Food & Drink
7–8 hours
Free cancellation
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Recommended by 100% of travellers
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Talk of the Town Tours
Talk of the Town Tours
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About
Welcome to Talk of the Town Tours. We offer half and full day tours around the Wellington, Wairarapa and Kapiti regions. We are locally-owned and go the extra mile to offer you the best guided tours of the coolest little capital in the world. Join Brian or one of his team for an interesting, fun and memorable trip and for "an experience to remember".
Wellington, New Zealand
Tours and Tickets by Talk of the Town Tours
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5.0
35 reviews
Excellent
33
Very good
2
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Rob
2 contributions
May 2021
Visiting from Australia for 2 weeks. Contacted Brian on the 26-05-21to book a half day tour of Wellington and upper and lower Hutt area. Quick reply on line and gave a full explanation of the next days tour. Unfortunately for Brian he only had 2 bookings but luckily for us he went ahead with a smaller vehicle. He was a real local and made us feel welcome straight away. If you are visiting Wellington do not miss this tour. Leaves the Hop on Hop off for dead. Very reasonable price and great local knowledge. Thanks again Brian. Rob and Lisa Newton
Written 27 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks Rob and Lisa for the great review. I really enjoyed showing you the sights around our wonderful region and I'm so pleased that you both enjoyed this tour
Thanks again Brian
Written 29 May 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ama A
Scotland, UK18 contributions
Jan 2020 • Solo
I had a lovely day with Brian. Although I was the only one on the tour, Brian put me at ease. He was really informative. I tasted some lovely wines. The lunch platter at Poppies was very tasty. Brian is a great driver and shared his knowledge with an easy accessible manner. He also made a few stops at sites of interest including some that LOTR fans would like.The tour was very good value and there was no single supplement charge! Only downside was out with anyone's control. No wineries were shipping to UK till brexit gets sorted. Cannot recommend this tour highly enough. At more than 7 hours this was a great way to spend a day outside Wellington.
Written 26 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Ama
Im so pleased that you enjoyed the tour and seeing the sights on the way to the vineyards. A pleasure taking you and a really enjoyable day at Martinborough. Many thanks for the review.
Written 27 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kate
Auckland Central, New Zealand86 contributions
7 girls had a fab day out with Brian who was very informative, kind, accommodating & a great host.
We loved our day out. The 3 vineyards were fab. The pizza & cheese platters were yummy at Columbos washed down with very generous tasters of delcious wine. Enjoyed a bit of retail therapy in cute little Greytown & coffee at beautiful White Swan. Did a few stops in the way.
Loved the wines & gin and we went home with a fair bit of plonk and helped the country's post covid recovery!
Highly recommend!
We loved our day out. The 3 vineyards were fab. The pizza & cheese platters were yummy at Columbos washed down with very generous tasters of delcious wine. Enjoyed a bit of retail therapy in cute little Greytown & coffee at beautiful White Swan. Did a few stops in the way.
Loved the wines & gin and we went home with a fair bit of plonk and helped the country's post covid recovery!
Highly recommend!
Written 27 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Great to see you all really enjoyed yourselves and it was a pleasure taking you on this tour. Thanks for the great review.
Written 29 September 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Gavin B
1 contribution
Feb 2020
Wow, what a day.
A great way to see the diversity of Wellington and the Hutt Valley.
Brian was a true gentleman, with great respect and knowledge of the local area making for a jam packed and truly entertaining experience.
One word "Brilliant"
A great way to see the diversity of Wellington and the Hutt Valley.
Brian was a true gentleman, with great respect and knowledge of the local area making for a jam packed and truly entertaining experience.
One word "Brilliant"
Written 9 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks Gavin it was a pleasure showing you both the sights of the Wellington region and Im so pleased you had such a good time. I really enjoyed your company on this tour which made it such a great day out.
Written 11 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Tim K
Vienna, Austria9 contributions
Jan 2020
The tour was outstanding. Our guide, Brian, was extremely knowledgable and gave a great tour of Wellington and then selected three fantastic wineries for tasting the local products. I highly recommend this tour.
Written 28 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks Tim for the review. Really enjoyed your company on this tour and so pleased to get the great feedback on the three vineyards we selected to go to on this tour.
Many thanks Brian
Written 30 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
JAK1211
Williamsburg, VA8 contributions
Our tour turned out to be a private outing with Brian. We enjoyed many sights in Wellington, a visit to the lush national park where Rivendell was located, and then off to Martinborough for wineries. We visited three wineries (honestly, that was enough) and feasted on a smorgasbord of local delicacies for lunch.
Brian was very knowledgeable and guided us in a terrific excursion in Wellington. It couldn’t have been better.
Brian was very knowledgeable and guided us in a terrific excursion in Wellington. It couldn’t have been better.
Written 25 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A most enjoyable day out at the vineyards and seeing the sights of Wellington and the Wairarapa. Thanks for the excellent review and it was a pleasure taking you on this tour. The photos look great.
Brian
Written 26 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jennifer W
1 contribution
Jan 2020 • Friends
Had the most wonderful day with Brian. We were picked up promptly from our hotel and shown round the city before being driven out, via several places of interest and beauty, to the vineyards. We sampled a variety of wines and shared a delicious lunch(accompanied by a delightful bottle of wine) before continuing on to 2 more wineries.
The rest of the day was filled with more fascinating stops before being dropped back at our hotel.
This is a tour not to be missed. Brian proved to be an exemplary driver, tour guide and companion.
