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 £59 per night
This weekend
From £125 per night
Next weekend
From £100 per night
Most popular time to visit | October–December |
Cheapest time to visit | January–March |
Local currency | NZD 10 = £4.77 |
Language | English |
Average weekend price | £104 per night |
Average weekday price | £111 per night |
Typical stay | 1 night |
Te Papa Museum
0.2 miles from city centre
Parliament Buildings
0.7 miles from city centre
Basin Reserve Cricket Ground
0.8 miles from city centre
We stayed at the Apollo which was an easy walk into town.
27 April 2024
We stayed at the Apollo which was an easy walk into town. Buses to areas out of the city seemed pretty regular. Wellington is a pretty switched on city, with a creative energy and plenty of things to enjoy. Cuba St which is pedestrians only has plenty of cafes and restaurants and the food is top notch. Our favourites for dinner were Loretta’s, Olive, Mr Go’s. Icecream and Creaming sodas at Duck Island, coffees at Pickle and Pie, Cheese Scones beautiful pastries and coffee at Myrtle’s. Some good clothing shops, also recycling shops where there was really good clothing for sale at low prices, good bookstores. A must visit is Te Papa Museum - Level 4 Māori and Pacific Island history is impressive. The museum’s shop is also worth checking out. The lobby of QT Hotel (there’s a golden hippo on the hotel’s exterior) - you don’t need to be a guest to wander in to view the lobby area which includes a magnificent private art collection and a ritzy bar. Plenty of bars with music and Sunday Farmers Market on the waterfront was bustling with plenty of fruit and vegetables along with brunch food and coffee available.
I enjoyed how close everything was to the hotel and how easy...
13 April 2024
I enjoyed how close everything was to the hotel and how easy it was to walk to the places I wanted to see. The waterfront was nearby too. I did go by uber to Zealandia which was amazing and is a great place to visit.
We stayed in a quirky hotel on Cuba St and suited the area...
4 April 2024
We stayed in a quirky hotel on Cuba St and suited the area it was situated in. Lots of funky boutiques and shops as well as great restaurants. Easy to walk around the city centre with heaps of interesting things to see and do.
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.
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.
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.
Wellington, New Zealand
From £86 per night
Wellington, New Zealand
From £129 per night
Wellington, New Zealand
From £183 per night
Wellington, New Zealand
From £107 per night
Cuba Street, Wellington
From £116 per night
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