Are you doing your internship in New Zealand and have you planned to go on a city trip in Wellington already? No? Have a look at our previous article to find out why it should be! Alright, so that’s all sorted. Now, the next step is to make the most of this city trip! Let us explain how to make this the best city trip of your life.
Te Papa Museum
This museum is what the people from Wellington are super proud of and they have all the right to be. The collection is massive and interactive. While you are creating your octopus, your friends can watch a movie about weird sea creatures. You have to spend at least two hours here. And by the way, the museum is 100% free!
Underground Markets
Every Saturday, there is this cute market in the harbour, just about five minutes walk from the museum. It’s a free market that starts at 10 am and ends at 4 pm. They have loads of different stuff, varying from clothes to candles and from jewellery to cards. But they also sell delicious food. Everything is handcrafted with a passion which makes it so lively and special.
http://www.undergroundmarket.co.nz/
Mount Victoria
Train that booty! Not gonna lie, this climb is tough, but it is absolutely worth it. We do recommend you take your time to allow yourself some breaks to recover and enjoy the view. Insider tip: do not start your climb when it’s starting to get dark because then you won’t be able to watch the sunset from the top. And the sunset is stunning! It gives a panoramic view of the city and the sea. You start the climb at 15 minutes walk from the centre of the city.
Cable Car & Botanic Gardens
You probably know the red tram that gives a beautiful view over Wellington. These images are all over postcards and people’s Instagram. It’s like the Opera House (Sydney) of Wellington. The ride takes about five minutes, and you go through a fancy tunnel with shiny lights. A return ticket will cost you $7 but we recommend you take a single ticket up and walk your way down via the Botanical Gardens. These gardens are partly inside and partly outside. Beautiful flowers all over and a little store with souvenirs and flower seeds. And the best of all: the gardens are free!
Food Market
Make sure you skip breakfast on Sunday morning because breakfast is the best at the Food Market! This market is super close to the museum and starts at 7.30am until 1 pm or 2 pm – depending on the season. It’s a mix of dishes, products, and fresh vegetables and fruits. There are so many dishes to choose from, a range of international food like Dutch pancakes and Mexican tacos. Lots of different products are for sale also, varying from vegetarian pizza to almond paste with vanilla taste (our favourite). When it comes to fresh veggies, there are many stands selling all different kinds of veggies and the prices will make you smile.
http://www.harboursidemarket.co.nz/
Lord of The Rings Tour
Most of the scenes of Lord Of The Rings were filmed at the Southern Island of New Zealand but there are some filmed on the Northern Island – mostly in Wellington, hooray! We have already talked about how super excited we were about the Lord of The Rings Tour, you can read the article here. To summarise: you will go past several filming locations, you will watch behind-the-scenes material, and you will top it all off with a delicious picnic in Rivendell. A real must-do during your internship abroad in New Zealand if you’re a fan of the movies.
Weta Studio Tour
The artists in the Weta Studios have made all the art related stuff from the movies such as mini buildings and towns, clothing, and masks. During the studio visit, you will watch exclusive movies and you will get a tour through where it all happened. You will see the artists, props from the movies and maquettes.
http://wetaworkshop.com/visit-us/workshop-tours/
Partying
When you think of partying in New Zealand, Queenstown will probably be the city coming to mind – not Wellington. Think again! Partying in Wellington feels more cosy and easy going. In the weekends, loads of bars are opened until the early mornings. Throughout the week, there are also many different bars you can go to have a drink. Some bars have a secret terrace in the back or a beautiful rooftop bar, keep your eyes open for this!
Great restaurants
Plenty of choices when it comes to restaurants in Wellington. Whether you’re looking for a cheap student meal, fast food, a luxury Italian meal, a tender steak, fish & chips, vegan food, or sushi, Wellington has it all. Our absolute fave is the fish & chips restaurant called Mt Vic Chippery. The queue’s quite long but it’s definitely worth it – pinky promise!
https://www.thechippery.co.nz/
Just get lost
The best way to explore a city is actually just by getting lost and wandering. Wellington is not that big so it’s difficult to really get lost. Start at the Cable Car or your hostel and just walk around to see what the neighbourhood has to offer. You will see that the shopping facilities are awesome and there are many hidden restaurants and bars just waiting to be discovered.