Travel > Travel Guides > Tasmania > Salamanca Place & Markets

Salamanca Place & Markets

- by Bettina James

Things to do > Tasmania > Port Arthur > Salamanca Place > Wineglass Bay & Freycinet Peninsula > Barilla Bay Oyster > Tasmanian Devil Park > Tahune Air Walk > Tahune Eagle Glide > Hastings Caves and Thermal Springs > Sea Kayaking

Salamanca Place is located in Sullivans Cove, along the historic waterfront in Hobart city. Salamanca is most famous for the market on Saturdays but also has a hip and happening night life, with many of the pre-eminent restaurants and bars. On each Saturday between 8.30am and 3pm, the area comes alive with over 300 market stands selling various Tasmanian goods. The produce is locally grown and the gourmet sauces, jams, chutneys, sweets and arts and crafts are often sold by the people who made them with love and care. The air is filled with the smell of sizzling gourmet sausages and onions, baked potatoes with cheese and there is certainly no shortage of things to eat. The Parthenon Souvlaki bar at 51 Salamanca Place makes a great souvlaki, at a great price. This market is not only for tourists but many locals get their produce from here, and don’t be put off by the cold or the rain, it’s on every Saturday, regardless of weather.

On one side of Salamanca Place, there are historic Georgian buildings, which were built around the 1830’s to house boats for the nearby waterfront. Now they house many restaurants, bars, an art and craft centre and general shops. One notable restaurant is the Ball and Chain grill. Famous for its steak, which is cooked on a charcoal grill – their claim to fame is that the charcoal is not from heat beads, but burned down from wood. Unfortunately, they don’t take bookings for small parties (less than 4), so you just come early, pur your name down and go to one of the many wine bars nearby. The steak comes in the gamut of cuts and in three sizes (small, medium and large). There are also some more unusual recipes, which you’ll have to see and taste to believe.

Across the road there are green lawns and park benches shaded by plane trees that twinkle with lights in the evenings.