3 days in Wellington

Day by day

1. Day 1: Te Papa Tongarewa and Cuba Street

   Te Papa Tongarewa, Cuba Street and City Gallery Wellington, then Space Place at Carter Observatory in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Te Papa Tongarewa

      The Museum of New Zealand, opened in 1998 on the waterfront, covers Māori and Pacific culture, the country's history, natural history, earthquakes and New Zealand art across six floors.

   2. Late morning

      Cuba Street

      Explore the side streets too; Left Bank Arcade and the lanes off Ghuznee Street hide small cafés and shops.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Flat white

      Independent cafés across Te Aro, Cuba Street and the CBD, many roasting their own beans.

   4. Afternoon

      City Gallery Wellington

      On Civic Square, the city's public art gallery shows changing exhibitions of contemporary New Zealand and international art in a converted 1940s library building.

   5. Evening

      Space Place at Carter Observatory

      Go on a clear evening to look through the telescope as well as seeing a planetarium show.

2. Day 2: Wellington Cable Car and Parliament and the Beehive

   Wellington Cable Car, Parliament and the Beehive and Wellington Museum, then Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Wellington Cable Car

      Ride up and walk back down through the Botanic Garden to Thorndon or the CBD.

   2. Late morning

      Parliament and the Beehive

      New Zealand's Parliament buildings include the Edwardian Parliament House, the Gothic Parliamentary Library and the circular Beehive, the executive wing designed by Basil Spence and completed in the late 1970s.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Craft beer

      Brewery taprooms and specialist beer bars around Te Aro and the Aro Valley.

   4. Afternoon

      Wellington Museum

      Combine it with a ferry trip from Queens Wharf to Matiu/Somes Island or Days Bay.

   5. Evening

      Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne

      Book a guided night tour for the best chance of seeing kiwi; daytime visitors should go early when the birds are most active.

3. Day 3: Wellington Botanic Garden and Mount Victoria Lookout

   Wellington Botanic Garden, Mount Victoria Lookout and Wētā Cave and Wētā Workshop tours, then Courtenay Place in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Wellington Botanic Garden

      Spread over a hillside between Kelburn and Thorndon, the garden combines native forest, exotic trees, playgrounds and the Lady Norwood Rose Garden, which blooms from about November to April.

   2. Late morning

      Mount Victoria Lookout

      Walk up through the town belt trails from Courtenay Place or Oriental Bay; sunset is the best time.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Martinborough Pinot Noir

      Wine bars and restaurant lists in the city, or cellar doors in Martinborough.

   4. Afternoon

      Wētā Cave and Wētā Workshop tours

      In the film suburb of Miramar, the Wētā Workshop's visitor centre has a free mini-museum and shop of props, models and collectibles, while paid guided tours show how the company makes creatures, weapons and costumes for films including The Lord of the Rings.

   5. Evening

      Courtenay Place

      The main bar and club strip, plus theatres and the Embassy cinema; busiest on Friday and Saturday nights.

Before you go

• Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne: Night tours are small and sell out; book ahead.
• Wētā Cave and Wētā Workshop tours: Workshop tours run at set times and fill up; book online.

If it rains

• Swap in Katherine Mansfield House and Garden (Thorndon): Read one of her Wellington stories, such as 'The Garden Party', before you go.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Te Aro keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Lambton Quay and CBD ($$$) suits first-timers, families and shopping. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 16–19 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.2 hours in June to 15.1 hours in December, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Wellington
• 2 days in Wellington

Questions travellers ask