Tours and markets

Wellington Rover Tours
These well-schooled guys know Wellington inside out and have designed their tours to skip Dullsville and Yawnsvale and directly target the action. Their tour guides are down-to-earth locals who deliver information conversationally rather than in auto-pilot mode and are happy to accommodate any reasonable requests you have. One of the most popular tours on the menu is the Wellington Explorer Tour, which includes a windy old visit to the stunning Mount Victoria Lookout, a trail through the Lord of the Rings filming locations, city sights, historic suburbs and a trip along south coast beaches. Other favourites include the Weta Cave Studio Tour, the Twilight Tour, awesome Mountain Bike Tours and of course the Lord of the Rings Tour, which will transport you to the realms of hobbits, elves, dwarves and orcs.
PO Box 11–167, Wellington 6011. (+64 2 142 6211 www.wellingtonrover.co.nz).

City Market
Fresh produce, fine food and homemade edibles come together at this old-school farmer’s market that serves up some of Wellington’s best bites. Meander through dozens of stalls and put the sterile experience of supermarket shopping behind you as you get to chat directly with the providores, creative minds and chefs behind well-known and emerging food brands. Set alongside Wellington’s waterfront, the City Market is under cover so you can peruse the stalls in all types of weather.
Ground Fl, Chaffers Dock, 22 Herd St, Wellington 6011. (+64 4 801 8158).

Zest Food Tour
Whether you’re a dedicated foodie or just a bit of a glutton, the people at Zest Food Tours are here to indulge you. Follow your guide’s finely tuned palate with a visit to a boutique coffee roaster and café, a tasting session at Wellington’s best specialist gourmet food stores, and a meet and greet with some of the city’s most celebrated baristas and chefs. With a number of specialised tours to whet your appetite, including a Chocolate Espresso tour, you can take the guesswork out of food sampling and follow this popular lead until your taste buds are exhausted.
PO Box 6030, Wellington 6011. (+64 4 801 9198 www.zestfoodtours.co.nz).

Weta Cave
Weta is New Zealand’s award-winning contribution to the international film industry. Comprised of Weta Workshop and Weta Digital, this brainchild of fellow creatives Richard Taylor, Tania Rodger and Peter Jackson has become a world leader in the field of special effects and the organisation behind Jackson’s blockbuster Lord of the Rings trilogy, King Kong and a myriad of groundbreaking television, special effects and interactive endeavours. The story behind Weta all comes together at the Weta Cave – an intimate museum space where visitors can view props and displays from these amazing films.

Visitors can see what makes Weta tick through an in-depth documentary and exclusive interviews with the Weta team in the cosy cave-like theatre. You can even take a little piece of Weta home with you through the wide variety of merchandise and limited edition collectibles on sale in their gift
shop. This is fast becoming Wellington’s biggest attraction.

Cnr Camperdown Rd & Weka St, Miramar, Wellington 6243. (+64 4 380 9361 www.wetanz.com/cave).

Harbourside Markets
Nestled beside Te Papa Museum and sprawling alongside the stunning harbour foreshore, the Harbourside Markets host a colourful array of purveyors, providores and peddlers of some of the city’s finest foods, arts, crafts and handmade oddities.

This open-air market is a Sunday morning must-do for locals and never fails in providing visitors with that elusive take-home gift that ticks all the boxes.

Harbourside Market, Wellington Waterfront, Between Chaffers St, Cable St & Herd St, Wellington 6011. (www.harboursidemarket.co.nz).

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