Visiting Wellington? Here’s an exhaustive itinerary of everything our managing editor loves to do

Wellington has been riding on a high ever since Vogue labelled it the world’s coolest little capital city 11 years ago—but I’d argue that the city has always had something special going for it. Beyond myriad delicious restaurants, cool galleries and superb shopping, the thing I love the most about this city is that it’s so easily accessible—it’s easy to get around, and that makes all the difference when you have 48 hours in the place. 

I lived in Wellington a decade ago, spending the better part of my early twenties studying in the city, but like anywhere else in the world, it has evolved in recent years—and I think definitely for the better. I visited recently to preview the incredible Vivienne Westwood & Jewellery exhibition, which debuted at Te Papa last week (which was seriously astonishing and a must-visit on the style calendar before it heads to Shanghai at the end of April). And in a quick couple of days, I was reminded of all the reasons why I love Wellington so much.

My stay was central; I had a room booked at Cuba Street’s Naumi Hotel, which, if you’ve stayed at any of the brand’s other destinations around the country, you’ll know is a vibrant and sumptuous place to rest your head. I’ve stayed here many times, both for work and personal adventures—the service here is so thoughtful, and the rooms are well-stocked with everything you could need—a nice retreat for when your feet eventually tire of beating the pavement. During this visit, I stayed in a Blush King, and my room took pole position in the southeastern corner of the top floor, offering sweeping views across the city and the sea. It felt awfully romantic to sleep with the curtains open at night.

And while I could have happily spent two days enjoying the relaxing pleasures of my room, the aim of the game is to get out and about when in the city. Beyond the Vivienne Westwood & Jewellery exhibition, I had a comprehensive itinerary planned, which involved me eating and shopping and enjoying all of the city’s activities, cultural and otherwise.

There are lots of places to dine in Wellington; you’ll rarely find one that disappoints. But if you have just one meal, you have to spend it at Rosella. This Mount Victoria destination is relatively new on the scene, but it offers a delicious menu and a very extensive drinks list that really packs a punch. Dinner here was actually my first time dining alone; the pretence is often uncomfortable, but over nine delicious plates (I opted for the Just Feed Me menu, which can sometimes offer up polarising choices but surprised me pleasantly), I fell more and more in love with this incredible spot. It’s hard to pick just one dish as a highlight; favourites included the Wagyu Tartare, the Pickled Mussels, the Steamed Butterfish, and a very, very decadent Chocolate Cake for dessert. Add this to your agenda immediately.

Elsewhere, equally divine spots included Kisa, who offer a very delicious Wild Tahr Mezze on its lunch menu; Karaka Cafe, who expertly showcase kai Māori and Pasifika on the waterfront; and The Ram, whose Cuba Street outpost is the perfectly chic venue for a much-awaited catch up with old friends. I love Swimsuit (any of the popular city locations) for coffee, Lola Rouge, which is downstairs at Naumi Hotel, for a pre-dinner drink, and Regent, which is a newcomer to Cuba Street, for a sunny afternoon drink with friends from a very cool vantage point. A bonus addition to the culinary tour is Wellington Chocolate Factory, who, alongside being very ethical purveyors of tasty chocolate, offer a chocolate-making class, where you can learn more about the bean-to-bar chocolate experience and create your own delicious bars to take home, too.

When it comes to shopping, Wellington offers something that feels utterly different to what I find at home in Auckland—there are as many boutiques as there are flagships, each offering their chic lens of viewing the world. Must-visits include Sullys, for a curated selection of vintage and international labels; Underlena, for some of the most beautiful lingerie brands; Kaukau, which is currently, very sadly, in its final stages of trade on Ghuznee Street; and Good As Gold, which is a real Wellington streetwear stalwart. Local brands I adore include Yu Mei, Kowtow, and Nisa, each with its own flagship, alongside beauty and wellness stores Wellington Apothecary and Iris. Homewares stores you need to visit include Orient and Vessel. And for the best vintage in the city, you’ll need to visit Hunters & Collectors, Ziggurat, Preloved Charlies, and Recycle Boutique.

Wellington’s really cool because it’s not that hard to get a reprieve from city life. When you find yourself in need of some fresh air, there are two options I love—one is catching the free shuttle up to Zealandia, which is an incredible predator-free sanctuary of native bush and beautiful birdsong and is even home to some endangered animals; tuatara and takahe. If you’re more beach than bush, I’d suggest hiring an e-bike (or a regular bike, if you’d like more of a workout) from Switched On Bikes on the Waterfront and making your way around the bays. Wellington is a really cycler-friendly city, with cycle lanes taking you all the way out to pretty beaches like Island Bay.

Beyond the cultural mecca that Wellington has become, it’s still a little bubble that manages to enchant and excite me with new places popping up on every visit. Our capital is a very cool little city indeed.

A special thank you to WellingtonNZ for showing me all of your favourite places.