Faisal ShahimWellington- The Cool Capital
Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, often known as the "Cool Capital". Wellington sits near the North Island's Southernmost point on the Cook Island; a compact city with sandy beaches, a working harbor, colorful timber houses on southern hills, a waterfront promenade and above all a lot of friendly people.
City: Wellington
Country: New Zealand
Area: 46.25 mi²
Population: 212,700
Time Zone: GMT +12
Sights to Visit
Wellington Cable Car
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
The Beehive
Wellington Museum
Wellington Botanic Garden
Zealandia Ecosanctuary
Weta Cave Workshop Tour
Matiu Island
Princess Bay
Wellington Waterfront
Mount Victoria
Katherine Mansfield House & Garden
Transportation
Wellington has a well developed public transport system, the most used and very convenient in New Zealand. It consists of electric and diesel buses, commuter trains, ferries and a funicular (the Wellington Cable Car).
Trains
Wellington is blessed with an excellent public transport system, and can easily see most of the Wellington attractions without a car. Wellington Station is the busiest station on the Wellington rail with trains departing every few minutes at peak times. Waterloo, Porirua and Johnsonville are the next busiest stations after Wellington station. Wellington is quite a small city and there are only 49 stations across the rail network, therefore, it also means very convenient way to travel across the city.
Bus
Buses are cheap and easy to navigate around the city. Get a snapper card and hop in and out of any public buses.
Food and Drink
Wellington is home to some of the top New Zealand's top restaurants, bars and cafes. Beef Wellington is a must in Wellington, almost every other restaurant in Wellington would serve it. Some of the best restaurants in Wellington to try from:
Yellow Chilli
The Old Quarter
Kilim
Cafe Pasha
Neo Cafe & Eatery
Cafe Polo
Enigma
Little Penang
Saigon Van Grill Bar
Rasa
Prefab Eatery
Hillside Kitchen and Cellar
Chooky's Pub & Pantry
Arobake
Fidel's Cafe
Hotels
Wellington CBD known as Central Business District is located next to Lambton Harbor and surrounded by green volcanic hills. There are many hotels in that area and an ideal area for sightseeing, shopping and dining in the city. Some of the best hotels to stay in the CBD area:
Ibis Wellington
Sofitel Wellington
James Cook Hotel
Travelodge Hotel Wellington
Intercontinental Wellington
Bolton Hotel
Hotel St. George (Ideal for Backpackers and budget travelers)
Currency
Major currencies are accepted in New Zealand, here are some of the top 10 currencies exchange rate to New Zealand Dollar:
To and from Airport
Uber/Taxi
An Uber/taxi ride from Wellington Airport to Wellington Central (CBD) can cost up to $60 (NZD83), the fastest and expensive.
Bus
The Metlink Route 2 public bus – this is a 700m or 7 minute walk to the Hobart Street bus stop. Exit from Door E and follow the signs. Bus fares can be purchased with a Snapper card, cash, or a pass. Transfers at no extra cost. Note: Single trip paper bus tickets can be purchased with cash from the driver when you board a Metlink bus. Exact change is always appreciated since our drivers don't carry much change.
Day passes can be purchased on board buses or trains with cash. Day passes bought on buses will have the date printed on them, and are valid only for that calendar day, and including after midnight services. Train staff on board and train ticket retailers sell day passes which will be marked or clipped by Metlink staff when you board your first service. Keep your day pass in a safe place, as it won't be replaced or refunded if you lose it.
Shuttle
Super Shuttle (shared ride) shuttles can cost up to $15 – shuttles depart from the rank outside of Door E.
Weather
The city is windy year-round, particularly in winter (Jun–Aug). The warmer months of Dec–Apr are ideal for travel. The hottest month of the year is normally January with an average temperature of 64 °F (18°C); the coldest month is July with an average temperature of 49 °F (9.5°C).
Note: In New Zealand they use Celsius for temperature and not Fahrenheit so a lot of people make mistakes with the temperature conversion as it is in the Southern Hemisphere.
