Wellington, despite its small size, is packed to the brim with things to do. The capital city offers all kinds of museums, theatres and galleries – making it an artsy destination to visit in New Zealand. Here are a few things we recommend you do in Wellington:

-    Museum of New Zealand – Te Papa Tongarewa
The nation’s culture and historical background are permanently on exhibit at Te Papa. The museum also showcases the stories of New Zealand’s indigenous people, the Maori. Diverse art and free performances for the public are available, but the main attraction is a 495kg colossal squid that gained its reputation from a documentary feature. New Zealand’s San Aspiring vessel fished it from Antarctic Waters in 2007.

-    Mount Victoria Lookout
For panoramic city views, this is the ideal spot to head to. Enjoy views of Tinakori Hill, Hutt Valley and more of Wellington’s scenery whilst setting up a picnic on the hillside. As imaginable, there is no better location for taking in the sunrise or sunset.

-    Wellington Botanic Gardens
There are a few ways of entering these gardens, but the Wellington Cable Car is probably the best option. There is an unending list of things to do and see here: from the beautiful Lady Norwood Rose Garden, native bush, exotic forests and 25,000 spring tulips, to the gorgeous fountains, café and playground. Keep an eye out for native birds too!

-    Restaurant-hopping
We’ve written about some of New Zealand’s best restaurants in our last post, but the capital offers plenty more that must be visited. Try out Chameleon, a well-known restaurant at the InterContinental. Other recommendations include the WBC restaurant, The Library and Capitol.