Tailor-made Wellington & Wairarapa: Introduction

Home to New Zealand’s capital city, a centre for arts and culture, and the rolling vineyards of the Wairarapa, the southern portion of the North Island is a delight. Wellington harbour is the docking point for the Interislander ferry which plies the waters of the Cook Strait, bringing visitors across from the South Island.

Wellington is resplendent in all its eccentricity. Housing New Zealand’s Parliament, Victoria University and the famed Te Papa Museum, as well as a host of theatres and galleries, there is plenty to see and do. Surrounding the city are rolling hills and rugged coastlines, networked with walking and biking trails and hiding secluded bays; an easy escape if the pace of the vibrant city becomes too much.

Northwest from Wellington life gets quieter. Historic Greytown is lined with renovated colonial cottages and boutique stores. With its rich soils this is a lush and fertile farming area. Lake Wairarapa is a vast wetland region south of Featherston, and the town of Martinborough offers a relaxed country lifestyle on the doorstep of the Wairarapa wine region, home to some of the best wine producers in New Zealand.

As you journey through this ‘land of glistening waters’, each place you visit adds to the overall picture of peaceful, fecund living.

Selected Highlights

Our specialists have travelled the length and breadth of the country to research the best places to stay and things to do. Here they list a few of their favourite “unmissables”. Click here for more highlights

Bird watching on Kapiti Island

Kapiti Island is an absolute gem, home to some of New Zealand’s most endangered bird species. Here kiwi and takahe roam free in their native...  [more]

Experience Taonga Mataora at Te Papa Museum

Te Papa Museum, New Zealand’s superb national museum, is always a must-do experience when in Wellington. However, if you happen to be in town on a...  [more]

Immerse yourself in Wellington culture

Wellington boasts a wonderful array of museums, galleries and national heritage. Literature fans would enjoy picking up a Writers Walk brochure from...  [more]