Wellington

The New Zealand Dollar is the only currency accepted in Wellington which is denoted by NZ$. It is sometimes also called as ‘Kiwi’ or ‘Kiwi Dollar’ to distinguish it from other dollar currencies. All major visa and MasterCard debit and credit cards are accepted throughout.

The daily budget for travelling in Wellington can be estimated close to NZ$ 120 per day. Allocating the same, you will be able to commute, eat and sightsee within reason. The average price of a single mean in Wellington is around NZ$ 25, the average price for a hotel for two is NZ$ 152 (NZ$ 98 per person), and the rest can be used for travelling, tours and tickets etc. Depending on your budget and tour plans, this tentative price can shoot up if you want a more convenient and luxury trip.

Relax by the Oriental Bay and soak the serenity on the golden sands, or walk by the several art galleries and theatres that are synonymous with the culture of the tinsel town. If not, delve into the artefacts and exhibits at the several museums and take a walk down the memory lane. Other than the generic museums, funky cafes and artistic galleries, there are plenty of outdoor attractions available in and around town- you can hike up to the Botanic Gardens and try your hand at several activities including mountain biking, kayaking, rock climbing etc. You can also trek up to Mount Victoria to get an adrenaline rush and delve in other adventure activities available at the top. In addition to this, you can ride up in the Cable Car and enjoy gorgeous views and panoramic vistas of Kelburn and the tiny township below. Besides, there is also the amazing Government buildings with the iconic Beehive, and the beautiful Wellington Waterfront. Aside from enjoying a plethora of fun games and recreational activities at the promenade, you can also stroll down to the very famous Te Papa Tongarewa Museum. If you are a nature’s enthusiats, undertake a tour at the dense green Zealandia. Other than this, there are several other exciting attractions and things to do in Wellington that attract a large tourist influx all through the year and that you should definitely visit. Lately, there are many wine companies that have open tours or ‘wine trails’ as they call it. On these trails, you are taken on a tour of wine making and processing that ends with sampling some of the best wines that the winery has produced.

Wellingtonians celebrate a horde of festivals and take part in various events. Most of their prime festivals and fairs, however, are biennial in nature. Among the top festivals celebrated in town are- New Zealand International Arts Festival, Jazz Festival, Capital E National Arts Festival for Children etc., all three of which are biennial. Other events are Brancott Estate World of Wearable Art, TEDxWellington, Cuba Street Carnival, New Zealand Fringe Festival, New Zealand International Comedy Festival, Summer City, Visa Wellington on a Plate, The Wellington Folk Festival, New Zealand Affordable Art Show, Out In The Square, the New Zealand Sevens Weekend and Parade, Vodafone Homegrown, the Couch Soup theatre festival, Camp A Low Hum in addition to several film festivals and programmes. There is also the Artsplash Festival celebrated annually by the students. This week long festival majorly includes students and involves music and dance performances and the presentation of visual arts. Not to mention, there are delicacies prepared and the event is carried out with great pomp and show with ample food and drinks.

The region in and around Wellington has been filmed for the movies so much so that the eastern suburb of Miramar has been dedicated for the same purpose and has been touted with the name “Wellywood” which is a combination of the American “Hollywood” and Wellington itself. The area has been chosen by the filmmakers Sir Peter Jackson and Sir Richard Taylor. The famous Weta Workshop and the Weta Cave are also Jackson’s companies. Some of the popular recent films shot here include Lord of the Rings Trilogy, The Hobbit, the Chronicles of Narnia, King Kong and Avatar etc. Wellington itself has several independent cinemas which include The Embassy, Paramount, Penthouse, the Roxy and Light House etc. Wellington is also responsible for producing big brand music bands like The Mockers, The Warratahs, Shihad, Beastwars, Fly My Pretties, The Phoenix Foundation, Rhian Sheehan, Birchville Cat Motel, Black Boned Angel, The Black Seeds, Fur Patrol, Flight of the Conchords, Connan Mockasin, Rhombus and Module, Fat Freddy's Drop, Weta, Demoniac etc. On the theatre arts front, Wellington is a supreme patron of performing arts and is home to theatres like BATS Theatre, Circa Theatre, Whitireia Performance Centre, National Dance & Drama School Toi Whakaari etc. They also have several dance school and have produced some of the world’s best comics like Ginette McDonald ("Lyn of Tawa"), Raybon Kan, Ben Hurley, Dai Henwood, Steve Wrigley, Guy Williams etc.

Wellington rose to fame when the Lord of the Rings Trilogy came out in the theatres. Most part of the movie are short in Wellington and the nearby areas of Mount Victoria, especially the ones showing Middle Earth in the movie. A few iconic scenes from “The Hobbit” that was released are also from the same place. Also, most of the props and elements used in fantasy movies like Chronicles of Narnia, Ghost in the Shell etc. are made by a prop company called Weta Workshop which is also based in Wellington. This company was also responsible for the props and merchandise of Lord of the Rings Trilogy as well thus asserting the connection. So, to improve tourism in Wellington, Weta Workshop conducts tours for the volunteers where they can have a behind the scenes experience of the same. They also have a Weta Cave which is a hub of the LOTR merchandise, media, sculptures, stationery and a lot more. So, for all you LOTR fans out there- now you know where you do you have to head in case you miss the movie again!

Wellington has a booming vibrant nightlife which is mostly centred around the Courtenay Place which runs from CBD through Te Aro to Mount Victoria. The blaring speakers and the contagious shenanigans make the street one of the most populous in the country especially on the weekends. From the variety of cafes and restaurants, most tucked up establishments has minimal or zero entry charges and the drinks are affordable. Whereas you will also find better clubs which charge an entry fee and have a dress code. Cuba Mall is another place where you can enjoy a lavish nightlife in the bars and the clubs with myriad cocktail varieties and concoctions.

Autumn Season which falls between March and May is considered the best time to visit Wellington as the temperature stays between 56°F to 68°F. The winds are not as severe and lack of vacations or holidays means lesser crowding. Winter falls between June and August is extremely cold with cold gusty winds blowing throughout. September to November is spring time which is also considered a good time to visit. However, avoid visiting during summers i.e. December to February. This is the time when the place is flocked by hundreds of families and vacationers which not only results in crowding of the place but is also the reason for increased fares and accommodation rates.

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Boasting of delicious gourmet food and fine wine, Wellington is a town that can please you by the aroma of its sumptuous cuisine and the dimly lit funky cafes. It is known internationally for its 'cafe culture'. Popularly known as the 'culinary capital of New Zealand', the city has several neatly tucked bars boasting of excellent craft beer, quirky cafes serving mouth-watering finger food and some of the world’s best coffee. There is also no dearth of fine dining restaurants where you can enjoy a proper seven-course meal with the food specially prepared for you and in front of you. 
Other than serving international cuisines from Europe, Asia and Polynesia etc., the food here is also traditional and native. New Zealand traditional food includes a lamb, pork and cervena (venison), salmon, crayfish (lobster), mussels, scallops, pipis and tuatua (both New Zealand shellfish); Bluff oysters, paua (abalone), kumara (sweet potato); kiwifruit and tamarillo; and pavlova, the national dessert. 
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The top things to do in Wellington are Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Mount Victoria, Wellington Botanic Gardens, Wellington Cable Car, Zealandia in Wellington, City Gallery Wellington. You can see all the places to visit in Wellington here

The top places near to Wellington are Auckland which is 493 km from Wellington, Kaikoura which is located 153 km from Wellington, Queenstown which is located 647 km from Wellington, Gisborne which is located 401 km from Wellington, Te anau which is located 732 km from Wellington