Welcome to Wellington
Wellington — Te Whanganui-a-Tara — is New Zealand's capital and its creative heart: a compact, hilly harbour city with world-class culture packed into a walkable few blocks. Home to the brilliant Te Papa museum, the Weta film workshops, a historic cable car and a coffee-and-craft-beer scene that's the envy of the country, it's rightly called "the coolest little capital in the world." It's also the gateway between the islands. This is the guide we give our own guests — the icons, the culture, and how to plan a trip.
Te Papa, Weta & the cable car
Wellington's must-dos cluster tightly. The free national museum Te Papa is world-class; film fans go behind the scenes at the Weta workshops and out to the "Wellywood" locations; and the historic red cable car climbs to the Botanic Garden and a harbour view. Add the Beehive, the waterfront and Mount Victoria lookout and you've a full, culture-rich stay. See our Wellington tour.
The creative capital
Few cities eat, drink and create like Wellington. It's New Zealand's coffee and craft-beer capital, with laneway roasters, breweries and restaurants around Cuba Street and Courtenay Place, and a buzzing calendar of arts, theatre and festivals. Bohemian, walkable and always switched on, it rewards an evening as much as a day. See our things to do guide.
Zealandia, the coast & Martinborough
Nature is close at hand. The Zealandia eco-sanctuary shelters kiwi and rare native birds minutes from town, and the harbour and south coast invite a wander. Beyond the hills lie the vineyards of Martinborough and the wild Kāpiti Coast. See our day trips guide and the wider North Island guide.
The essentials
Planning Wellington: your questions
Absolutely — New Zealand's capital is compact, creative and packed with character. Explore the superb (and free) Te Papa museum, go behind the scenes of Weta and the film locations, ride the iconic cable car, wander bohemian Cuba Street, and dive into a coffee and craft-beer scene that rivals any city. It's rightly called "the coolest little capital in the world."
Allow 2–3 days to enjoy the capital — Te Papa and the waterfront, the cable car and Botanic Garden, Weta and the film sites, and the food and bar scene — plus a day trip to Martinborough or the Kāpiti Coast. It's very walkable, so you cover a lot easily, and it's a natural stop between the islands. See our day trips guide.
Wellington is famous as New Zealand's capital and its arts, culture, film, coffee and craft-beer hub. It's home to the national museum Te Papa, the Weta film workshops ("Wellywood"), the historic red cable car, the Beehive parliament, bohemian Cuba Street, and a beautiful harbour ringed by hills. It's also the departure point for the Cook Strait ferry to the South Island.
The nickname (coined by Lonely Planet) captures Wellington's big-city culture in a small, walkable package: a world-class museum, a thriving arts and theatre scene, more cafés, bars and restaurants per head than almost anywhere, a famous craft-beer and coffee culture, and a stunning harbour setting — all compact enough to explore on foot. See our things to do guide.
Most visitors fly into Wellington Airport, about 15 minutes from the centre, with direct trans-Tasman flights from Australia and frequent domestic services. Wellington is also the North Island terminal of the Cook Strait ferry (to Picton on the South Island), and the northern end of many scenic drives. See our getting there guide.