Wellington, New Zealand

Introduction

Civic Square, with Ferns Sculpture

As New Zealand’s capital city, Wellington is becoming increasingly known as the cultural capital and is home to a lively dining, entertainment, sporting and cultural scene.

A compact port city of around 300,000 residents, the centre of Government resides in Wellington, and visitors will find the central city an easy place to walk about and take in the sights and attractions. Outdoor enthusiasts, foodies and historians alike will find something to their liking in this vibrant and friendly city.

Attractions
This hilly city with a natural harbour and a rugged and varied coastline offers plenty for visitors to see and do. The flat and compact central city rests just back from the harbour-front and is broken into four distinct quarters – Cuba, Courtenay, Willis and Lambton. Each quarter has its own character and offers a mix of shopping and entertainment.

The Cable Car is one of Wellington’s oldest and most popular tourist attractions. The scenic journey starts from Lambton Quay in the central city and climbs up to the Botanic Garden. Once at the top, guests enjoy excellent views, some walking tracks and a visit to the Carter Observatory and Planetarium is quite interesting.

Te Papa at dusk

Te Papa museum on the waterfront is a top attraction and tells the story of New Zealand and its people. Half a day is needed to do some justice to this extensive museum and most guests will come away having learned something about New Zealand! The Museum of Wellington and Sea recreates the history of the city, with a fine collection of art held in both the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts and the New Zealand Portrait Gallery. The City Gallery Wellington and the Adam Art Gallery are both known for innovative exhibitions, whilst the Alexander Turnbull Library, the National Library and Archives New Zealand hold national treasures including the historic Treaty of Waitangi document. The Film Archive is home to the country’s moving picture heritage.

Visitors with an interest in politics can enjoy a tour of the New Zealand Parliament buildings. Guided tours are daily.

Seals at Red Rocks

Nature lovers can enjoy a visit to the Wellington Zoo or see native birds at the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary. The Red Rocks Seal Colony is situated just out of the city centre and children will enjoy interacting with the animals at Staglands Wildlife Reserve and Lindale Tourist and Agricultural Centre, both situated within one hour from Wellington.

Outdoor enthusiasts can kayak and sail in Wellington harbour, hike or bike the surrounding hills and enjoy safe swimming and some excellent sea fishing at the beaches of nearby Kapiti Coast. There are a number of golf courses in and around Wellington, and the greater Wellington region is home to a number of parks and forests. Visitors wanting to get away from it all have plenty of space to do just that!

Sports followers can enjoy rugby at the Westpac Stadium including Super 12, Test matches and the annual International Rugby 7’s. The Basin Reserve in the city centre is the international cricket venue and is host to both domestic and international matches during the summer months. Horse racing fans can enjoy a race meeting at the Trentham track, and Wellington is host city for a leg of the Global Challenge around the world yacht race.

Entertainment and Eating Out
Whether you’re after a pint of Guinness or live jazz – Wellington is New Zealand’s entertainment capital.

Royal Ballet

The city boasts a healthy collection of bars, cafes and restaurants and even claims to have more cafes per capita than New York! Courtenay Place is the dining and entertainment zone with cafes and restaurants offering both local and international cuisine. There are bars, nightclubs and pubs to suit every taste and budget. Of note is Café Bastille in Majoribanks Street - voted New Zealand’s Restaurant of the Year by the respected Cuisine Magazine (March 2005). Also highly regarded in Wellington is Logan Brown Restaurant and Bar, Roxburgh Bistro and for fine dining, Citron in Willis Street.

Wellington is home to the Royal New Zealand Ballet, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, National Opera and the National dance and drama schools who all perform regularly. The city has a number of theatres including the St. James, BATS Theatre, Circa Theatre and the Downstage Theatre with a number of movie cinemas throughout the city. Children will enjoy the interactive Capital E, with exhibitions and live performances.

Shopping

Willis Quarter in Downtown Wellington

Shoppers have the choice of markets to boutique shopping available in the city. Cuba Street is known for funky fashion, markets, second-hand shops and artisans. This is a great area to stroll about and explore.

The more discerning shopper may like to head towards Lambton Quay which is known as the “Golden Mile”. With up-market stores, shopping arcades and several historic department stores, shoppers can enjoy a more sophisticated level of shopping with boutiques featuring fashion by some of the leading local designers.

Souvenir hunters will find the Wellington Airport well stocked for those last minute gifts and there are number of souvenir shops in the inner city.

Cyber Wellington
Wellington is littered with internet cafes and visitors should have no trouble finding these around the central city and in many of the larger hotels.

Getting From A to B
Wellington City is an easy place to get around, and exploring the inner city on foot is the best way to get about.

Cable Car

Public bus and train systems feed the city centre from the suburbs, and are well used by local residents. The Wellington City Circular Bus Service runs a regular circuit route around the inner city and is a great way to get to the city highlights. The Stagecoach Flyer is a public bus service operating to and from the Wellington Airport and serves the inner city.

Licensed meter taxis operate throughout the city, and can be telephoned, picked up from taxi stands or flagged down on the street. The 10 kilometres journey from the airport to the central city takes about 15 minutes, depending on the time of day.

Private shuttle buses operate on airport routes, and can be picked up at the airport on arrival, or booked in advance on leaving town. Shuttles are great for groups, and those with large amounts of luggage.

The Inter-island ferry to the South Island arrives and departs from the downtown ferry terminal daily. Both passengers and vehicles are carried. Harbour ferries and charter boats are a pleasant way to explore Wellington Harbour and to reach the Eastbourne coastal suburb across the harbour. Ferries depart from the piers situated in the downtown area of the city.

Rental cars are available at the airport for pick up and drop off, and can also be arranged for inner city collection by hotel tour desks. Clearly a must if touring New Zealand’s best locations.

Tours

View over Wellington City

Many of the attractions in and around Wellington can be visited as day trips. Sightseeing and tours can be arranged by hotel tours desks or through Wellington’s Tourist Information Centre in Civic Square. Visitors may also book directly with tour operators.

Day trips to the vineyards of Martinborough and also up the Kapiti Coast are recommended and visitors can see these areas as a day trip or longer.

Events
Wellington hosts over 300 events annually including sports, fashion, music and film festivals. Notably, the International Rugby Sevens is a sellout annual event, WearableArts is a popular and growing fashion event, with the New Zealand International Arts Festival showcasing over 100 individual events every second year. See www.wellingtonnz.com for details.

Photos courtesy of www.wellingtonnz.com.

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