Sightseeing in Tasmania - what to see. Complete travel guide

Tasmania is the smallest state in Australia, which is located on the island of the same name. More than half of the island is occupied by picturesque nature reserves; the nature of these places is unique and attractive. There are dense forests and roaring waterfalls, spacious plains and high hills on the island. Tasmania has everything necessary for tourists. Every city has a wide range of hotels, so you can find accommodation for every taste and budget.

As for recreational facilities, the majority of visitors prefer to spend time on beaches; there are suitable places for snorkeling and for family vacations. Fishing also enjoys a great popularity. Many vacationers prefer to rent a car and go on a journey through the most notable areas of the island. Each city welcomes visitors with an abundance of restaurants and cafes, exciting shopping pavilions and souvenir shops. However, travelers should take into account that at the weekend all the local restaurants and shops are closed, so the trip mayn’t be so interesting.

Perhaps the most famous attraction of Tasmania is Port Arthur. It has been built in 1830, when the island of Tasmania had Statute convicts. In addition to prison towers, architectural complex included a variety of other buildings: churches, hospitals; there was even a post office. In the late 19th century the prison was closed, and in a few years buildings fell in misfortune. Most of them were completely destroyed by fire; locals believe that ex-convicts destroyed the place out of revenge. A lot of myths and legends are associated with this old prison; local residents claim that you can find the ghosts in the corridors of the prison – those are souls of former prisoners. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Tasmania appeals to fans of natural attractions; Southwest National Park is considered to be the most picturesque landmark. In the vast forest you can see rare plants and flowers, as well as animals and birds that live only in Australia. Yet another famous reserve is located near Launceston; it is the Cradle Mountain National Park. Its main decoration is crystal clear lake surrounded by green hills. Every traveler should see sights of Hobart and visit Liffey Falls.

In Tasmania, you can admire unique nature and explore historical attractions. There are a lot of colonial constructions. You can take a tour even to old coal mines. The interesting historical site here is the Cascades Factory where only women worked once. Among the spectacular colonial buildings, the Brickendon and Woolmers Estates should be noted. They has been excellently preserved after hundreds of years.

In Devonport, there is a very interesting culture center called Tianarra. It tells its visitors about the aborigines’ history and culture. The culture center was opened on the territory of the important historical district. Scientists have found the fragments of cave paintings aged over 10 000 years. In the culture center, there is the collection of over 2 000 exhibits. Some of them are interesting archaeological and historical artifacts. The spectacular section of the museum is dedicated to aborigines’ art. Some of the most valuable exhibits are old canoes.

Tours to Flinders Island are very popular with fans of hiking tours. Its main feature is beautiful rocks with pink granite. They look really spectacular. The deposits of semi-precious stones that had been forming here for several decades were found on the island. Today, some mines are true tourist sites where every tourist can watch the workers producing minerals. There are several excellent shops where you can buy local masters’ gifts.

The main attribute of the vacation is the acquaintance with food traditions of the region. The national cuisine is an amazing combination of English and Australian traditions. It will certainly impress those who like seafood. You can taste incredibly delicious salmon and lobsters at the national restaurants. The local specialty is fish called orange roughly. The choice of shellfish is really wide at national restaurants. Local gastronomic places will also impress travelers with reasonable prices. On the island, there are several historic wineries, the most famous of which is located in the picturesque valley of Tamar. Exquisite sparkling wines are produced here. There are also several breweries.