CHANGE VIDEO LINK
We were in Wellington for an evening event at Parliament in NZ and the next day we made sure we had some free time to record some videos. Unfortunately, it was raining all day. For Wellington, this is common but strangely, after the many times we have visited the capital city, we have never been there during a rainy day. Windy … yes, many times, but never rain. So our plan to spend the day out and about recording some more 4K walks didn’t eventuate. HOWEVER, there was one short walk which we didn’t record last time we were in Wellington, one that is ideal for a rainy day.
In this short 4K Walking Tour of Wellington, we start outside the Old Bank Shopping Arcade then enter the underground Willis Lane then head to another food court at 18 Willis Street and wind our way back to the Old Bank Arcade via internal connections inside the buildings.
Use headphones for the best immersive experience while listening to the sounds of daily life in Wellington.
Highlights of the Wellington Walking Tour
Here are some of the highlights of this walking tour that you will see in the 4K video. You can find the timestamps to each of these attractions in the description of the video on YouTube.
Old Bank Shopping Arcade
This was the former Bank of New Zealand head office building that was opened in 1901. The ground floor was the local branch of the bank while the top two floors were for head office administration. The bank moved to another location in 1985 and this building was going to be demolished and the area made into a public park. After a long battle, it was decided that the buildings would remain (with earthquake strengthening) and be converted into a shopping and office complex. Now the Old Bank Arcade is home to boutique stores and cafes over two levels.
A centrepiece of the Old Bank Arcade is a large musical clock hanging from the ceiling at one end of the arcade. You can also see some of the remains of an old three masted sailing vessel which was unearthed during building renovations in the late 1990s.
When you go down the escalators to the lower floor, at the end of the building you will come across an old bank vault door. Yes, go on, you can turn those combination dials. On either side of the bank vault door are the escalators that will lead you down to Willis Lane.
Willis Lane
Willis Lane is a subterranean world of entertainment and places to eat at the corner of Lambton Quay (at the end of the street) and Willis Street. These weaving tunnels with vaulted brick archways are an ideal place to go in Wellington on a rainy day.
There are bars and restaurants including fast food options from Malaysia, Mexico, Japan, Vietnam, Italy and more. There is a fun area with mini golf (with a bar), 10-pin bowling, karaoke lounges and arcade machines that give you tickets that can be exchanged for prizes. Just look out for the giant metallic giraffe at its entrance. There is even a local brewing company there that makes beer in small batches in Willis Lane.
See the Willis Lane website for more details about what is available.
There are multiple ways in and out of Willis Lane. We entered via the Old Bank Shopping Arcade and left via the exit leading to the Grand Arcade. We had to go up two sets of escalators where we came across another food court on the second floor of a building going by the simple name of 18 Willis Street.
Our favourite eatery there is Puro Chile with the best “sandwiches” that look like multi-stacked burgers. The Chilean decorations in the corner is worthy of a photo… just be careful when you try to lift up that carved Indian near the window. 🙂
Speaking of windows, there is a long counter with floor to ceiling windows where you can eat and watch the world go by on the street below.
So, now you have something to do on your rainy day in Wellington.
