In May our Training Officer, Lee, experienced 9 days on our Globus Rugged Tasmania tour. Lee loved exploring the famous Salamanca Markets so continue to read on for why she loved exploring the Salamanca Markets.
One of the great things about visiting Hobart is a visit to the Salamanca Markets, found near the waterfront. There are some great shops in the Salamanca area and every Saturday morning, come rain, hail or shine, the streets are blocked off and over 300 stall holders put up their stalls and sell their locally produced wares.
The market is packed from 8.30am, where you can grab a coffee and breakfast, through to 3pm when you can take home some afternoon tea. There are plenty of food stalls that cater to everyone’s tastes.
I loved looking at all the locally made products. There was a stall holder selling all things lavender made from locally grown lavender (of course!). There are also lots of local distillers who are happy to give you a taste of their specialty brew – I saw gin, scotch, beer and cider stalls, although I did not sample any as it was way too early for a dram of scotch for me!
The product at the markets is distinctly Tasmanian, but it is not all tacky souvenirs (however if you want a pair of men’s undies with the face of a Tasmanian Devil on it, that is available too). There are stalls selling beautifully carved wood made from native Tasmanian trees; warm knitted garments, including socks, scarfs and beanies to keep you warm on your trip; beautiful handmade jewelry; and many artists selling images of the spectacular Tasmanian landscape that you will see on your travels around the Apple Isle.
This market is not just for the tourists as I spotted many locals catching up, doing their weekly fruit and veg shop and grabbing a coffee. There is a great cross section of the community there and people of all ages just walking along and stopping at stalls to talk to the friendly stall holders who are happy to tell you about how and where their products are made.
There were so many highlights on the Globus Rugged Tasmania tour, and one of them is that the tour starts and ends in Hobart. This gave me two opportunities to visit the markets. Bearing that in mind, I went to look and not buy at the beginning of the tour. This meant I could see what was available and knew what I wanted to buy when I eventually came back to the markets on the last day of the tour. I made sure that I had room in my suitcase for my second trip where I bought gifts for friends and family. I really believe that there is something for everyone at the Salamanca Markets: you just need to wander around to see what catches your eye!
Discover the Salamanca Markets and Hobart for yourself on our Globus 9-day Rugged Tasmania tour.
