Wellington

The national museum of New Zealand features five floors of interactive exhibits and offers an insight into everything from natural history to Maori culture and European immigration. Don’t miss ‘bush city’, the museum’s urban rain forest full of native plants and wildlife. The museum is recognized as a world leader of interactive and innovative museum experiences.

Take a one-hour guided tour of the Parliament Buildings to see New Zealand politics at work and to explore the Beehive — one of the most famous buildings in Wellington.

Wellington’s main contemporary art gallery hosts an ever-changing collection of international touring art exhibitions and contemporary local works. There is always something interesting to see, and it's a great place for a rainy day.

The zoo, founded in 1906, is now home to over 500 animals in modern enclosures. Learn more about the animals from the daily zookeeper talks and get up close to pandas and cheetahs with the zoo’s ‘close encounters’ experience.

Explore Wellington’s waterfront in your own kayak, or hire a pair of inline skates. The hire centre also features a 13-metre-high indoor climbing wall, designed for beginners as well as more experienced climbers.

Discover Wellington's rich social and cultural history at this museum, set within a remarkable 1892 heritage building. Explore its collection of over 95,000 artefacts, engage with interactive exhibits, and watch films on a grand cinema screen that spans three floors. Celebrating the city's maritime heritage, early Māori and European settlement, and its growth over 150 years as New Zealand's capital, the museum breathes life into Wellington's stories.

Join a full or half day tour by Xplor Tours and visit the locations used during filming of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. On this tour you get the chance to explore locations such as Rivendell, where Frodo recovers from his knife attack, the Anduin River, and the Gardens of Isengard, to name a few. The cherry on top is the tour of Weta workshop, where you can see how props and weaponry is made, as well as sets from Thunderbirds. This is a must for any "Lord of the Rings" fan.

Old St Paul's is an attractive old wooden church and is a fine example of 19th century Gothic Revival architecture. The interior is enhanced by splendid stained glass windows and is one of New Zealand's most important historic places. You can also join a guided tour and listen to interesting stories of the church.

Whether you take a walk by the sea or go for a swim, either way this place offers beautiful views and is a lovely place to enjoy your holiday. There are plenty of ice cream parlours nearby if you would like to eat something sweet. It is close to bars, restaurants and too.

Mount Victoria is a beautiful place for a nature hike; so beautiful, in fact, that it has been used as filming ground for some scenes of the Lord if the Rings movie. Expect stunning, birds-eye views over the city and bay. Come at night when the city lights glimmer in the distance and savour the moment.

This track is one of the more challenging ones, so make sure to be prepared with suitable footwear, enough water, food and stamina for the day. The hike itself may take up to 4 hours in addition to the journey from Wellington to the starting point, which you can cover by car or train (KPL) and which will take you around an hour. Stunning views and a fresh ocean breeze will accompany you during this amazing walk.