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The nation’s capital and the home of New Zealand’s parliament, Wellington is gloriously set beside its magnificent harbor with some stunning modern buildings surrounded by quaint wooden Victorian houses, often beautifully painted in primary colors, dotting its steep, hilly suburbs.

For orientation, a cable-car rises up to the Botanic Gardens, beautiful in themselves but also a great vantage point. From here you can take in the views over the city to the redeveloped waterfront area, home to upmarket restaurants, museums and galleries.

Lambton Quay constitutes the business district of the city, stretching from the train station at the northern end to just north of Civic Square, at the heart of central Wellington. Here the main shops, cafés and restaurants can be found.

Wellington's highlights

Considered to be one of the leading cities for arts and culture in New Zealand, Wellington is home to the National Museum (Te Papa Tongarewa), the National Archives which house the original Treaty of Waitangi, a host of theaters and a delightful array of heritage buildings.

All can be taken in on a walking tour of the city, taking time in between the attractions to soak up some of the city’s thriving café culture. Wellington also hosts a variety of New Zealand’s festivals, including the spectacular World of Wearable Art awards and the New Zealand International Arts Festival.

Away from the bustling center you will find quiet, historic suburbs and several popular swimming beaches, with Oriental Bay within walking distance of the main center. Wellington is a vibrant, sophisticated and culture-driven city, not least after dark, when the pace of life picks up in many restaurants and bars.

Te Papa Museum

With an agenda to interpret and present the nation’s treasures and history to a national and international audience, the New Zealand Government commissioned Te Papa Museum. After five years of development, Te Papa was opened in 1998 on the Wellington waterfront.

The size of three rugby fields, it not only houses a multitude of exhibitions but also 26 audio-visual displays, 28 audio shows, 121 mechanical interactives, ten specially designed Te Papa computer interactives, two sound and light shows and finally the museum multimedia database, Te Papa Onscreen.

Entry is free, meaning you can choose whether to make a few shorter visits or dedicate a morning or afternoon to meandering through the displays.