Good things do come in small packages. Wellington may be little, but this diminutive capital city is big on funky café culture and beautiful views. Snuggled between steep forest-clad hills and a wide sweep of bay looking out to Cook Strait, Wellington spreads out across the slopes, and a sturdy pair of walking shoes benefits visitors who want to explore outside of the central district.

Wellington is the capital and second largest city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. The Windy City is built on the foreshore of Wellington Harbour and ringed by mountains, providing the scenic home of many of New Zealand’s national arts and cultural attractions.

Luckily, the main tourism highlight – the magnificent Museum of New Zealand (Te Papa) – is down on the flat waterfront, and the quaint Wellington Cable Car provides a scenic and extremely cute alternative to puffing up the hill to the Kelburn Lookout. Due to the city’s position, capturing the blustery conditions right on Cook Strait, it has gained the nickname of ‘windy-Wellington,’ but don’t let that put you off. On a blue-sky summer’s day there really is no prettier city in New Zealand.