The Coolest Little Capital
New Zealand’s capital is compact, hilly and built around a deep harbour. Te Papa, the cable car, Cuba Street and the waterfront are all walkable, and the city is known for its coffee, its food and its film studios.
Wellington wraps around a sheltered harbour at the southern tip of the North Island, facing Cook Strait. Wooden houses climb steep hills on every side, and the flat central city — partly built on land raised by an 1855 earthquake and later reclamation — runs along the waterfront.
Its Māori name, Te Whanganui-a-Tara, means "the great harbour of Tara". The wind that funnels through Cook Strait has earned it the nickname "Windy Wellington"; on a still, clear day, it is one of the most beautiful small cities anywhere.
As the seat of government since 1865, Wellington holds Parliament and the round "Beehive" executive building. Te Papa Tongarewa, the national museum, stands on the waterfront and is free to enter.
The city is also the home of New Zealand’s film industry. Wētā Workshop in the suburb of Miramar, which made props and effects for many major films, runs tours for visitors.
Wellington has more cafés and restaurants per person than almost any city its size, and takes its coffee seriously. Cuba Street, Courtenay Place and the laneways between them are the centre of eating out, with a weekly night market on Cuba Street.
The airport is about 20 minutes from the centre. Wellington is also the North Island terminal for the Interislander and Bluebridge ferries to Picton in the South Island, and the end of the Northern Explorer train from Auckland. The central city is easily walked.
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