With a bustling open-air square nestled against Georgian sandstone warehouse buildings dating back to the 1830s, Salamanca Market features over 300 stalls selling a dazzling array of art, handmade goods, home products, and local Tasmanian produce.
Just the stalls along the main street alone can overwhelm you with choices. Apart from handmade soaps, lavender teddies, and local truffle estate stalls, make sure to make time to sample the delectable food offerings.
Award-winning curry scallop pies, long queues for fried mushrooms, sweet and savoury crepes, the renowned Bruny Island oysters, fresh farm fruits/juices, Australian-style grilled scallops, and an unforgettable flat white.
After leaving the market, don’t miss the alleys behind the square, which hide many art galleries, theatres, handicraft shops, salmon shops, and restaurants. A careful observer may notice that each shop has its unique style; some like to mix different colours, some integrate different materials, and some find inspiration in everyday details.
In fact, the handmade items here are one-of-a-kind, each cabinet comes from a different designer, and each one carries a different story. I greatly enjoy walking into the shops and chatting with the owners, hearing about their design stories, the creative process, and more.
What can you buy at Salamanca Markets?
- Organic farm products grown in Tasmania, including but not limited to fresh vegetables, fruits, honey, and cheese.
- Specialty foods: Popcorn (all savoury flavours, quite unique), artisanal bread, wine, whisky (including Tasmania’s winter limited edition strong liquor).
- Handmade crafts: Hand-blown glass products, felt products, custom jewellery (mostly silver), ceramics, leather goods, wrought iron products, Tasmanian wood products, and more (so many amazing finds!
- Daily necessities: Bath and body care, cashmere scarves, UGG shoes, and more.
- Creative and cultural items: Vinyl records, CDs, second-hand books, posters, prints, and more.
Products you might like
- Vinyl records: Around $40-$60 each.
- Cashmere scarves: One for $48 and one for $52. The $52 one is reversible and a bit thicker and softer. No brand, it’s all about the feel, perfect for giving to loved ones.
- Posters: Highly recommended, a wide variety. If you buy 10 or more, they’re $10 each. Great quality, thick and sturdy, suitable for framing. They have posters in various themes; we found two vintage Coca-Cola posters that we absolutely adore.
- Handmade crafts like felt and tin engraving: The felt section is a must-visit, a small mouse finger puppet for $12, and a hand-sized Santa Claus for $15. The tin engraving items are even better; I bought a thumb-sized animal figurine for $12. The larger pieces are stunning but quite heavy; we saw an exquisite chess set for around $348.
- Second-hand books: We bought two, both for $15.
The food you must get
Oysters: The oyster farm on Bruny Island also has a stall at Salamanca Market! Prices might be a bit higher compared to buying them on the island. On the island, they sell for $26 per dozen, while at Salamanca Market, they’re $30 per dozen. They are super fresh and delicious (you can use a card with no extra fees).
Scallop Pie: While casually strolling through the market, we decided to try a scallop pie. It’s pretty good! The curry isn’t overly salty, and it has just the right amount of flavour. Plus, there are about 4 to 5 scallops inside each pie. They cost $10 each (you can use a card with no extra fees). When you hold the pie, it’s still piping hot. So far, it’s one of the tastiest pies we’ve had in Tasmania.
What day is Salamanca Market open?
Salamanca Market is held every Saturday from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm in the heart of Hobart, the capital of the Australian state of Tasmania.
Is Salamanca Market worth visiting?
Salamanca Market is a place for leisure, relaxation, enjoying food, art, shopping, and music. If you have time, you should definitely check this place out. It’s like travelling back in time, and with a snap of your camera, you can capture the essence of British classical style.
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