Called the world’s ‘coolest little capital’ Wellington is known for its vibrant arts scene, world class café and restaurant culture, and active outdoor lifestyle.

A creative, cosmopolitan city, Wellington combines the sophistication of a capital with the warmth and personality of a village. Wellington enjoys more cafes, bars and restaurants than New York City, and its coffee and craft beer producers are internationally recognized.

Despite being much smaller than Auckland, Wellington is often referred to as New Zealand’s cultural capital. It is home to the National Archives, the National Art Gallery, the National Library, the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, numerous theatres and two universities.

The capital actually enjoys a temperate and often sunny climate, enjoying around 2,000 sunshine hours a year. The warmest month is February, the coolest is July, and average annual rainfall is 1270mm.

More people use public transport in Wellington than anywhere else in New Zealand – 30% use public transport in Wellington compared with 18% of residents in Auckland and 9% of residents in Christchurch.