🇳🇿 New Zealand's Creative Capital

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Wellington

New Zealand's creative capital — Te Papa, cable car, incredible coffee & the home of Middle-earth.

RatedWorld's Most Liveable Small City

Te PapaNZ's National Museum

Weta WorkshopHome of Middle-earth FX

CoffeeNZ's Café Capital

Wellington is New Zealand's compact, walkable capital — a world-class museum, a thriving craft beer and coffee culture, the best restaurant scene per capita in the country and the city where Peter Jackson created Middle-earth. Bracing, brilliant and utterly charming.

Must-See

Top Attractions in Wellington

The landmarks, museums and experiences that define Wellington.

🏛Museum

Museum

Te Papa Tongarewa

📍 Waterfront🎟 Free⏱ 2–3 hrs

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🚃Icon

Icon

Wellington Cable Car

📍 Lambton Quay🎟 $6 return⏱ 30 mins

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🎬Pop Culture

Pop Culture

Weta Workshop Tour

📍 Miramar🎟 $35⏱ 1.5 hrs

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🌿Nature

Nature

Wellington Botanic Garden

📍 Kelburn🎟 Free⏱ 1–2 hrs

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🏛Architecture

Architecture

Beehive & Parliament

📍 Lambton Quay🎟 Free tour⏱ 1 hr

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🐧Wildlife

Wildlife

Zealandia Ecosanctuary

📍 Karori🎟 $23⏱ 2–3 hrs

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Explore the City

Wellington's Best Neighbourhoods

Every district of Wellington has its own personality.

🏛

Waterfront & Te Papa

Wellington's magnificent harbour waterfront — Te Papa, Frank Kitts Park, restaurants and the ferry terminal.

☕

Cuba Street

Wellington's most vibrant street — independent cafés, vintage clothing, bars and the city's best energy.

🎨

Te Aro

Wellington's cultural heart — galleries, boutiques, the Michael Fowler Centre and the best restaurants.

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Kelburn

Cable car suburb above the city — the Botanic Garden, Victoria University and sweeping harbour views.

🎬

Miramar

Peter Jackson's suburb — Weta Workshop, Park Road Post and the real-world home of Middle-earth.

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Oriental Bay

Wellington's city beach suburb — the promenade, cafés, swimming beach and the city's best evening light.

Eat & Drink

Wellington's Food Scene

Where and what to eat in Wellington.

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📍 CBD / Courtenay Place

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🌮Eat

Restaurant

Cuba Street Café Culture

📍 Cuba Street

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🍜Eat

Restaurant

Wellington Night Market

📍 Waterfront

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Getting Around

Transport in Wellington

Everything you need to navigate Wellington like a local.

🚶

Walk Everywhere

Wellington's compact CBD means almost everything is walkable — Te Papa to Parliament is 15 minutes.

💡 The waterfront walk is the most pleasant way between most sights.

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Cable Car

The iconic cable car runs every 10 minutes from Lambton Quay to Kelburn and the Botanic Garden.

💡 $6 return — worth it for the harbour view alone.

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Metlink Buses

Good bus network for suburbs beyond walking distance. Snapper card for best fares.

💡 Download the Metlink app for real-time bus information.

⛴

Interislander Ferry

The Cook Strait ferry to Picton takes 3.5 hours — one of the world's great short sea voyages.

💡 Book ahead in summer. The Marlborough Sounds entry is breathtaking.

Beyond the City

Day Trips from Wellington

Wellington is the perfect base for exploring further afield.

🐧1hr

Kapiti Island

One of NZ's most important wildlife sanctuaries — kiwi, saddleback and little spotted kiwi. Numbers limited.

🍷1hr

Martinborough Wines

The Wairarapa's boutique wine village — world-class Pinot Noir and olive oil in a charming colonial setting.

🏔4hrs

Tongariro Alpine Crossing

New Zealand's finest day walk — through active volcanic terrain, emerald crater lakes and ancient lava flows.

⛵3h 30m ferry

Marlborough Sounds

The Cook Strait ferry delivers you into a stunning drowned valley landscape of sheltered bays and wildlife.

Insider Knowledge

Essential Wellington Tips

Te Papa is Free

New Zealand's national museum is world-class and entirely free — give it at least 3 hours.

Wellington is Windy

Wellington earns its 'Windy Wellington' nickname — always carry a windproof layer, even in summer.

Weta Workshop

Book the Weta Workshop tour at least a week ahead — it's one of the world's great behind-the-scenes experiences.

Cuba Street is the Heart

Cuba Street is Wellington's soul — spend an evening walking from one end to the other, café-hopping.

Zealandia at Night

The evening guided tour of Zealandia is extraordinary — spotting tuatara and kiwi by torchlight.

Coffee Quality is Outstanding

Wellington's baristas are among the world's best — ordering a flat white here is a genuine pleasure.

When to Visit

Wellington Weather Guide

What to expect season by season.

❄️

Winter

6–12°C

Cold and very windy. The museums are world-class and the restaurants are warm — a great cultural season.

🌸

Spring

10–16°C

Wellington blooms — the Botanic Garden is extraordinary and the southerly winds begin to ease.

☀️

Summer

15–21°C

Wellington's finest season — warm enough for Oriental Bay beach and outdoor dining on the waterfront.

🍂

Autumn

11–17°C

Crisp and beautiful — the plane trees turn golden and the wine harvest fills the restaurants.

Book Experiences

Tours & Activities in Wellington

Skip-the-line access, expert guides and unique local experiences — click any card to book directly.

🎯

The Wellington Blog

Itineraries, insider tips, seasonal guides and neighbourhood deep-dives — everything you need to plan the perfect Wellington trip.

🗺️Itinerary

📅 2026⏱ 10 min read🔖 Itinerary

Wellington in 3 Days: The Perfect First-Timer's Itinerary

The essential 72-hour Wellington plan — which sights to see first, where locals actually eat, which neighbourhoods to explore and the insider tips that transform a good trip into an unforgettable one.

Read the full guide →