Explore: Wellington

Wellington is the humble capital of New Zealand, the self-effacing, artistic, ‘organic’ brother to fast-living, high-rolling Auckland. This is a city for the arty and the literati. Its trademark bracing brisk winds and dizzying hills inspire earnest living, as do its elegant Victorian wood terraces.

The sheer number of coffee houses announces that this is a city for the intelligentsia. The waterfront areas are the best. There is the ritzy Queens Wharf, Oriental Parade and the commercial hub at Lambton Quay. For great view of the city you might want to try the cable car which takes you on a heart-fluttering ride up the steep hill which houses the manicured Botanic Gardens. Wellington also boasts some rare architectural wonders, like the modernist Beehive, and the magnificent wood-built Government Buildings. But despite its cerebral character, Wellington still knows how to pull a party. The clubs of Cuba Street and Courtenay Place are the biggest in the country.

The artistic calendar is predictably packed. The Summer City Festival and Fringe NZ festival fill the concert halls, theatres and streets with performers and spectators. Every two years, the New Zealand Festival adds to the melee. The springtime Toast Martinborough Food, Wine and Music Festival is the perfect time to test the reputation of the local Pinot Noir for yourself.

The coasts to the east and west of Wellington are both set against the dramatic backdrop of the Tararua mountain ranges – but there ends the similarity.