Why go?

Set around a succession of bays between the worldclass Wairarapa vineyards and Cook Strait, Wellington sits on the southern tip of North Island and has been New Zealand’s capital and seat of parliament since 1865. Forget the politics though. This is a city whose friendly buzz is fuelled by more restaurants, bars and cafés per capita than New York, while boasting sights from Te Papa national museum to Cuba Street’s boho style. Fancy the beach? Lounge on Oriental Bay’s chic strand, hit the Lyall Bay surf or sketch bobbing boats at painters’ favourite Island Bay. And over it all hangs cinematic stardust in the small town that creates big dreams, from Avatar to Lord of the Rings.

What to do

Delve into Wellington’s seafront diversity. Read poetry inscribed in stone while pottering around harbourside cafés and galleries, then stroll on for a dip at Oriental Bay. Board a ferry to Eastbourne for retro charm and wild coastal walks towards Pencarrow Lighthouse; or take the ten-minute train ride up to Petone, for its pier and sandy shore, historic Settler’s Museum and boutique-lined Jackson Street. Check the calendar in a festival-mad city – February and March see the biennial arts extravaganza New Zealand Festival, while August sees a twoweek food frenzy that is Wellington on a Plate. Explore Maori history at Te Papa or contemporary art at the City or Adam galleries, catch provocative theatre at Circa, BATS or Downstage, or films at beguiling 1920s arthouses like the Embassy or Roxy

Where to stay

Ohtel (00 64 4803 0600, ohtel.nz) is an Oriental Bay ten-room boutique hideaway featuring midcentury furniture and huge baths built for two. Wellesley hotel sits in a Grade I-listed 1920s building (00 64 4474 1308, wellesleyboutiquehotel.co.nz), a beacon of neo Georgian style in the heart of the central business district. Rydges (00 64 4499 8686, rydges.com) proves big needn’t to mean faceless – think quietly luxurious rooms with city or harbour views, a superb breakfast spread and 19 apartment-style suites ideal for families.

Where to eat and drink

Carved from a 1920s former bank, Logan Brown (00 64 4801 5114, loganbrown.co.nz) oozes capital style, with service as polished as the marble bartop. Drop-dead gorgeous sea views can be enjoyed at Lyall Bay surfer hangout Maranui Cafe (00 64 4387 4539, maranuicafe.co.nz), while The Larder (00 64 4891 0354, larder.co.nz) is a favourite with the film set near Weta studios in Miramar, thanks to its laidback vibe and ‘nose to tail’ philosophy. Ortega Fish Shack (00 64 4382 9559, ortega.co.nz) has a winning combo of pescatarian temptations and New Zealand beers. Up in Queens Wharf, contemporary restaurant Foxglove (00 64 4460 9410, foxglovebar.co.nz) is furnished with a ‘living wall’ and conceals a shrine to Champagne and rare whiskies that you access via a Narnia-style 1930s wardrobe.

Time running out?

Wellington Cable Car (wellingtoncablecar.co.nz) has been giving people a lift for over a century, rising from Lambton Quay to the Kelburn lookout by the Botanic Garden. The views over the city and those on offer at the nearby Carter Observatory, with its planetarium, are indeed stellar.

Travel Information

Travel Information

Currency is the New Zealand dollar. Wellington is 12 hours ahead of GMT and is 23 hours flying time from London.

Getting There

Air New Zealand (airnewzealand.com) flies from London Heathrow to Wellington via Los Angeles and Auckland.
Qantas (qantas.com.au) flies from London Heathrow to Wellington via Sydney.

Resources

New Zealand 100% Pure (newzealand.com) has information on attractions and where to stay in Wellington and beyond.