Wellington, New Zealand

Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, sits near the North Island’s southernmost point on the Cook Strait. A compact city, it encompasses a waterfront promenade, sandy beaches, a working harbour and colourful timber houses on surrounding hills.

Time in Wellington:

Wellington

14°

Fair

Feels like: 12°C
Wind: 24km/h N
Humidity: 49%
Pressure: 1002.03mbar
UV index: 4

ThuFriSat

14/10°C
14/8°C
15/11°C

Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, sits near the North Island’s southernmost point on the Cook Strait. A compact city, it encompasses a waterfront promenade, sandy beaches, a working harbour and colourful timber houses on surrounding hills. From Lambton Quay, the iconic red Wellington Cable Car heads to the Wellington Botanic Gardens. Strong winds through the Cook Strait give it the nickname “Windy Wellington”.

On the waterfront, the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (commonly shortened to Te Papa) is the national centre focusing on the country’s natural history, cultures and art. From the city centre, a promenade lined with restaurants, parkland and heritage buildings leads to Oriental Bay. The Mt. Victoria Lookout has panoramic views of the city and harbour. Also reached by the Wellington

Cable Car is the Carter Observatory, which houses the Space Place planetarium. A national arts hub, the city is home to the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (in the Michael Fowler Centre) and the Royal New Zealand Ballet (in St James Theatre).

When to visit

Famed for its strong winds, the city is breezy year-round with particularly strong gusts in the winter. Otherwise, the climate is moderate. Peak travel coincides with the warmer months of Dec–Apr.

The Wellington Sevens (Jan/Feb) is a popular rugby gathering.
The month-long biennial New Zealand Festival (Feb–Mar, even-numbered years) features diverse cultural events around town.
Wellington on a Plate (Aug) features pop-up bars, night markets and more.