Wellington, New Zealand

Wellington is the capital city and geographical centre of New Zealand, situated at the southern tip of New Zealand's north island. It is surrounded by hills and a rugged coastline, and boasts a stunning harbor. It is known both as the Windy city and as the cultural and arts capital of New Zealand.

Wellington has many historic sites and buildings to visit. Among these are Antrim House, the Colonial Cottage Museum and Old St Paul's Cathedral. A trip on the Cable Car is popular, as is a harbor cruise or a ferry trip to Eastbourne, where there are craft shops, galleries and cafes.

There are 350 restaurants and cafes in Wellington serving a wide range of cuisines, and downtown Wellington on Lambton Quay is popular for shopping.

Things to see and do

* Te Papa - National Museum
* Wellington Cable Car
* Harbor cruise
* Frank Kitts Park
* Botanic Gardens

Cruise Season - Jan - Dec
Currency - NZ Dollar (NZ$)
Language - English & Maori
Land Area - 290 km²
Population - 190,000 approx
Electricity - 2 angled pins and 1 flat pin centred below Australian style
Time - GMT plus twelve hours
International Country Telephone Code - + 64

Port Location - The cruise ship terminal is located at Aotea Quay, which is situated approximately 1.5 km's from the city centre.

Transport Links - Wellington International Airport is in Rongotai, about 5 km from the central. There are frequent flights to Auckland, Christchurch, Palmerston North, Rotorua, Hamilton, Nelson, Blenheim and many other destinations including Australia.

There are regular ferries between Wellington and Picton, connecting with buses and the train to Christchurch. Cruise ships from overseas often stop in Wellington.

There is a train service between Wellington and Auckland. There are daily commuter services from Palmerston North and Masterton and a generally half-hourly suburban commuter service to Johnsonville, the Hutt Valley, Porirua, and Paraparaumu on the Kapiti coast.