Wellington Region includes Wellington City and the south-western portion of the North Island including the cities of Porirua and both Lower and Upper Hutt.
General
Wellington, New Zealand's capital, is a superbly compact city, set on the shores of a deep harbour and surrounded by a natural amphitheatre of wooded hills. It is New Zealand's trendy weekend destination and has the most vibrant entertainment district in the country, where you can find some of the best bars, cafes, restaurants and theatres. Sophisticated yet friendly, Wellington also has great shopping and nightlife.
Main Attractions / Activities
With around 400 cafes and restaurants, Wellington's inner city has the highest concentration of eating establishments in New Zealand, earning it the tag 'café capital of New Zealand'.
The city is home to the Royal New Zealand Ballet and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, as well as national dance, drama, opera and musical groups. Four professional theatres operate year-round, so there are live shows every night. Wellington is home to many of New Zealand's heritage attractions. Among these are the national museum of Te Papa, Parliament and the National
Archives, which displays the original Treaty of Waitangi.
Just 45 minutes by car or rail from Wellington, Kapiti Coast is the recreational playground for the lower North Island, with both beaches and mountains readily accessible. Choose from white water rafting, safe swimming, boating, hunting and hiking, golfing, horse trekking and bush walks.
To get there
Wellington has an international airport, ferries connecting the North and South islands and an extensive train and bus network. The airport is located just 25 minutes by car to downtown Wellington.
