Destination Wellington, New Zealand

Wellington, New Zealand’s gorgeous compact capital, crackles with the spark of a major city and the charisma of a small town. 

Sandwiched between Wellington Harbour and undulating green hills, it certainly lives up to its reputation as being the windy city. It is also earthquake prone but from the laid-back attitude of its inhabitants you would never know it.

After crossing the Cook Strait, swaying between rocky shorelines and hard-to-navigate headlands on the three-and-a-half hour ferry between the South and North Island, I arrived in Wellington.

My eyes had been treated to so many wonders on the South Island and I had prepared myself to be underwhelmed by this next stage of my trip. How wrong I was. 

The Kiwi capital of cool, glistening like a rare precious jewel

The Kiwi capital of cool, glistening like a rare precious jewel, was out to impress. A fusion of sophisticated and avant-guard it has clearly carved out for itself a unique identity.

From Mount Victoria Lookout the city, harbour and ocean stretched out beneath me. Modern and old buildings tumbled down the steep slopes to the bustling water front. Crammed in between were quirky wooden houses that could only be reached by restricted winding roads, steep stairways and funiculars. Imagine being stuck there in the winter. I would never leave home.

Wellington from the waterfront

Fans of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit will recognise this location and many others around Wellington. 

The Botanic Garden, home to protected native forest and stunning floral displays, showcased more wonderful vistas of Wellington. The city was like a film set that was continually playing out before your eyes.

If you want to know what an earthquake feels like, a visit to the Earthquake House at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa is a must. This “container of treasures” (what its name literally means) has to be one of the most fascinating museums that I have ever encountered. The guide was simply amazing. Fusing educational information with entertainment they gave me a wonderful insight into New Zealand, its people and the Māori culture in a short period of time.

I joined the long queue to see the highly-acclaimed exhibition Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War. It depicted the story of the eight-month Anzac campaign in the words of eight New Zealanders. Each of them was captured in a crucial moment of time in the form of a giant sculpture that is 2.4 times human size. Created by Weta Workshop, the special effects company that also worked on Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, they have a commanding presence.

Almost three thousand Kiwis lost their lives on Gallipoli while others were left with indelible scars that would last a lifetime. Powerful and poignant, this was a thought-provoking and extremely moving presentation. This museum has such high standards that if you are in Wellington, you should go to see its featured show. 

Botanical Gardens

It was now time to get up close and personal with the city. It is so small that you can almost walk everywhere. Ambling around the Parliamentary District, I got a taste of its colonial past. Around Lambton Quay there was great shopping to discover.

Wellington is renowned for its culinary delights. It is crammed with remarkable restaurants and bars as well as wonderful cafés so you will be spoilt for choice. The bohemian and edgy Cuba Street is jammed with buskers, boutiques and an abundance of eateries. 

Part of New Zealand Parliament

Lovers of wildlife should head to the outskirts of the city to ZEALANDIA, which claims to be the world’s first fully-fenced urban ecosanctuary. Here you can see rare wildlife living in a valley as close as possible as it was before the arrival of humans.

At night the waterfront is the place to be. Take a stroll along the water’s edge, littered with artworks and sculptures. With all the sea air you are bound to work up an appetite and there are plenty of outstanding restaurants.

Shed 5 was my choice. This superb institution is housed in one of the oldest wharf sheds. It dishes up fresh tasty seafood in a lively unpretentious atmosphere. Just like Wellington, itself classy without being ostentatious.

By Daralyn Danns

Getting there

Which city you fly into in New Zealand will depend on where your tour starts from and therefore, which airline you choose. Highly recommended are Cathay Pacific cathaypacific.com and qantas.com The service and inflight experience is spot on. Ensure that the flight you book is operated by the company and not just code-sharing

The tour was part of the Grand Pacific Ultimate Small Group Tours which I booked through Trailfinders (trailfinders.com) as I did the flights

The advantage of travelling aboard the Ultimate Coach is that instead of carrying the normal 48 passengers, it only carries 20. You sit in comfort in leather fully-reclining seats so no neck ache at the end of a long day. (Distances are vast in New Zealand.) There is plenty of personal storage. It is much easier being in a small group, no hanging around waiting for people, no long queues for the loos, overall much cosier

Stay at the Intercontinental Wellington, an elegant and modern well-situated hotel