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 Wellington, New Zealand
City Guide
Introduction |
Attractions |
Entertainment & Eating Out |
Shopping |
Cyber Wellington |
Getting from A to B |
Tours |
Events
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Photos courtesy of www.wellingtonnz.com.
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