Wellington offers plenty of activities year round. Its newest edition is Te Papa, New Zealand's national museum, located on Wellington's waterfront. Te Papa is a waharoa, a gateway, to an encounter with the heart of New Zealand’s land and people. Wonderful Mâori cultural treasures, art, and objects are presented through amazing stories, thought-interpretations, and interactive activities.
The city has many other cultural attractions for visitors to discover. The Wellington Botanic Garden features a unique landscape, protected native forest, conifers, plant collections, floral displays, and views over Wellington. It is classified as a Garden of National Significance by the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture and is a Historic Places Trust Heritage Area. Another interesting attraction is New Zealand's Parliament Buildings on Molesworth Street in the city center. You can visit Parliament daily free of charge. The 1-hour tours include the Parliament House, the Parliamentary Library, and, if the group is not too large, the 1970s-style beehive shaped administrative headquarters.
The Cable Car provides transportation to the suburb of Kelburn and the top of the Botanic Garden. The Cable Car is one of Wellingtons oldest and most popular tourist attractions, journeying through three tunnels, past Kelburn Park and Victoria University and on to the top entrance of the city's Botanic Garden where various walks begin and where the Carter Observatory and Planetarium are located. The Cable Car Museum houses an original cable car and trailer as well as the old winding equipment and is located beside the current Upland Road Station. The Museum is open everyday and provides a look at some of Wellington's early history as well as the role the cable car has had on the development of the City.
There are some natural attractions right in the heart of Wellington. The Karori Wildlife Sanctuary is a world-first conservation site. A predator-proof fence keeps rare and endangered native wildlife safe, and it is the only place on mainland New Zealand where spotted kiwi, saddleback and hihi roam free in their natural environment. The Kapiti Island Nature Reserve is one of New Zealand's premier conservation treasures, allowing a unique opportunity to observe rare birds that are absent from the mainland.
The Wairarapa is one of New Zealand's most esteemed wine-producing areas and very accessible from Wellington. The region's main center is Masterton, and its main wine village is Martinborough. Most of the area's vineyards specialize in varietals and pinot noir, with chardonnays, sauvignon blancs, rieslings and cabernet sauvignon available as well. Spend a lovely day exploring the colonial-style towns with their museums, antique stores, galleries, and restaurants. Historic Greytown, with its delightful colonial character, offers a plethora of fine wooden Victorian buildings. Don’t miss a visit to Mt Bruce National Wildlife Center or the scenic drive to the seal colony at Cape Palliser.
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