I picked the wrong time of year to visit the Kiwi Capital back in 2014. Autumn was in full force, and my three days in Wellington were full of rain, wind and mist, meaning the city was not looking its best. But if that was Wellington not at its best, then I’m impressed. Commonly called the ‘coolest little capital on Earth’, Wellington is chock-full of cool buildings, cool things to do and cool people. Walking through the streets in hiking boots, a puffy winter jacket and a bright red beanie to keep out the chill, I felt distinctly uncool next to all these ultra-hip, fashionable people.
Despite this feeling, and the really bad weather, Wellington is one of my top destinations to visit in New Zealand.
Side-note: please don’t judge the quality of my photos. I had no idea how to use my camera back then! Oh, and disclaimer: this website contains affiliate links. If you make a booking or purchase using any of the links provided, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This will help me to continue this blog and my wildlife work!
Day 1
The first of my three days in Wellington was probably the worst, weather-wise. Foggy, windy, horizontal rain…not pleasant. So I did the smart thing and stayed out of it. Hopping on a bus out to the Miramar Penisula, a suburb to the south of the city, I headed to the Weta Cave, on the corner of Camperdown Road and Weka Street. Most of you may not know this, but I’m a BIG Lord of the Rings fan. Like, pretty massive, in a tried-to-learn-Elvish-when-I-was-a-kid way. I should probably be a little ashamed, but screw it, I’m not.
So understandably, the company co-founded by Peter Jackson that created the props and digital effects for the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies (amongst other well-known films), was a major fan moment for me. The actual bow held by Legolas, the famous Sting, and a suit of fake chain-mail worn by Orlando Bloom in Kingdom of Heaven; they all sent giggly little shivers down my spine.
Yes, I’m a nerd. Don’t laugh too hard.
The tour back into the workshop was well worth the extra fee. Who needs to eat when you can see Sauron’s armour instead? (Even if you weren’t allowed to take photos).
After a quick lunch I headed down to Te Papa, the Museum of New Zealand. For a free museum, Te Papa is extremely impressive. Hell, for a $15 fee, this would still be impressive. Its five floors could fill an entire day, but I managed see most of it reasonably in a couple of hours.
Exhibits covered the geological and environmental history of New Zealand, native flora and fauna, a detailed history of quakes and volcanos (they even show you how a quake feels from inside a shaking house), and a large section on Maori mythology and history. There was an entire floor dedicated to the Kiwi people over the last two centuries, right up through its political history to the present day. I really enjoyed this museum, and could happily go back to finish off what I missed the first time. I’d love to know what exhibits they have on display now.
My three days in Wellington were off to a great start.
Day 2
Tuesday dawned a little brighter than Monday. Not much brighter, but the rain managed to stay away at least. As such, I headed into the city to the Cable Car, taking the short journey up the steep slopes of Wellington to the Botanic Gardens.
Now me being a poor and stingy traveller, I had decided not to go to the Carter Conservatory, even though it looked pretty interesting. But something made me stop in to have a quick look. For once my timing was actually good, as they were having an Easter special, allowing visitors in for free. Boom. Delighted. A good hour and a half were spent wandering around the Observatory, following the history of the Universe through the Big Bang to present. All of this I’ve seen before, but it was laid out really well, with great displays. The Maori interpretations of the stars and the mythology that goes along with it made the place particularly interesting.
Stepping back out into the mist, I walked back down towards the city through the Botanic Gardens, another beautiful park that would probably be a lot more enjoyable in good weather. Nevertheless, having gorgeous gardens almost all to yourself is nothing to scoff at. Apart from a couple of joggers, very few people were venturing outdoors.
The Peace Garden is particularly stunning with it’s long flowing waterfall and little pond. The Duck Pond is also very cute. The Downhill Walk through the Gardens took me right to the Parliament Buildings on the other side of town, while passing through the Bolton Cemetery. Is it weird to say that this is probably my favourite graveyard of the ones I’ve visited (although the one in Sighisoara comes pretty close)? I think it’s a bit weird. But it’s true. This cemetary, divided into three sections – public, Anglican and Jewish – is also bisected by a controversial motorway that meant thousands of burials had to be disinterred and reburied in a mass grave.
The Parliamentary Buildings are the Beehive (the main seat of the government), the Parliamentary House (a forbidding grey Edwardian Neoclassical block) and the Parliamentary Library (a Victorian Gothic building next door that’s painted a very flamboyant pink colour). Hourly free tours are offered (yay for cheap travel!), giving a brief overview of the political history and modern goings-on within New Zealand’s parliament. The tour (mine given by a rather exuberant American) shows you just enough to make you think there’s a lot more going on than they want you to know. But that’s governments, isn’t it?
Day 3
On the last of my three days in Wellington, I walked to the outskirts of the city, to Mount Victoria, the city’s best look-out, which was also used as a Lord Of The Rings filming location. But the fog being worse than ever, my views from the top were trees, a few vague building outlines and white mist as far as the eye could see. I’m sure it’s usually a gorgeous view! I was happy enough just to wander through the beautiful Hobbiton Woods, though I never did find the exact spot where the LOTR filming took place.
After that it was time to hop on a ferry across to Picton, on the northern edge of the South Island.
Where to stay: The Marion is the highest-rated hostel in Wellington, and has a fantastic central location.
Would you spend three days in Wellington? If you decide to visit, I hope the weather is better for you than it was for me!
Also, anyone here as big a Lord of the Rings nerd as me?
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