Australia is roughly the size of Europe, but the first trip tends to focus on a handful of names that keep recurring: Sydney, Melbourne, Uluru, the Great Barrier Reef. But when the question shifts and is addressed to Australians themselves —where would you spend a week?— Tasmania is the destination that comes up again and again.
Separated from the mainland by the Bass Strait, the island —lutruwita in palawa kani— has just over half a million inhabitants and a geography hard to fit into the usual image of Australia. Temperate forests, mountains, glacial lakes, white-sand beaches and a climate that requires bringing more than just swimwear in the suitcase. About a fifth of its territory belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage natural area.
The surprise lies in everything that has grown around that landscape. Tasmania has become one of the most interesting gastronomic poles in the country, producing some of its best cool-climate wines and whiskies recognized worldwide, and has developed a hotel industry closely linked to architecture. Add to that MONA, the museum that managed to place Hobart on the international cultural map.
