New Zealand’s capital city is small by international standards, but there’s still a lot to uncover when visiting. One of the things that make Wellington stand out from its peers is the amount of green space that surrounds the city. It’s easy to escape from the city centre and feel at one with nature in as little as 10 minutes drive. In this article, we will explore a few of the beautiful New Zealand sights that are well worth a visit.
Mount Victoria
The name of Mount Victoria can be a little intimidating to people who do not know Wellington well, as it suggests a peak that towers over the city. In reality, those who have planned a great trip to New Zealand will know that Mount Victoria is under 200 metres tall. However, Wellington’s low rise profile means that it offers spectacular views of the city, its coastline and the surrounding countryside. It’s even possible to get a great view of planes landing at nearby Wellington Airport. The best thing about Mount Victoria is that it is located very close to the city centre. It is possible to get from downtown Wellington to the top of the hill in just over an hour without breaking a sweat.
Wellington Botanic Garden
This is another excellent option for visitors who do not want to stray too far from the city centre as it is located just over one kilometre from downtown. While visitors are required to do a little bit of walking and climbing to get the best views of the city, it’s possible to do this without working up a sweat by taking the Wellington cable car to one of the viewpoints. After arriving there, visitors will be able to enjoy the incredible vistas of the city and the green countryside beyond. With Wellington’s weather being as unpredictable as it is, the Botanical Garden is also a great option thanks to the convenient location. It’s possible to get here very quickly from some of the other downtown attractions of Wellington. This means that when the sun comes out, visitors can make it to one of the viewpoints in the garden in time to snap those all-important holiday photos before the skies above the city inevitably cloud over again.
Wellington isn’t at the top of a lot of people’s bucket lists, and they’re definitely missing out because of that. Enjoying the beautiful views of the city available from one of these viewpoints is a great way to understand what makes Wellington so pleasant.