New Zealand’s charming and compact capital city of Wellington stands on the shores of a picturesque and protected harbour and is surrounded by rolling green hills, and overlooks the Cook Strait and distant mountain ranges. It is a small city of only 380,000 residents and is located at the tip of the south-western peninsula of the North Island. This strategic position places the city at the centre of New Zealand’s two islands and makes a perfect spot for the nation’s capital. All roads in the North Island lead to Wellington and its connections via inter-island ferry means the South Island is just 23 kilometres across the intervening Cook Strait. Although Wellington is the administrative and political capital, home to the seat of Parliament, Government Ministries and Offices, the Supreme Court and overseas embassies, don’t consider this to be an all suits and no fun place, Wellington is alive and kicking. Known as the cultural capital, the entertainment capital, the creative capital and the events capital of New Zealand ensures that at any time of the day or night there is something, somewhere for everybody. With its well balanced mix of culture, history, arts, entertainment, architecture, gourmet wines and foods, this classy and appealing city offers visitors a unique reflection of the best of New Zealand.
Overlooking the snow capped Kaikoura Mountains and the Marlborough Sounds, Wellington provides visitors with an arts scene, a cafe culture and nightlife second to none. For the more active visitors it also provides easy access to the fine wines and historic rural towns of the Wairarapa Region, the glorious sandy beaches and pristine nature reserves of the Kapiti Coast, plus many spectacular walking trails and glorious scenery. Easy to discover on foot, Wellington is centred around its once bustling port that is today one of the city’s most distinctive and attractive areas, and offers many interesting things to see and do. This popular waterfront area can satisfy a range of interests and offers cafes, bars and restaurants, parks, gardens and unique public sculptures such as the Writers Walk, the Water Whirler and the Albatross. As well as access to major cultural centres such as the City Gallery Wellington, the Museum of Wellington City and Sea, and the well known Te Papa Museum. Also – plus access to the lesser known New Zealand Olympic Museum Gallery and the Plimmer’s Ark Gallery.
Settled in the 1840’s, old Wellington was constructed of wood due to the lack of suitable stone and this can be seen in many of its older buildings such as the Old Government Buildings, which today are the second largest wooden buildings in the world - the picturesque Old St. Paul’s Cathedral - the appealing Edwardian Antrim House and the historic Colonial Cottage which is Wellington’s oldest building. More recently this trend has continued through the use of wood in many of its residential buildings. Just walking around town also provides glimpses of superb buildings and structures with architectural and artistic merit such as the historic French styled Bond Store - the Wellington Harbour Board Wharf Office Building - the contemporary Michael Fowler Centre - the new Parliament Buildings nicknamed the ‘Beehive’ - and the eyecatching City to Sea Bridge. Also look out for the controversial Bucket Fountain in Cuba Street and the Zephyrometer, which shows the speed and direction of Wellington’s notorious wind. Located far enough south to stand within the treacherous winds of the ‘Roaring Forties’, Wellington is well known by its nickname of ‘Windy Welly’, which makes the Zephyrometer a very appropriate kinetic sculpture.
Wellington offers an extensive range of fun and entertainment starting with and a full calendar of festivals such as the New Zealand International Arts Festival, the Botanic Gardens Spring Festival, Summer City Festival Wellington and the Wellington Cup. For the more cultured the city is also home to the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the New Zealand Opera, the Royal New Zealand Ballet and the Te Whaea National Dance and Drama Centre, all of which ensures visitors a busy social scene. Add to this some other attractions such as City Market, the Harbourside Market, Wellington Zoo, the National Cricket Museum and the New Zealand Portrait Gallery, and if you are just visiting, time is probably running out. However, if time permits or you are looking for something else, there is always the Colonial Cottage Museum - a heritage walk around the waterfront - a trip to the Pataka Museum of Arts and Cultures - or the New Dowse Art Gallery. One thing that you must consider is one of Wellington’s oldest and most popular attractions - the Wellington’s Cable Car and Museum. The cable-car runs from Lambton Quay in the heart of the CBD, to the top entrance of the Botanic Gardens, from where extensive views over the city can be enjoyed. From here it is an easy walk downhill through the gardens to Thorndon or back to Lambton Quay. With so many attractions to see and so much to do it is hard to decide how to plan your day – but one thing is for sure – you will have a fantastic time. Enjoy!!
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