Wellington Introduction Walking Tour, Wellington

Wellington Introduction Walking Tour (Self Guided), Wellington

Wellington is the capital of New Zealand and the country's second-largest city after Auckland. It also has the distinction of being the world's windiest city by average wind speed.

The city was designed by Captain William Mein Smith in 1840. He was the first Surveyor General for Edward Wakefield's New Zealand Company. The name comes from Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington. In the nation's native Maori language, Wellington is referred to as Te Whanganui-a-Tara, which translates to "the great harbor of Tara." This is due to the Maori legend that Tara, the son of Chief Whatonga, settled in this area around 1000 CE.

Wellington is not the official capital of the country. In fact, no official capital has ever been established for New Zealand. However, convention has placed Wellington as the capital city due to the fact that the country's government, parliament and supreme court are all based here.

Much of the history of Wellington can be seen within the city's center, near the harbor. Those visiting Wellington will find the old Parliament Buildings, which includes the iconic Beehive. Nearby is Old St. Paul's, a church that shows off the Gothic Revival architecture that was popular in the city during the mid-19th century.

Even more history is found at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. This museum displays the history of the city and the country as it has unfolded over time. There are also displays of fine art and interactive exhibits.

Visitors who love to shop will find many choices along Wellington's popular shopping, dining and entertainment areas. Lambton Quay, Willis Street, Courtenay Place and Cuba Street are all well known for their long histories as shopping areas in the city. An exploration of these streets takes visitors back in time while allowing them to find souvenirs to take back home.

Take this self-guided walking tour to explore the most notable sights of the beautiful city of Wellington, New Zealand.

Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Michal Klajban.

How it works: Download the app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store to your mobile phone or tablet. The app turns your mobile device into a personal tour guide and its built-in GPS navigation functions guide you from one tour stop to next. The app works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

Create Your Own Self-Guided Walks in Wellington

Map Instructions: (1) Click the "Nearby Sights" button to view the nearby attractions; (2) click a map pin to see sight information.

Guide Name: Wellington Introduction Walking Tour
Guide Location: New Zealand » Wellington (See other walking tours in Wellington)
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Sightseeing)
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles

Sights Featured in This Walk

WalkBuilder (customize this walk)

Use the WalkBuilder tool below to customize this walk to suit your interests. Instructions: click

at the upper right corner in the map above to view other sights in the city. To learn more about a sight, click a map pin. Click the “+” or “–” to add or remove a sight from the walk. To reorder the selected sights, simply drag and move them up or down the list in the left column.

Click here to view route map

Enter a name for your custom walk, along with your email address, in the fields below. You will receive the instructions for retrieving your custom walk in the GPSmyCity app by email. The GPSmyCity app offers turn-by-turn travel directions to guide you from one attraction to the next.
Walk Name*:
Email*:

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I access my walking tour in Wellington?
Save your walking tour on the website. Then download the GPSmyCity app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and sign in to your GPSmyCity account. Next, download “Wellington Map and Walking Tours” within the app. Your walk will appear on the Walks screen.

2. How do I view other attractions in Wellington?
At the upper-right corner of the map above, click the “Nearby Sights” button to show or hide other sights in the city. Click a map pin to view details about a sight. To add a sight to your walk, find it in the right column of the WalkBuilder tool above and click the “+” button next to it.

3. How do I re-arrange the sight order?
In the left column of the WalkBuilder tool, drag a sight to move it up or down the list. Then click “Click here to view route map”. Repeat this process until the route meets your needs.

4. Can I add my hotel to a walking tour?
Yes. You can add your hotel as the starting point, the ending point, or both (creating a loop route). This feature is currently available only in the GPSmyCity app.

5. Can I add my own sights to a walking tour?
Yes. You can add sightss that are not in our database and include them in your walk. To do so, sign in to your GPSmyCity account on the website or use the GPSmyCity app.

6. How many sights can be included in a walking tour?
For technical reasons, the number of sights in a walking tour is currently capped at 20. This limit may be increased over time.

Walking Tours in Wellington, New Zealand

Create Your Own Walk in Wellington

Creating your own self-guided walk in Wellington is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Historical Buildings Walking Tour

The first immigrants to New Zealand brought along their sense of style. Most of the country's first settlers, if not all of them, were Britishers; the capital city was no exception. The latter fact is duly reflected in Wellington's historical architecture. These buildings offer a glimpse into the city's past and add a great deal of charm to the cityscape. Let's take a quick... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles