The capital of cool
With its spectacular coastal scenery, culinary delights and creative energy, Wellington is establishing itself as the destination of the moment in New Zealand.
Some liken it to San Francisco, with its trendy high street charm, cable car and hilly outlooks with magnificent views of the bay. To others it’s a Canberra by the sea: a city of influence with a quirky parliament house (the Beehive), a superb national museum, alluring hilltop scenery and a gorgeous foreshore. And some say it’s the Kiwi equivalent of Hobart, the hip city of the moment, a booming culinary hub with the freshest of foods and lots of creative flair. Welcome to Wellington, New Zealand.
The Kiwi capital, on the southwestern tip of the North Island, is a city of interesting people doing interesting things. With a population of just over 200,000 (half a million in the wider Wellington region) it has the perfect blend of urban excitement and easygoing conviviality. Its compact central business district is easily explored on foot, and there are many charming little streets worth browsing. For a great daytrip, take a ferry to other parts of Wellington Harbour such as Petone, Days Bay and Matiu/Somes Island. Hire a car and within 20-30 minutes you can be out in the country, admiring rolling farmlands, sedate vineyards or dazzling coastal scenery.
Here are our top picks.
City sights
The must-see item is undoubtedly the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, a striking modern six-storey building on the southern foreshore (be sure to visit its garden for the view of Wellington Harbour). As you’d expect of the national museum, it has a strong focus on New Zealand social history and Maori cultural treasures. Get there before April 22, though, and you will also be able to take in its blockbuster summer Terracotta Warriors Exhibition featuring life-size 2300-year-old warriors and horses on loan from China. Afterwards, stroll by the striking boatsheds on Oriental Parade and take a dip in the sea at the equally photogenic Oriental Bay Beach.
High jinks
Wellington is a city of hilltops and vistas, and the lookout on Mount Victoria, close to Oriental Bay, is its most popular viewing spot. It’s a 25-minute walk through parkland for those inclined to tackle steep inclines, an easy car or bus drive for those who aren’t. The city’s real icon, though, is its cable car, which runs from Lambton Quay up to Kelburn, where there’s a Cable Car Museum and observatory. Return by foot through the Wellington Botanic Garden, exiting on Bowen Street to take in the Beehive and other parliament buildings.
Food, glorious food
You’ll eat well in Wellington, which has more than 700 bars, cafes and restaurants – a phenomenal number for a city of its size – and has a reputation for innovative cuisine. Typical examples of the thriving foodie scene are: Hillside Kitchen & Cellar (241 Tinakori Road, Thorndon, near Premier House, the PM’s residence), which offers fine dining with an accessible feel and prides itself on championing regional produce; and Garage Project (68 Aro Street, Aro Valley), a brewery that has gone from humble beginnings – three mates working in a derelict petrol station – to become the darling of the craft beer crowd.
Go driving
Boomrock, a 22km drive through rolling hills to the west coast, is the place to go for great clifftop views of South Island and the smaller islands in the Cook Strait. The western half of the wider Wellington region has huge tracts of forest. Heading east, Wairarapa is wine territory (see box right); Castlepoint (main picture) is a stunning spot on the east coast 170km from the capital.