A vibrant destination

Bahrain's national football team will soon be setting foot in Wellington to play the vital World Cup play-off tie on Saturday night ... and TravelWeekly finds out more about the 'windy city'.

Wellington is located at the centre of New Zealand, at the bottom of the North Island. It acts as a coastal gateway to the country's South Island, with regular flight and ferry services available.

As well as being the political capital, Wellington is widely regarded as New Zealand's centre of arts and culture. It is the home of many of the country's significant arts organisations, and offers a rich variety of exhibitions, theatre, music and opera.

The city is home to Te Papa, the national museum, which is a world-leader in interactive museum experiences and offers a unique insight into New Zealand's culture and history. The country's historic Parliament Buildings reside in the city centre, with visitors able to freely stroll through the grounds.

Wellington offers visitors the excitement of a vibrant, sophisticated city, yet has beautiful nature attractions just minutes from downtown.

Attraction Highlights

Explore Wellington waterfront: Blessed with a beautiful natural harbour the Wellington waterfront is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike.

Many activities are based around the waterfront from harbour cruises, strolling from Queens Wharf to Oriental Bay, and swimming at the golden sand beach to rollerblading and rock-climbing for the more adventurous. Many prefer to grab a coffee or gelato and sit back and enjoy beautiful views of the Wellington Harbour and cityscape.

Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand: Visit Te Papa and experience all of New Zealand in one building at this bold and innovative museum, where you can explore the great stories of this fascinating land and the people who live there.

The past, present and future are exhibited in provocative, challenging and entertaining ways. Te Papa is also home to New Zealand's National Art collection.

ZEALANDIA - The Karori Sanctuary Experience: It is a haven for endangered native birds and wildlife such as little spotted kiwi, saddleback and tuatara, just minutes from central Wellington. The unique predator-proof fence surrounding the sanctuary protects the wildlife and ensures that the forest eventually regenerates to its former glory.

Flat Earth New Zealand Experiences - Maori treasures: Discover a treasured Maori tradition that spans three centuries. This tour will include demonstrations of Maori art and craft, an opportunity to create something special for yourself, and to view work from leading Maori artists.

Walk along Wellington's beautiful waterfront and hear legends of sea monsters, Maori warriors and fearsome storms. Take an extraordinary insight into New Zealand at Te Papa, which highlights the rich arts, culture, and natural history.

Myths and legends of Whanganui-a-tara (Wellington Harbour) will be told throughout the tour.

Weta Cave and Rings tour: This fun tour visits the sites where filming began for the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It will guide you to the centre of movie making genius that is the Weta Cave in Miramar, Wellington.

You will see Wellington city from the summit of Mount Victoria then roam the locations of the outskirts of the Shire and the eerie darkness of Buckland Forest. Run along the same path that the Hobbits ran to the ferry and on to the famous 'Get off the Road' scene.

Lambton Quay: It is part of Wellington's Central Business District and tempts with New Zealand designer fashions and food to match. When you are walking along Lambton Quay, be sure to take a side trip on the cable car, access down Cable Car Lane, for some awesome views of Wellington. Lambton Quay is also a great spot to find New Zealand souvenirs including Greenstone jewellery and wool products.

Cable Car Museum: Located just a few metres from the cable car's upper terminus and from a lookout with spectacular views over Wellington; this museum tells the story of the country's only remaining public cable car system.

Catch up on the service's colourful history, marvel at the machinery in the old winding room or climb aboard one of the old grip cars. The Wellington Cable Car Museum has Qualmark endorsed visitor activity status and was the 2006 and 2007 tourism industry award winner for visitor activities and attractions.

Helipro: From their very centrally located base at Queens Wharf, Helipro can show you some of the most stunning destinations in New Zealand. Experience a fabulous heli-lunch by transporting to one of New Zealand's super lodges 'Wharekauhau' at Cape Palliser, or perhaps a visit to the spectacular Marlborough Sounds - only a 20-minute flight away!

Parliament Buildings: A visit to the capital city would not be complete without a visit to NZ's beautifully refurbished Parliament Buildings. Located in the historic suburb of Thorndon, the complex is made up of three architecturally distinctive buildings - the Edwardian neo-classical Parliament House, the Victorian Gothic Parliamentary Library and the unique 1970s style Beehive building. Free guided tours within the parliament buildings occur on the hour.

WELLINGTON MUST DO'S

Visit Te Papa, New Zealand's National Museum

Ride the historic Wellington Cable Car and enjoy harbour views at the top

Enjoy a city tour with a passionate Wellington guide

Visit New Zealand's Parliament buildings

Check out the view from the top of Mount Victoria

Take a Lord of the Rings Tour and visit Wellington's film locations

Walk along Wellington's gorgeous Oriental Parade, complete with golden sand beach

Hit the shops and visit boutique stores and NZ fashion designers

Spot a kiwi in the wild 10 minutes from downtown Wellington at ZEALANDIA: The Karori Sanctuary Experience

Population

Wellington City - 179,466.

Wellington Region - 448,956.

The Wellington region (which includes Kapiti, Porirua, Hutt Valley and Wairarapa) has the third largest population in New Zealand.