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Top things to do in Wellington

Attractions, tours and activities in Wellington

Wellington: the city's best neighbourhoods

Find a great area to stay in Wellington

About Wellington

Including tips for the best time to visit Wellington

Wellington, the southernmost capital in the world, is surrounded by the slopes of forested hills and the glittering blue sea. Nicknamed ‘Windy Wellington' due to the strong winds coming through the Cook Strait, this city is the cultural, political and culinary seat of New Zealand.

For a journey back in time, try visiting some of the museums and historical sites in Wellington. Te Papa, an interactive museum, narrates tales of the powerful Māori culture along with the seafaring history of the nation. The Wellington Museum showcases the history of New Zealand through various artefacts and interesting displays. You'll get to learn about the people and events that shaped the culture of this country.

During your Wellington trip, you’ll always have something to entertain you – be it relaxing by the beach or exploring the city’s vintage shops. Try to visit the Carter Observatory to discover the southern skies and learn about ancient navigational techniques. Take a walk through the native trees and vibrant plants of the Botanic Garden for a relaxing time away from the city crowds. At the Wellington Zoo – New Zealand's first zoo and conservation organisation – you can watch animals like brown capuchins, capybaras, cheetahs and giraffes in their natural habitat. Surrounded by important buildings like the City Gallery, Central Library and the Civic Administration Building, the Civic Square is the heart of the city. A calming stroll around this area will acquaint you with the cultural pulse of Wellington.

Tonight

From £72 per night

This weekend

From £144 per night

Next weekend

From £132 per night

Most popular time to visit October–December
Cheapest time to visit January–March
Local currency NZD 10 = £4.75
Language English
Average weekend price £96 per night
Average weekday price £101 per night
Typical stay 1 night

Points of interest in Wellington

Stay near the top sightseeing spots in Wellington

Wellington reviews

What other travellers say about Wellington

2.0

Bus rides and train rides are awesome, just get yourself a...

26 March 2024

Bus rides and train rides are awesome, just get yourself a Snapper card and more than one person can travel with that one card. Only one person can travel on that card on trains. Travelling in bus was also good, no hassle to driving or parking, bus service are almost everywhere till late nights and safe environments.

Anonymous
10

We thought Wellington was a beautiful City.

24 March 2024

We thought Wellington was a beautiful City. We were there in late March. The weather was lovely and cool, just the right temperature if you like to explore a new location on foot. The bus system in the City is brilliant. The Metlink public transport card system can be a little intimidating but once you master it, it works exceptionally well. Otherwise, you can pay cash when travelling on the buses or trains, but it is quite significantly more expensive to pay this way. Also, it pays to check out the fare before you travel and have the correct money when getting on because nearly everyone uses the prepaid Metlink card so the driver has limited change. The seafood in New Zealand is the best in the world in my opinion. If you are staying centrally and have cooking facilities, I would recommend the Seafood Market in Lambton Quay or Cuba Street. It is not a huge shop but the fish comes in daily. Their fish and chips are pretty good as well. But there are plenty of seafood restaurants around that serve great food. Wellington is a a gorgeous city and reminded me very much of San Francisco.

Ian
Ian
10

Visited Te Papa Museum, Wellington Museum, Botanic Gardens...

21 March 2024

Visited Te Papa Museum, Wellington Museum, Botanic Gardens and Portrait Gallery, all free access and excellent. Also took Cable Car (as you do) but the walk to and from Botanic Gardens is relatively easy as well. Went to Te Papa Museum and spent the entire day there - excellent. Ate at the Crab Shack and had the best meal in our entire NZ 2 week holiday - unfortunately, it was closed for 2 out of the 3 days we were in Wellington or we would have been back.

Anonymous
10

Queen's Wharf has lots of...

21 March 2024

Queen's Wharf has lots of museums/shopping/restaurants and is worth a few trips. Weta Workshop is a fun activity to do. Wellington Hurricanes rugby is fun if they have a home game. It's pretty easy to navigate the CBD. Zealandia is a fun day trip. The Te Papa museum is worth a couple of visits. One of the best museums I have seen.

Greg
Greg United States
10

Wellington is a people city and not expensive to enjoy.

11 March 2024

Wellington is a people city and not expensive to enjoy. From the airport you can be in the centre in 20 minutes by bus. Depending on your place to stay you can walk and discover in a day. People are very friendly and easy to approach. The venues, the food, the places for entertainment and the quality of service is wonderfuly. You will fall in love with Wellington.

Brett
Brett New Zealand
10

We stayed on the back end of a family visit in Central North...

5 March 2024

We stayed on the back end of a family visit in Central North Island as an opportunity to rekindle some memories of Wellington from earlier years. The Botanical gardens, Cable Car journey, Te Papa museum. Shopping, and restaurants were all great. The metro bus service is great for seniors on the "Gold Card" was magic, especially for airport transfers - free from 0900 to 1500hrs.

Barrie
Barrie New Zealand

Popular places to stay in Wellington

Stay in some of the best accommodation Wellington has to offer