Wellington delights in quality food, offbeat design, and most of all, great coffee
Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand the features urban attractions that are worth a visit. Here's a 12-hour guide on exploring Wellington if you have the destination planned for your next travelling escapade.
A 8:30am
Start as you mean to go on – with top-notch coffee. In a surf club building right on the beach, Maranui Café (maranuicafe.co.nz) is a classic of Kiwi café culture with its retro styling and hearty breakfasts. It’s worth the short taxi ride from the city centre for the views and vibe.
B 10:00am
Back downtown, explore the alternative fashion boutiques and design stores of bohemian Cuba Street. Stop at the colourful Bucket Fountain (bucketfountain.co.nz) for a spot of people-watching.
C 11am
Ready for more coffee? Head to the Cuban-revolution-inspired Fidel’s Café (fidelscafe.com) for a beatnik-y buzz. Look out for their chocolaty Afghan biscuits – a New Zealand home baking treat.
D 11:30am
Shop at Moore Wilson’s Fresh (moorewilsons.co.nz), the ultimate foodies’ supermarket, for picnic lunch ingredients like artisanal bread and some of the best cheese New Zealand has to offer.
E 12pm
Go bush at Te Papa (tepapa.govt.nz), New Zealand’s national museum. When hunger strikes, head to Bush City, an outdoor exhibition complete with a limestone cave, to munch on your fresh picnic purchases. Admission is free.
F 1pm
Take a stroll along Wellington Waterfront (wellingtonwaterfront.co.nz), which doubles as a public art walk. Wax lyrical as you discover poetry sculpted in stone along the way.
G 1:30pm
Explore the Museum of Wellington City and Sea (museumswellington.org.nz), voted one of the world’s top 50 museums. Look out for quirky extras and hands-on fun, as well as plenty of Wellington harbourside history (free admission).
H 2:30pm
Eyeball two very different architectural styles at the New Zealand Parliament (parliament.nz) buildings. The intended second wing of the early 20th-century Parliament House was never built; instead, the evocatively named Beehive was added in its place in the 1970s. The grand wooden former Parliament buildings just across the road are also worth a look.
I 3:30pm
Head down Lambton Quay to the Old Bank Arcade (oldbank.co.nz) for a spot of retail therapy inside a magnificent historical building. Check out Andrea Moore, Workshop, Ricochet and Ruby for a taste of New Zealand fashion design. Stop for coffee at Smith the Grocer – you might find some edible souvenirs to take home as well.
J 5:30pm
Treat yourself to a luxury cocktail or two at the book-lined Library Bar (thelibrary.com.nz). The Lower Hutt Lemon Meringue includes vodka, lemon curd and an actual meringue.
K 6:30pm
Grab a table if you can at the no-reservation Sweet Mother’s Kitchen (sweetmotherskitchen.co.nz). The menu is New Orleans-influenced and the curly fries with Creole mayo are legendary.
L 8pm
Take a ride on the Wellington Cable Car (wellingtoncablecar.co.nz) and be rewarded with a new perspective on the city with panoramic city and harbour views from the top.
