Why Wellington Was My Favorite City in New Zealand
Queenstown is like living in a painting. Driving the South Island is mind blowing. Christchurch is cute, and certainly has its moments. Auckland is really just another big city.
But Wellington… was something special, and deserves your time when traveling to New Zealand.
The view from Mount Victoria in Wellington, New Zealand; January 2019
Should I Visit Wellington?
My dad and I weren’t prepared for much, and we weren’t even sure we would care for Wellington – but in the end, it was one of our favorite cities we saw in New Zealand.
How Many Days Should I Spend in Wellington?
We spent two days and two nights in Wellington, and it was a perfectly comfortable pace for us to see everything. Remember, Wellington is pretty small – so a couple of days should suffice to see everything.
Here a few reasons why, “the windiest city in the world” (yes, trust me – it is windier than Chicago) was my favorite:
Reasons to Visit Wellington in New Zealand
1. Say Hello to Miniature San Francisco!
While I did spend five years living in the Bay Area and consider myself a free spirit: I’m not a native Californian… but my dad was born and raised in San Francisco, meaning – I’ve spent a great deal of time in that city.
Before I went to Lisbon, people were always telling me that it was like the California or San Francisco of Europe because of its hills…
… personally, I didn’t see the resemblance when I was in Portugal.
However, in Wellington – it’s nearly uncanny.
Wellington is a hilly city with white houses residing on the water… much like San Francisco.
The city is on water, it’s hilly, it has cable cars… it’s like a cuter, smaller San Francisco… but prettier.
Shhhh!
(Don’t tell my dad I said that!)
2. It’s Surprisingly Beautiful
The flight from Christchurch to Wellington was just the beginning…
Flying into the North Island from Christchurch; January 2019
The sunsets we saw were crazy gorgeous.
Watching the sunset in Wellington; January 2019
Some of the city’s architecture made me feel like I was in Europe, for two seconds.
European-like architecture in Wellington, New Zealand; January 2019
3. The City Small, but Chock-full of Character
The gardens in Wellington scream personality…
Wellington Botanical Gardens; January 2019
Flowers at Wellington Botanical Gardens; January 2019
… and the glimpses of residential life on Mount Victoria show how this city likes to wear its heart on its sleeve.
Just imagine having one of those little houses with that view to wake up to every morning!
P.S. – grocery stores in Wellington had this unbelievably amazing chocolate that I have been dreaming about (and regretting buying more of) since. Someone who lives in Wellington, send me some…ASAP.
I ate some of the best chocolate of my life, in Wellington…
I hope this showed you why Wellington is worth a visit! If you’re looking for other things to do in New Zealand, click here.
Last updated: June 5, 2025