studios, galleries, theatres, and performance spaces within seven heritage sandstone buildings.

This non-profit cultural institution attracts over 250,000 visitors annually and represents thousands of artists each year.

Salamanca Arts Centre
Salamanca Arts Centre
Salamanca Arts Centre

Gallery Highlights:

  • Long Gallery: Contemporary Tasmanian, national, and international visual arts exhibitions​

  • Studio Gallery: Dedicated to showcasing works by resident SAC artists​

  • Wooby Lane Gallery: Features over 30 glass artists of all disciplines, as well as painters, woodwork, leather, ceramics , jewellery and much more.

  • Handmark: exhibits ceramics, glass, jewellery, wood, paintings, works on paper and sculpture and exports pieces all over the world, to collectors and clients.

Performance Venues:

Public Art and Installations

Salamanca features notable public artworks, including the Gillie and Marc Paparazzi Dogman and Marilyn Rabbitwoman sculptures in Salamanca Square. The area also connects to Battery Point’s innovative sculpture trail, featuring numerical installations that interpret the heritage of this historic precinct.

Salamanca. Image Credit: @phoebe.rundle
Farzi, Salamanca.
Salamanca. Image Credit: @phoebe.rundle

Historic Battery Point: A Colonial Village Experience

Just steps from Salamanca via the historic Kelly’s Steps lies Battery Point, Australia’s best-preserved colonial-era suburb.

Built in 1839 by whaling captain James Kelly, these stone steps carved into the cliff face provide a dramatic entrance to this charming historic neighbourhood.

Battery Point. Heritage Horse Drawn Carriages. Image Credit: Tanya Challice Photography
Battery Point. Heritage Horse Drawn Carriages. Image Credit: Tanya Challice Photography

Key Historic Attractions:

Arthur Circus: A unique circular street lined with mid-19th century workers’ cottages surrounding a central park – one of Australia’s most photographed streetscapes​

Narryna Heritage Museum: A beautifully restored 1836 merchant’s house offering insights into colonial high society and maritime history

Hampden Road: The main thoroughfare featuring heritage buildings, artisan bakeries, and boutique shops​

Jackman & McRoss Bakery: Heritage double-fronted building housing one of Hobart’s most beloved bakeries, perfect for coffee and pastries during your historic exploration

Kelly’s Steps: A Historic Connection

These weathered stone steps, named after whaling captain and explorer James Kelly, represent more than just a pathway, they’re a journey through time.

Built in 1839 when Battery Point sat on a cliff overlooking the wharfs, the steps were carved from the same stone used to build Salamanca’s warehouses. 

Kelly's Steps, Salamanca. Image Credit: Darren Wright
Kelly's Steps, Salamanca. Image Credit: Darren Wright

Accommodation Options

Salamanca offers premium accommodation within walking distance of all attractions:

Luxury Hotels:

Proximity Benefits:
All accommodations provide easy walking access to Saturday markets, restaurants, galleries, and the MONA ferry terminal.

Hobart Accommodation
Lenna of Hobart
Lenna of Hobart

Getting There and Practical Information

By Car:

By Public Transport:

From the centre of Hobart, Salamanca Place is a short 5 – 10 min walk. Salamanca Place is closed to vehicles on Saturdays from 5:00 AM to 5:30 PM for the market. 

Best Time to Visit and Seasonal Highlights

Saturday Market Days: The optimal Salamanca experience occurs on Saturdays when the famous market creates the area’s most vibrant atmosphere.

Peak Times: The market is busiest from 11 AM to 1 PM, with a more relaxed atmosphere after 2 PM.

Year-Round Appeal: Salamanca operates as a cultural and dining destination seven days a week, with many restaurants, galleries, and bars open throughout the week.

Special Events: The area hosts major festivals including Dark MOFO (winter arts festival) and MONA FOMA (summer music and arts festival), and the Taste of Summer.

Why Salamanca Deserves Your Visit

Salamanca Place represents Tasmania at its most authentic, where colonial history meets contemporary creativity, where local producers share their stories directly with visitors, and where the island’s renowned food and arts culture converge in one magnificent waterfront setting.

Salamanca offers an experience that captures the true essence of Hobart and Tasmania’s creative spirit.

Salamanca Place Frequently Asked Questions:

Salamanca Place in Hobart is best known for its vibrant Saturday Salamanca Market, historic sandstone warehouses, boutique shopping, art galleries, and world-class dining. It’s one of Tasmania’s most popular cultural and tourism precincts, drawing thousands of visitors each week.

The Salamanca Market is held every Saturday from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM, rain or shine. It features over 300 local stallholders offering Tasmanian produce, handmade crafts, gourmet foods, and unique souvenirs, all set against the iconic backdrop of Hobart’s waterfront.

Salamanca Place is located on Hobart’s waterfront between Battery Point and the Derwent River, just a 5–10 minute walk from the Hobart city centre. Its central position makes it easy to explore nearby attractions like Brooke Street Pier, Kelly’s Steps, and Arthur Circus.

Salamanca Place is easily accessible by foot from Hobart’s city centre. Metro Tasmania buses run frequently to Hobart Interchange, and the Bellerive Ferry connects the eastern shore to Brooke Street Pier. Parking options include Salamanca Square Car Park and Montpelier Retreat Car Park.

Beyond the market, visitors can explore art galleries, cocktail bars, local distilleries, and fine dining restaurants housed within heritage buildings. The Salamanca Arts Centre also hosts exhibitions, live music, and theatre performances year-round, celebrating Tasmania’s creative culture.

Top dining spots include Suzie Luck’s for Asian-inspired Tasmanian cuisine, Blue Eye Seafood, Peppina, and Maldini Italian Cafe. For drinks, visit Society Salamanca, The Den, or Mary Mary for local gin, whisky, and craft cocktails in atmospheric sandstone settings.

Nearby must-visit attractions include Battery Point, reached via the historic Kelly’s Steps, Narryna Heritage Museum, and Jackman & McRoss Bakery. The area is also home to striking public art installations and forms part of Hobart’s interactive sculpture trail.

Yes. While the Salamanca Market operates only on Saturdays, the precinct’s restaurants, cafes, galleries, and bars are open throughout the week. Salamanca is Hobart’s year-round hub for arts, culture, and dining, making it a must-visit destination any day of the week.

Yes, top options within walking distance include Salamanca Inn, Salamanca Wharf Hotel, and the Lenna of Hobart in nearby Battery Point. All provide excellent access to the market, Hobart’s waterfront, and ferry terminals to popular attractions like MONA.

Salamanca Place hosts major Hobart festivals and events such as Dark MOFO, MONA FOMA, and the Taste of Summer. Regular live performances also take place at The Peacock Theatre, The Founders Room, and the Courtyard within the Salamanca Arts Centre.

Salamanca. Image Credit: Mhay
Salamanca. Image Credit: Mhay
Picture of Hobart and Beyond Editorial Team

Hobart and Beyond Editorial Team

The Hobart and Beyond Editorial Team is dedicated to bringing you the best insider tips, local stories, and up-to-date guides to exploring southern Tasmania.

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