Wellington: The World’s coolest little capital city

THE DIARIES : NEW ZEALAND

What do you look for in a city? You not only want somewhere to live but you want to be somewhere that is going to capture your attention. Somewhere enriched with culture, and somewhere where you feel like you belong. Welcome to Wellington!

Yes, it is known as “Windy Wellington”, but you soon get used to that. Once the wind-swept hair has cleared from your face, you get to see what Wellington has to offer. It is the coolest little capital city of the world and here is why. Not only do you get the everyday comforts of a city, it is small enough that you are not waiting in rush hour traffic for too long. In fact, it is compact enough that most people in Wellington choose to ditch their car and take public transport or better yet, walk. You can live in a suburb and feel like you are away from the hustle and bustle of the city, but really you are a quick ten-minute drive from where you need to be.

View of the Wellington CBD from the harbor

If walking and being active is what you are after, then Wellington does not disappoint. You simply take the walk up Mount Victoria to get the legs burning. At least when you get to the top the panoramic view of the city is worth it. You can even walk around the beautiful Botanical Gardens which span a large area making their way up hill. If you wanted to start at the top and casually walk your way down, you could always jump on the iconic Wellington Cable Car. The cable car ride is a brief but brilliant trip, you start in the city and soon you are treated to elevated views of the city and the bays below.

Wellington Cable Car

View from Mount Victoria lookout

Alternatively, there is always places serving food and drinks to be found in the streets of the city. Wellington is multicultural and thanks to this, the influence on food has seen a variety of restaurants open up throughout the city. This means that whatever you are in the mood for, from French fine dining, to all you can eat Yum Cha; from celebrating a special occasion to a Sunday hangover cure, you can find it here!

Speaking of food, let’s talk about soul or mind food. Wellington offers a variety of events to keep you entertained. From musical nights in the gardens in the summer months, to CubaDupa Street Festival with over 100 performers, there is a lot to offer. You can even take a walk around the Museum of New Zealand (Te Papa Tongarewa) and get lost in science and history.