Wellington was recently the center of attention, as it premiered Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” on Nov. 28. The tiny capital of New Zealand, however, has more to offer than being the Middle of Middle-earth, as Wellington called itself during the week of the premiere. Located at the southwestern tip of the North Island with the sea on one side and on the other lush green hills, Wellington offers the best of both worlds. Despite the small number of inhabitants — around 200,000 in the city and under 400,000 in the whole region — it is a vibrant city, which simultaneously offers a wealth of either adventurous or calm getaways.
According to some, Wellington is the coolest little capital in the world. It is not only New Zealand’s political and administrative center, it also claims to be the country’s artistic and cultural hub. Given the city’s size, it indeed has an impressive arts scene and café culture. To illustrate, the city has more cafes per capita than New York City! Perhaps the city’s climate has something to do with that, which albeit moderate, includes a fair amount of precipitation. The city is also notoriously windy throughout the year, hence the nickname “Windy Welly”.
On rainy days, but on any other day as well, the “Te Papa” national museum is well worth a visit. The museum’s full name is Te Papa Tongarewa, which translates from Maori as “the place of treasures of this land”. The Maori are the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand. They arrived on the island around 1200 AD, some five centuries before the Europeans colonialists did. The museum includes interactive displays on the country’s history, geographical development, Maori cultural treasures, and zoo-archaeology besides temporary art exhibitions.
But there is more to do indoors. The Museum of Wellington City & Sea, the City Gallery, and the New Zealand Film Archive are all free of charge and highly recommended for those interested in history and art. All three are found in the concentrated and flat city center or City Business District, which can be easily covered on foot. The first one, located in a historic building, gives visitors a clear impression of Wellington’s history — from early Maori and European settlement to its development in the 20th century. The City Gallery has no permanent collection, but exhibits varying contemporary international and Maori art. It has played an important role in the advancement of Wellington’s arts scene.
Sunnier days provide heaps of outdoors activities. Simply strolling along the picturesque harbor is a true pleasure, as it is always exuberant with Wellingtonians working up a sweat, enjoying a good cup of coffee at one of the harbor side cafes, or indulging in ice cream while soaking up the afternoon sun.
A must-see is the renowned Wellington Botanic Garden on the hill to the west of the center. In fact, it consists of several gardens including native forest, a rose garden, and international plant collections. The hilly paths make for a strenuous jog or walk, while the playground and café provide a much-needed rest afterwards. The gardens are a steep climb from the Central Business District, but — for those less energetic — can easily be reached by cable car. In fact, the little red cable car that runs between Lambton Quay and the top of the Botanic Garden is one of the city’s most famous attractions. There is even a small Cable Car Museum dedicated to the funicular’s history at the top, besides the Carter Observatory, which features a full-dome planetarium and New Zealand’s finest telescopes.
As mountains surround Welly, it is not difficult to get some stunning views over the city. That is, if you’re lucky and no clouds stand in the way. The most famous lookout is on Mt. Victoria. Either take a bus or walk up the 196-meter high hill. If this walk makes you long for more, there’s good news. Wellington’s Town Belt, a green strip encircling the city, provides nearly 400 hectares of parks and walkways. In addition, the Wellington region has 500 square kilometers of regional parks and forests, offering a network of bush walks and reserves. If you prefer to combine hiking with seeing wildlife, head to Zealandia, a community-driven eco-restoration project just two kilometers west of central Wellington. Visitors are able to see the country’s rare birds, reptiles, and insects living in their natural habitat. These include the tuatara, saddleback, takahe, as well as the flightless kiwi bird, the national symbol of New Zealand. With more than 30 kilometers of tracks to explore, the wildlife reserve has routes and activities designed for all ages and physical abilities. The “Zealandia by night” tour will take you to see nocturnal creatures and see glowworms, which, as the name reveals, glow in the dark.
The city center comes even more alive in the evening, when hordes of locals and tourists head to the city’s numerous restaurants and cafes. True, New Zealand is not exactly the first place that comes to mind when thinking of gourmet food, but the truth is that Welly enjoys an exciting dining scene. It includes local food — think of seafood, fish and chips, and the country’s own burger chain — as well as international cuisine ranging from everything Southeast Asian to Middle Eastern and European. Dance the night away in one of the trendy bars and clubs in Courtenay Place — the city’s nightlife and entertainment center — or have a post-dinner drink in a quirky café on Cuba Street. This street is home to the iconic and peculiar Bucket Fountain, which consists of a series of buckets that are constantly filled with water until they flip, causing the water to fall into the buckets below. It is a popular meeting place, notwithstanding that when the weather is windy — which is most of the time — the water splashes onto the pedestrians.
Alternatively, watch a movie at the Embassy Theatre at the head of Courtenay Place, which received a great deal of attention when it hosted the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit premieres. Originally built in the 1920s, the building went through several renovations while keeping its magnificent classical design. It also contains a snack bar and jazz lounge, making it a popular place among the locals to relax. For tourists, it’s a great spot too — either to rest your legs after a busy day full of activities or to rev up for an exhilarating night out.
When to go: Wellington has a mild sea climate, making it possible to visit the city throughout the year. However, summer (November to April) is the best season, as temperatures are higher and there is less precipitation in this time of the year.
How to get there: There are no direct flights from the Kingdom to New Zealand, but the major airlines provide itineraries with one or two stopovers.
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