Wellington and Te Papa

Wellington, cradled around a harbour at the windy southern tip of the North Island, is New Zealand's capital and its cultural heart, a compact, hilly and walkable city with a reputation for coffee, craft beer, food and the arts out of all proportion to its size. Its centrepiece is Te Papa Tongarewa, the national museum, one of the finest in the southern hemisphere and free to enter, which tells the story of the land, its Māori and Pākehā peoples and its extraordinary natural history through bold, interactive exhibits, from a preserved colossal squid to an earthquake house and a rich collection of Māori treasures. Beyond the museum, a red cable car climbs from the centre to the botanic garden and a lookout over the harbour, the waterfront buzzes with bars and galleries, the bohemian Cuba Street draws crowds, and the surrounding hills and coast offer walks and wildlife. It is a city best enjoyed on foot and by appetite.

What you actually see

• Te Papa - the free national museum of the country's nature, history and Māori culture.
• The cable car and botanic garden - the red cable car up to the lookout and gardens.
• The waterfront and Cuba Street - the lively harbourside and the bohemian café quarter.
• The coffee and food scene - the cafés, craft beer and restaurants the city is known for.

When to go

November to April brings the warmest, driest weather; the city is famously windy year-round, which locals wear as a badge. It is an indoor-and-outdoor city, so Te Papa and the cafés suit any weather. Summer festivals and events fill the calendar. Weekends bring the markets and waterfront to life.

Honest expectations

Wellington's wind is real and can be strong enough to disrupt flights and ferries and make the harbour choppy, so build in flexibility around travel. Te Papa is deservedly popular and busy at weekends and on wet days. It is a compact city, so two or three days is plenty, and many travellers pass through quickly on the way to the South Island ferry, giving it less time than it rewards.

Nearby

The Interislander ferry crosses to the South Island; the Wairarapa wine region and the Kāpiti Coast are day trips.