Luxury hotel holidays to Wellington

Highlights of Wellington

A highlight of a visit to Wellington is undoubtedly Te Papa, the Museum of New Zealand. This striking building dominates Wellington’s waterfront and has gained widespread acclaim for its innovation and approachability since opening in 1998. The museum has become the country’s pride and joy and is affectionately called ‘Our Place’ as it celebrates the essence of New Zealand and its people. Among Te Papa’s treasures is an extensive Maori collection and its own marae. Natural history, the environment, European settlement and many other things New Zealand are presented in impressive gallery spaces with a touch of interactive high tech. There are also changing exhibits of international art. A number of hands-on discovery centres can be found here, designed for children, as well as a shop, cafes, an upmarket restaurant and an auditorium – so make sure you allow ample time to explore. Another cultural highlight is the City Gallery which features various changing exhibits and has a reputation for challenging and innovative displays.

Cultural highlights of Wellington

Other sights to see in the city of Wellington include the tranquil 26-hectare Botanic Gardens (tel: 04 499 1400. Open sunrise to sunset), which are easily visited in conjunction with the cable car ride (see below). The large gardens contain native bush and other gardens, including the Lady Norwood Rose Garden, which has over 100 rose species. There is also a teahouse, visitors centre and the New Zealand headquarters of the World Wide Fund for Nature, with information and displays. You can access the gardens from the Glenmore St entrance. The Cable Car is a Wellington icon and a ‘must-do’ attraction. Running from an arcade off Lambton Quay, it runs up the hillside to Kelburn, overlooking the city. The service began in 1902 and the small, well-presented Cable Car Museum as the top terminus gives information on its history. Mount Victoria Lookout View panoramic sights of the city from the top of Mt Victoria, watch the Cook Strait ferries sail into the harbour and the planes go in and out of the airport. Just minutes from downtown Wellington but worlds apart – Karori Sanctuary, set around a picturesque reservoir, is a living ecosystem home to some of New Zealand’s most rare and extraordinary wildlife. The Sanctuary includes a fascinating indoors exhibition with big-screen movie and a selection of outdoor walks through beautiful native bush spotting species such as kākā - the playful forest parrot, tuatara – a relic from the time of the dinosaurs, takahē – only around 250 left today, saddleback, hihi, geckos and many more. Karori Sanctuary has activities for young and old and can keep you entertained anywhere from 2 hours to a whole day. Visit the Carter Observatory and take a virtual journey through space in Carter's new planetarium - a state-of-the-art full-dome digital theatre, then take your own steps through space as you walk through the world-class interactive multimedia space experience. Discover our Universe, along with some of New Zealand's most prestigious telescopes and astronomical artefacts.