Thanks for a terrific day Brian. You've given us some wonderful memories. Very best wishes. Jen, Phill, Hannah and Baz. January 2020.
The rest of the day was filled with more fascinating stops before being dropped back at our hotel.
This is a tour not to be missed. Brian proved to be an exemplary driver, tour guide and companion.
Thanks for a terrific day Brian. You've given us some wonderful memories. Very best wishes. Jen, Phill, Hannah and Baz. January 2020.
Written 25 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for the great review. What often makes a great day is the people we take on these tours. I also had a most enjoyable day and I thoroughly enjoyed your company. All the best for the rest of your tour of New Zealand.
Once again thanks
Brian
Written 26 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
GOGOGO93
London, UK6 contributions
Dec 2019
What a great day with two really lovely people!
I was a solo traveller with one final weekend in Wellington. Most tours require you to book in pairs or have a minimum number of people booked, but when I explained that I was leaving Wellington that weekend, Brian and Anita kindly offered to take just me. I really appreciated it!
Both arrived exactly on time to pick me up from my hotel. We had a really nice drive to Martinborough through amazing landscapes. We made a few stops at LOTR movie sights as I mentioned I was a fan. If you have other interests I'm sure Brian and Anita will see what they can do to incorporate them into the tour. We reached Martinborough by 11am.
We visited three wineries, 2 before lunch and 1 after. The wine-tasting was really great and I learned a lot about vineyards and grapes and how they influence the wine that is made. I really enjoyed Poppies as the owner of the vineyard took the time to tell me her story and explain the process. As for lunch, I am a VERY picky-eater, so Brian and Anita kindly took me to a restaurant in town rather than have a platter at a winery. Food was great. It was a really fun day!
Wine tours in Wellington are generally on the expensive side, but having spent the day been chauffeured around and shown some additional sights, I would describe this tour as reasonably priced. I personally would not book a tour that did not offer hotel pickup as I can't see how the cost is justified if you need to get the train.
However I cannot recommend this tour more strongly! Brian and Anita are really warm and lovely people, with great chat!
I was a solo traveller with one final weekend in Wellington. Most tours require you to book in pairs or have a minimum number of people booked, but when I explained that I was leaving Wellington that weekend, Brian and Anita kindly offered to take just me. I really appreciated it!
Both arrived exactly on time to pick me up from my hotel. We had a really nice drive to Martinborough through amazing landscapes. We made a few stops at LOTR movie sights as I mentioned I was a fan. If you have other interests I'm sure Brian and Anita will see what they can do to incorporate them into the tour. We reached Martinborough by 11am.
We visited three wineries, 2 before lunch and 1 after. The wine-tasting was really great and I learned a lot about vineyards and grapes and how they influence the wine that is made. I really enjoyed Poppies as the owner of the vineyard took the time to tell me her story and explain the process. As for lunch, I am a VERY picky-eater, so Brian and Anita kindly took me to a restaurant in town rather than have a platter at a winery. Food was great. It was a really fun day!
Wine tours in Wellington are generally on the expensive side, but having spent the day been chauffeured around and shown some additional sights, I would describe this tour as reasonably priced. I personally would not book a tour that did not offer hotel pickup as I can't see how the cost is justified if you need to get the train.
However I cannot recommend this tour more strongly! Brian and Anita are really warm and lovely people, with great chat!
Written 28 December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We really enjoyed taking you on this tour and both Anita and I are really pleased that you had such a good time. Thanks for the great review and we hope you enjoyed your stay in Wellington
Many thanks Brian
Written 30 December 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hannah Skinner
Carmarthenshire, UK2 contributions
We went on the tour with Anita today. Both my partner and I had a fantastic day.
Anita is a lovely person who has a great amount of knowledge of the local areas.
Having the chance to stop at other towns and shops was great! The cheese shop and Poppies is a must.
Thank you for a great day.
Anita is a lovely person who has a great amount of knowledge of the local areas.
Having the chance to stop at other towns and shops was great! The cheese shop and Poppies is a must.
Thank you for a great day.
Written 24 December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thankyou Hannah for the great review about our martinborough Full Day Wine tour. Anita and I were really pleased you enjoyed yourselves so much and Anita said she really enjoyed having you both on the tour. All the best and have a happy Xmas and we hope you enjoy the rest of your stay in New Zealand.
Brian
Written 25 December 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lynn W
Lytham St Anne's, UK10 contributions
Nov 2019
Brian picked us up on time from the Cruise terminal, before heading out touring the area en-route to our 1st stop. This was unexpectedly closed for the day, but we moved on to another vineyard for tastings, then a secound where we had a lovely light lunch, then onto a third. Even as novices we could certainly taste the difference between the vineyards and everyone was so friendly and knowledgeable. After a short stop at a gift shop, we then called for a coffee on the way back to the ship. Brian had hoped to show us more of Wellington, but due to heavy traffic he had to cut it short. Excellent host and great value for money. As there were just the 2 of us, he was able to tailor it to our needs, - my only regret - I forgot to ask the name of the blue cheese we had at lunch! Would certainly recommend this tour to anyone who enjoys wine, beautiful scenery and a great day out.
Written 9 December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A pleasure to meet you both and really enjoyed your company on the wine tour and so pleased you had a good time. Thanks for the great review and I hope you and your husband enjoyed the rest of your cruise around New Zealand.
Many thanks
Brian
Written 10 December 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
No questions have been asked about this experience