Wellington's best sights
Cruise the iconic Wellington cable car to the Botanic Garden, visit the National War Memorial and experience an earthquake at the Te Papa Museum. With these Wellington sights, you will experience the New Zealand capital at its best.
New Zealand is mainly visited for its nature. When it comes to cities, the country consisting of two main islands does not generally score as high. Capital city Wellington, however, is the positive exception to this rule. The city carries nicknames like 'Windy Welly', 'Wellywood' and 'The coolest little capital in the world'. Here you will find trendy shopping streets, the free Te Papa Museum and Weta Cave, where the world of Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit comes to life. These are Wellington's best sights.
1. Getting a breath of fresh air on the Wellington waterfront
Wellington is located in the far south of New Zealand's North Island. Because the wind has free rein here, the capital is nicknamed 'Windy Welly'. The fan-like city coast has many attractions, including Lambton Harbour, city beach Oriental Bay and Cook Strait, the strait between the North and South Islands.
The Wellington Waterfront Walk offers a 1.1-kilometre walk along the waterfront, in the salty sea air. Start the route at Queen's Wharf, where the ferries to and from the South Island dock. You finish just past the Te Papa Museum. As you do so, you pass the cast-iron statue Solace In The Wind, nicknamed The Naked Man. This over-the-edge figure by artist Max Patté symbolises embracing the elements and letting go of negative thoughts.
2. Shocking discoveries at Te Papa Museum
At 36,000 square metres, the free-access Te Papa Museum in Wellington is one step bigger than the Rijksmuseum (30,000 square metres). Inside, a variety of exhibitions are on display, including on Maori culture and the role of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in New Zealand's genesis. The earthquake simulator is one of the most popular attractions. In it, you experience how a house shakes back and forth when the earth's crust shakes.
Te Papa ('Our House') also features stuffed, native animals. For example, the popular but otherwise oh-so-shy kiwi (flightless bird). Also check out the largest captured giant squid in the world. The 495-kilo and 4.2-metre-long monster lies stretched out in a transparent cabin.
3. The bronze bust of Byrd at Mount Victoria Lookout
Mount Victoria Lookout is one of Wellington's landmarks - not to be confused with Mount Victoria volcano in Auckland. The lookout is 2.4 kilometres from the Te Papa Museum on the 196-metre-high Mount Victoria hill. Here you can look out over the city centre and the harbour. Fun for fans of The Lord of the Rings: the famous 'Get off the Road' scene was filmed here.
At Mount Victoria Lookout is the Richard Byrd monument: a pointed, stone tent with bronze bust of Byrd. This American aviator was the first to make the flight to the South Pole in 1929. He then used New Zealand as a base for his expeditions to Antarctica for 27 years. The front of the monument is made of stones from the ice continent.
4. National War Memorial: impressive tribute
The National War Memorial in Buckle Street was erected in 1932 to commemorate victims of World War I. The war memorial cannot be missed because of the 51-metre-high Memorial Carillon tower atop the Hall of Memories. In 2004, 'The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier' was placed in front of it, a shiny black and square tomb with bronze plaque on top.
In neighbouring Pukeahu National War Memorial Park, opposite National War Memorial, you will find the Australian Memorial: fifteen red sandstone pillars that collectively form the heart of Australia. Donated by the Australian government to support the mutual military Anzac Treaty and the close relationship with New Zealand. In the black granite inserts of seven pillars, you can see the names of joint combat and peacekeeping missions engraved.
5. The creative cooking in Cuba Street District
In Wellington, bars, cafés and restaurants put an above-average amount of energy into creating conviviality. The street with the most ambiance is the largely car-free Cuba Street. Here you can find trendy eateries that serve modern menus and cater to all kinds of dietary needs.
Friday and Saturday evenings are particularly good in and around Cuba Street. That's when the Wellington Night Market takes place, where cooking, culture and creativity reign supreme. On Friday, the party is in full swing. Food trucks near Left Bank will prepare a variety of delicacies accompanied by live music. Think dumplings, bratwursts and even Dutch poffertjes - a bit of home, even if you can't be much further from home.
6. The Weta Cave and Workshops: where Middle-earth comes to life
New Zealand filmmaker Peter Jackson chose Wellington as the location for the making of the three The Lord Of The Rings films and later The Hobbit trilogy. At the Weta Workshops, he and his creative team stomped out the fictional world of Middle-earth - as described by author J.R.R. Tolkien.
Visit the Weta Workshops in 'Wellywood' with one of the diverse tours and get to the places where all the hairy hobbit feet and pointed elven ears were made for the films. The tours start at the Weta Cave. This free-to-visit mini museum-annex-shop has life-size dolls, miniatures and replicas of film props on display. For example, the sword 'Prick' wielded by Bilbo and Frodo. The behind-the-scenes documentary in the mini cinema takes you even deeper into this fantasy world.
7. Short cruise on the Wellington Cable Car
The Wellington Cable Car is Wellington's iconic city cable car in the shape of a red tram. It runs from shopping street Lambton Quay to the top of Kelburn, a district that offers stunning views of Wellington city centre. At an average speed of 18 kilometres per hour, the cable car takes up to 100 passengers to a height of 120 metres in about five minutes.
In the mornings and evenings, mostly students and commuters from Kelburn use the cable car to get to Victoria University and the city centre. Many tourists visit the Wellington Botanic Garden following a ride. The record number of rides in one day is held by Paul Lambert. He boarded eighty times in 1960 to raise money for Life Flight Trust.
Where to stay in Wellington
When choosing where to stay in Wellington, you'll find a range of options that suite to different preferences and budgets. You can discover a plenty of high-quality hotels in Wellington on tophotels.com. The central business district offers convenient access to major attractions like Te Papa Tongarewa Museum, the waterfront, and various shopping and dining options. If you're looking for a lively atmosphere and a variety of entertainment choices, staying in the city center could be a great choice.
One notable hotel in the city center is the QT Wellington hotel located in the central business district, this hotel offers convenient access to the city's major attractions making it a great choice for those who want to experience the best of what Wellington has to offer.
For a more relaxed and scenic experience, consider accommodations in neighborhoods like Mount Victoria, where you can enjoy stunning views of the city and harbor. Additionally, areas like Oriental Bay offer a mix of beachside charm and proximity to the city's offerings. Consider exploring the Wellington Luxury Hotels in these areas for a more lavish stay. Wellington's compact size means that no matter where you stay, you're never too far from the city's vibrant culture and natural beauty.
