Wellington

Need to know ...

A compact city that’s easy to get around, Wellington is packed with atmosphere. It’s the capital city of New Zealand, yet a quirky individualism thrives here. Wellington is home to great galleries and museums, as well as the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the Royal New Zealand Ballet, the National Opera and three professional theatres. When appetites for high culture are sated, the streets offer a vibrant range of boutiques to suit every taste and budget. The waterfront is well worth a stroll for its art installations and stunning views. Wellington is also the perfect base for discovering the surrounding region and towns.

Main Centres

Wellington – political and cultural capital.
Porirua – major retail centre 20 minutes north of Wellington.
Lower Hutt – satellite city across the harbour from central Wellington.
Upper Hutt – at the base of the Rimutaka Hills.

Getting There

By Air – Wellington International Airport offers domestic and international air services. The airport is about 15 minutes from the centre of the city.
By Road – coach companies provide regular services.
By Rail – Tranz Rail offers a daily service between Wellington and Auckland.
By Ferry – a great way to travel between North and South Islands – the journey is spectacular. Two services available – the Interislander and Bluebridge.

Getting Around

Wellington is well served with taxis and a city bus service. There’s also a metropolitan train service to the city’s suburbs and outlying districts.

Eating Out

Exclusive

Logan Brown (192 Cuba St, City, t +64 4 801 5114) – multi-award-winning, Logan Brown is fine dining New Zealand-style.

Casual

The Long Bar on Brandon (22 Brandon St, City, t +64 4 499 1989) – fully licensed restaurant with an extensive variety of contemporary Malay and Oriental dishes.
Tug Boat on the Bay (Freyberg Lagoon, Oriental Pde, City, +64 4 384 8884) – Wellington’s only floating restaurant! Great harbour views, friendly service and fine New Zealand cuisine.
Fishermans Table at Oriental Bay (245 Oriental Pd, City, +64 4 801 7900) – views of the harbour from every table.
Chow (45 Tory St, City, t +64 4 382 8585) – combines the healthy, fresh flavours of Southeast Asia in a casual modern setting.
One Red Dog (9 – 11 Blair St, City, t +64 4 384 9777) – regularly one of the capital’s busiest restaurants, this pizzeria is buzzing any time of the week.

Sights

Head up to the top of Mount Victoria – you can either walk or take a bus – for a 360-degree panorama of Wellington.

Wellington’s waterfront is an appealingly landscaped area offering beautiful harbour views and some of Wellington’s well-known sights and activities.

New Zealand’s Parliament Buildings: the Edwardian neo-classical Parliament House, the Victorian Gothic Parliamentary Library and the 1970s Beehive building.

Action

Explore Wellington’s waterfront in a kayak – paddle about independently or take a full guided tour.

Mountain biking a variety of purpose-built mountain bike trails – from gentle to challenging – at Makara Peak, Wellington’s Mountain Biking Park. Located at Karori, it’s only just beyond the inner city.

Relax

Indulge in Wellington’s café culture and nightlife – with over 350 eateries, this city has more restaurants, bars and cafés per capita than New York.

Visit the excellent Karori Wildlife Sanctuary – a world-first urban sanctuary where native wildlife thrives under protection from predators.

THE experience

Exploring Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa – Wellington’s bold and innovative national museum is both entertaining and informative.