Wellington Port

Wellington in detail

Self-styled "capital of cool", Wellington has come a long way in the last decade. Formerly little more than a gateway for international visitors keen to whizz off to explore the rest of the country, now it is firmly a destination in its own right.

Located on the south-western tip of the North Island, the city's meteoric ascent in trendiness is thanks to an abundance of arts and cultural events, an ever-increasingly interesting culinary scene and its status as a burgeoning film hub. This is thanks to highly-acclaimed film director and producer Peter Jackson, who shunned Hollywood to shoot blockbuster movies such as The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies in Wellington. In fact, Jackson and a number of other film-makers have helped turn the eastern suburb of Miramar into a movie-making hub, giving rise to the nickname ‘Wellywood' and sparking a range of movie-themed tours around the city.

This aside, the capital of New Zealand enjoys a beautiful natural setting, nestled between a picturesque harbour and rolling green hills. A dynamic city accentuated by its compact size, Wellington is not only the political capital of the country, but it's also rich in heritage. The city is home to some of the most historic parts of the country like Thorndon, the oldest suburb and Petone, the first European settlement. Many of the noteworthy buildings lie in the downtown area but one of the city's proudest landmarks is Te Papa, the national museum, one of the jewels in New Zealand's crown and one that dominates the city's skyline on the waterfront.