Travel Postcard: 48 hours in Wellington

WELLINGTON (Reuters Life!) - Got 48 hours to explore Wellington? Reuters correspondents with local knowledge help visitors get the most from a short stay in the perfectly formed capital of New Zealand.

FRIDAY

6 p.m. - The wind rattles through Wellington -- a lot, and often quite quickly, hence the city's nickname "Windy Wellington". But locals don't notice it, or talk about it, unless it's blowing more than 50 km an hour (30 miles an hour). Calculate the wind speed over a local brew at one of the city's renowned boutique breweries, Mac's Brewery, which backs out onto the harbor off Cable Street.

8.00 p.m. - Wellington is compact and most places are easily reached on foot. Walk up through the city to the Boulcott Street Bistro in the historic Plimmer House. The lamb shanks are excellent.

10.00 p.m. - Walk off your meal and head back into the center of town to Courtenay Place, the pub and club quarter, with scores of establishments you can cruise until the small hours.

SATURDAY

9.00 a.m - Take your pick. If the weather is fine then a day trip across Cook Strait to Picton at the top of the South Island is a treat. But equally tempting is a tour of the Wairarapa wine district, around Martinborough, about 90 minutes north-east by car or train from Wellington. There are around 50 vineyards, mostly small boutique producers. The pinot noir from the district is world class.

Alternatively, if you're staying in town, head down to the famous waterfront with its eclectic mix of yachts, cafes, the world's oldest operating floating crane, the Maritime Museum, memorials and sculptures, including Len Lye's "Water Whirler" which has been known to drench the unwary.

You can also cut across the City-to-Sea bridge and through Civic Square with its giant suspended globe, art gallery, and tall copper palm fronds which support part of the library and leisurely head through town towards Parliament.