Absolutely one of the coolest capitals in the world

Most Aussies would be forgiven for not making a trip to New Zealand a high priority, especially when we live in such isolation from the rest of the world – and it’s easier to get the European working holiday visa out of the way when you’re young before prioritising a visit to our trans Tasman neighbours. But for a long weekend away, with very competitive fare prices, Wellington, the ‘coolest little capital in the world’ according to Lonely Planet recently, is well worth putting on the radar.

Whilst Auckland can be compared to Sydney or LA, Wellington is the much cooler Melbourne or San Francisco; funky designed cafes, cool galleries and hip nightlife support the unique urban feel of the city’s streetscape and surrounding hillside architecture. Distinct precincts are punctuated with dormant walls brought to life. Buildings splattered with colourful murals, public art pieces on restored maritime and historic sites and modern sculpture and art deco architecture are woven throughout Wellington, bursting with character and loaded with things to see and do.

Spec and I hit the pavement for a Zest walking foodie tour of the city hotspots with our guide Wilma, a Dutch migrant with the same penchant for coffee and food as us. Wellington boasts 16 coffee roasters (more than London) all with their own techniques, blends and flavours. Courtenay Place in downtown Wellington and adjoining Allen and Blair Streets are dotted with tiny cafes, boutique galleries and eateries. We visited Kura Gallery that buys from 300 local artists all using homegrown materials to create weaves, wood carvings and pounaum (green stone) sculpture and jewellry. On our tour we also stopped in at produce store Moore Wilson. Here, you can pick up anything from Persian saffron fairy floss to fresh live ‘hairy’ mussels and an ample selection from the cheese room, from gouda and gruyere to aged cheddar and my favourite the Hawke’s Bay’s ‘Te Menta’ Kidnappers brie.

Having both spent most of our adult life in Melbourne, we felt right at home with the café culture Wellington has to offer. We met with Jess at Caffe L’Affare a passionate barrister, foiling the recent trend toward a light roast and showing us beans being roasted into coffee that is all about darkness, body and acidity. We never drank a bad coffee whilst we were there and some of the cafes had that characteristic where you could see yourself sitting in the sun reading the paper on a weekend morning.

Culturally, locals are respectful for the country’s heritage, familiar with Maori language and respectful of traditional custom. We were so impressed with the preservation and integration of the national traditional people of New Zealand and felt quite strongly that we as a nation are so far behind the New Zealanders in terms of cultural acceptance and respect for the Aboriginal people. We may have, in fact, gone on and on about this subject at dinner we were so passionate about it! A visit to Te Papa Tongarewa – the national museum despite teeming with inquisitive primary schoolers discovering the interactive exhibits, simulated rides and taking a peek at the colossus squid, was actually quite great - especially coming from me – a self-admitting museum-hater. Te Papa is enormous and its collections vary from the traditional to the contemporary. Our tour guide Richard was fantastic. He showed us Te Marae (Meeting Place) where two tribes come to meet each other in ceremony, discussions, celebration – a very spiritual experience, for us both, ending with kai (food), menu items including pikopiko pesto, horopito aioli and manuka honey, all ingredients picked from plants in the museum’s ‘Bush City’ outdoor garden space.

Dinner at Pravda in the CBD had a wide selection of tapas-style tasting plates and continental mains, all using fresh local produce, matched with crisp white wines from the region’s famed vineyards. Afterward we wandered down to Foxglove, one of the district’s popular after work haunts. One of our stand out favourites of the trip was trying to find the secret entrance to a cool, relaxed wine bar from inside. Very cute.

Unless you have large, leathery hobbit feet, slip into pair of comfy walking shoes that aren’t afraid of a bit of mud and walk the Wellington Lord Of The Rings tour. Stand in frame of some of the iconic scenes from the movies and tred the very paths used by Frodo and his mates on their quest in Middle Earth. Even if you’re not a huge fan of the films, the tour is worth it just for the eerie and magical scenery the forests provide. End your trip at the WETA Cave in the heart of the city’s filmmaking hub, controversially labeled Wellywood. See sculptures, costume and collectibles from the movies and watch how the fascinating make-up, armoury and prosthetics processes come to life on screen.

Step back in time to the Roxy cinema, a recently restored movie hall with the original façade intact – you can grab a bite to eat from the restaurant before catching an early evening flick. It’s a popular spot with the locals and the food is gorgeous. Plus, we met Johnny, a man who knows his cocktails, in particular he told us the secret to sipping the perfect martini. Our lives are changed forever!

Overall, we both felt that two days just wasn’t long enough and that we needed a third to really settle in and try out more of the watering holes and inner-city cafes. The vibe of the place is truly inviting and a return visit is definitely on the cards.

Verdict: Love Wellington!

Zest Food Tours of New Zealand. www.zestfoodtours.co.nz
Kura Gallery. 19 Allen Street, Wellington (off Courtenay Place).
Moore Wilson. Corner of Tory and College Streets, Wellington.
Caffe L’Affare. 27 College Street, Wellington.
Te Papa Tongarewa. Cable Street, Wellington.
Pravda. 107 Customhouse Quay, Wellington.
Foxglove. 33 Queens Wharf, Wellington.
Wellington Rings Tour. www.wellingtonsights.co.nz
WETA Cave. Corner of Camperdown Road and Weka Street, Miramar, Wellington.
Roxy Cinema. 5 Park Road, Miramar, Wellington.