WELLINGTON

Wellington is the proud capital of New Zealand since 1865 when this title was transferred from Auckland. The ‘Windy City’ has a lively walking promenade near the harbour, lots of nightlife venues, and several hills that encircle the city. With 215,000 people living in the town proper, Wellington is the 3rd most populated city in New Zealand.

Wellington has a couple of compelling museums, like Te Papa. This institution displays the natural and cultural history of New Zealand through exhibitions about native wildlife, volcanism in New Zealand, and Maori art and culture. To learn more about the history and stories about the capital itself, make sure you pass by Wellington Museum!

Not only can you go bar-hopping or visit fascinating museums, but Wellington is also a pilgrimage site for movie enthusiasts. Some locations in and around the capital were featured in one of New Zealand’s most well-known productions: the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Visit the most mythical places of Middle Earth on a Lord of the Rings tour of the area. 

This journey in the footsteps of Frodo and his friends includes some of the original film locations and a visit to the Weta Workshop, where many of the characters and decor of the movies were created.

Around Wellington, you can scout for other fascinating things to do and places to go. Picton, for example, is just a ferry ride away and is an amusing destination. Near this town, you can visit the Paua Pearl Farm, go for a hike on the Queen Charlotte Track, and hop on board of a cruise to Ship Cove. 

From Wellington, it takes little effort to travel to other places on the North Island. Especially if you purchase the Maximus Bus Pass by Stray, which enables you to move wherever and whenever you wish. As you go north, Lake Taupo and Rotorua will be some of the first awesome places you’ll bump into.

Wellington is the ultimate vantage point to explore New Zealand’s North Island with all its treasures. But don’t leave until you’ve soaked up all the cool stuff the city has to offer!