Originally designed by famous convict architect John Lee Archer as a customs house, this large sandstone two-story building was constructed using convict labor between 1835 and 1840. After self-governance was granted to Tasmania in 1856, the Parliament House building was modified to suit parliamentary use. The lower floor now houses a historical museum and interesting historical documents are available for viewing. Visitors should note the grand central entrance surmounted by a parapet with a pretty cornice and the stonework coat of arms and enjoy a walk amongst 150-year-old majestic oak trees.

Once the heart of Hobart's trade and commerce, Salamanca Place has been a significant feature of the city's landscape since the 1830s. Today, the row of beautifully-renovated sandstone warehouses that line the historic Hobart Waterfront are filled with stylish bars, art studios, bookshops, boutiques, restaurants, jewelry stores, and outdoor cafes, making Salamanca Place a lovely spot to window shop or relax with a cappuccino. Visitors to the area should swing by on Sunday to catch the beloved Salamanca Market, which comprises hundreds of stalls selling local wares and snacks. Visitors can also check out the nearby Salamanca Square, a restful respite within the lively hotspot. Come in the evening for a chance to see the site's surrounding trees done up with fairy lights.

John Lee Archer designed many of Hobart's beautiful buildings, and the Penitentiary Chapel Historic Site dates to 1831. The National Trust is responsible for the care of the buildings and run tours of the courts, cells, tunnels and gallows that were part of the daily life of many a Van Diemen's Land convict. In fact, the courts were in use until as recently as the early 1980s. The knowledgeable guides are full of grim tales of earlier times, and the for those who love a chill up the spine, the ghost tour is a must.

Built in the late 1850s, the Government House is the private and official residence of the State Governor. The main house and its collection of original outbuildings occupy a superb site overlooking the Derwent River and reflect the skill of the Government architect, William Porden Kay in enhancing his notion of a Victorian country house. The Gothic domestic roof with its chimneys and skylights is without equal in Australasia. The grounds and building are occasionally open to the public.

This gracious long-span bridge across the Derwent River estuary was opened on August 17, 1964. It links the city center to the eastern suburbs and all points on the north-east coast. Being the only direct connection between the city center and Hobart Airport, a drive across the bridge enables the visitor to glance up the beautiful river and down towards the sea.

Offering wonderful views and numerous walking trails, Mount Wellington is both a spectacular backdrop to Tasmania's capital and one of its best-loved attractions. While experienced walkers can reach the summit from the city center on a full-day hike, easier walks, five or six hours round trip, are also available from the bus terminus at Fern Tree. A spectacular panorama awaits at the summit barring inclement weather. Although visitors will enjoy views of Mount Wellington whether or not they climb it, the vistas of Hobart are incomparable from its formidable peak.

Almost untouched since convict times, Richmond Gaol is the oldest intact gaol in Australia. Visitors can see the perfectly preserved chain gang sleeping rooms, flogging yard, cookhouse, holding rooms and female solitary confinement cell. Historic relics, including documents and incarceration paraphernalia, give the visitor a clear view of the harsh life of the 1800s. It is claimed that the building is haunted by past prisoners and it is not hard to understand why, when a chill wind blows through the yards or shadows move across the whitewashed stone walls.

One of the most prominent and beautiful features of historic Richmond is the photogenic stone bridge which spans the Coal River. Considered to be the oldest surviving stone-span bridge in Australia, the Richmond Bridge was constructed in 1823 using sandstone from the Butchers Hill quarry. The bridge is a beautiful vestige of Richmond's local history and architecture, replete with six loggia-like arches that vault about the Coal River. Whether one leans over the stone balustrade and listens to the water gurgling beneath the arches, or catches a glimpse of the ghostly overseer who reportedly walks the bridge on dark evenings, the bridge instills an immense sense of nostalgia each time it is passed.