Wellington

💡 About Wellington

Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, is a compact, creative and charismatic city wrapped around a magnificent natural harbour at the southern tip of the North Island. Often called the "coolest little capital in the world," it packs an extraordinary amount of culture, cuisine and character into its walkable, hill-ringed centre.

Despite being the seat of government, Wellington is anything but stuffy. It has the highest number of cafés and restaurants per capita than almost any city on Earth, a thriving craft-beer and coffee culture, and a bohemian, artistic spirit that pulses through its laneways, galleries and live-music venues.

The city is the heart of New Zealand's world-famous film industry — the workshop of director Peter Jackson, nicknamed "Wellywood," where The Lord of the Rings and countless blockbusters were brought to life through pioneering special effects. Its superb national museum, Te Papa, brilliantly tells the story of the country and its Māori heritage.

Famously windy but full of energy, Wellington charms visitors with its harbourside setting, its cable car climbing to panoramic gardens, and its warm, quirky personality. Cultured, compact and irrepressibly cool, it is a capital that punches well above its weight.

⭐ Known For