Wellington's 5 Central Markets Not To Miss

New Zealand's capital city of Wellington is a great place to go if you like to visit a good market on your travels.

When travelling, experiencing the local markets in a town or city can be the perfect way to really feel you are mixing with local people and seeing the true cultures of your destination.

In central Wellington there are 5 markets I would highly recommend visiting, each unique, that reflect the real values and cultures of the people in this fun little city.

5 Markets To Visit In Wellington

Wellington's Underground Market

A great all weather option as this market right in the heart of Wellington is underground.

Open every Saturday between 10 am - 4 pm (although look out for extra openings, particularly around holiday times) and located at Jervois Quay, part of the waterfront in the city.

The underground market is a hub of local artists, craftsman, designers and other small businesses selling their products. Alongside this are a variety of food and drink options.

This market is colourful and creative, with some very talented vendors. Whether you are a local or tourist you are bound to find something here too precious to leave behind!

https://www.undergroundmarket.co.nz/

Wellington Night Market

As the name suggests, the night market in Wellington is held... well, at night!

On a Friday and Saturday evening, Wellington's trendy and hip Cuba Street becomes a, "celebration of cuisine, culture & creativity".

Opening up a number of market stalls offering a variety of food from around the globe, the smells and flavours will guide you straight here!

A busy spot, popular with locals and visitors, the experience at the night market should not be missed. While enjoying the produce of the market, the atmosphere is added to with buskers and street entertainers.

Found between 5 pm - 11 pm on a Friday night at 116 Cuba Street and on a Saturday night on the corner between Cuba and Manners Street.

https://www.wellingtonnightmarket.co.nz/

The Harbourside Market

The market held on a Sunday morning in Wellington's beautiful harbour declares itself to be, "the oldest and most popular market in Wellington".

Since 1920, a market has been held in this area serving the good people of this vibrant city.

The Harbourside Market is the place locals shop weekly for their fresh produce and visitors come to for the street food stalls!

An abundance of fresh fruit and veg stalls are found at the Harbourside Market offering every type of fruit and vegetable you might want as well as providing an impressive array of colours.

In amongst this are vendors of other delicacies including fresh breads, preserves, confectionery, eggs, meats and more!

Join the other visitors with a delicious coffee or ice cream and amble through these stalls and produce in the heart of Wellington.

https://www.harboursidemarket.co.nz/

Thorndon Farmer's Market (also known as Hill Street Market)

Located on Hill Street behind the Parliament and CBD regions of the city is this unassuming farmer's market, held every Saturday morning between 0830 am and 1230 pm.

The Thorndon market was started in 2010 and became an instant hit with locals from around Wellington and it's suburbs. This market truly has a community feel.

Offering locally produced products (including organic), it not only provides for but also supports the local people and their businesses. The majority of the stalls here are offering food and drink produce, but there are also a few others, including sellers of organic cosmetic products.

Definitely worth a visit!

https://www.facebook.com/thorndonfarmersmarket/

Capital Market

One thing you will realise when in Wellington is that this is a city set up for food lovers! Capital Market located on Willis Street in the city is testament to this.

Lying at the hub of this popular location is a large and colourful covered food court offering vendors with a range of culinary delights, all incredibly popular!

Most stalls here will prepare the food you order as you wait so you get guarantee it is fresh.

The Capital Market also links through to Edward Street with boutique shops offering a range of fashion clothing and accessories.

Open daily apart from Sunday between 9.30 am and 9 pm.

https://www.facebook.com/capitalmarketwellington/

So, there you have the top markets to be found in central Wellington offering a range of produce and fare - whatever your tastes!

Wellington is also a city of 'pop-ups', with frequent short lived 'pop-up' market style stalls appearing around the area so keep an eye out for these too on your travels!

Exploring these markets will certainly ensure you get a feel for the city, it's people and communities. So, why not join them? Grab a coffee (you have to with the coffee culture in Wellington!) and take a relaxed stroll around each of these diverse markets. Enjoy!

**To make my travels possible and affordable I do so through international house-sitting, using both Trusted Housesitters and Kiwi Housesitters**