Wellington, New Zealand

Wooded hillsides curve like a verdant amphitheater around Wellington's harbor, welcoming travelers to the capital of New Zealand. Located at the southwestern tip of North Island, the city's attractions include the country's national museum, Te Papa, with exhibits that showcase the region's social, cultural, biological and geological history, and Old St. Paul's cathedral, a heritage site constructed in 1866 in the Gothic Revival style of architecture. Movie buffs can opt for excursions into the Hutt Valley to see filming locales from the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy or tour Weta Workshop in nearby Miramar, the special effects and props studio that helped create blockbusters such as "King Kong" and "Avatar." No visit to Wellington is complete without a ride on the town's iconic cable car, which you can take to the top of a scenic overlook before walking down through a botanic garden to the Parliament buildings. For more memorable views, head to the Mount Victoria Lookout to watch the sunset.

Language: English
Currency: New Zealand dollar (NZD)