City To Sea Walkway

The City to Sea Walkway starts in the heart of central Wellington near Parliament and ends at the south coast, 12 kilometres away in Island Bay. Along the way, you will visit the Botanic Garden and two historic cemeteries, pass several observatories, see the famous Cable Car, Victoria University and a plant nursery, walk through part of Aro Valley with its turn-of-the-century cottages, 14 parks and reserves, several children’s play areas, a public golf course, along bushy Town Belt tracks, exposed ridge tops and through native and exotic vegetation.

You will get spectacular views of central Wellington, the southern suburbs of Newtown, Berhampore and Island Bay, Government House, historic Erskine College, the Brooklyn wind turbine, Mount Victoria, Mount Kaukau and Cook Strait, as well as more distant views of the Tararua, Rimutaka and Kaikoura ranges. The walk takes about six to seven hours but can be done in stages. The route is described here from the city to sea but marker posts mean it can be walked in either direction. You can catch a No 1 bus to the city from Island Bay, and other services at several points along the way. Note: to complete the entire walk in one day you will need a good level of fitness