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Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, has all the attractions of a large city and the downtown area has the highest concentration of cafes and restaurants in New Zealand ! The unusual parliament buildings 'The Beehive' are worth visiting, as are the magnificent National Museum 'Te Papa', the National Art Gallery, the Library and Old St Paul's Cathedral, a lavish Gothic wooden structure from last century. The waterfront area is beautifully designed and laid out offering great harbour and city views. You can catch a cable car up to the Botanic Gardens with views of the city.
Wellington has 4 professional theatre companies so live theatre is always an evening option and the city is also home to the National Symphony Orchestra and the Royal New Zealand Ballet Company. The southern city coastline features some lovely beaches and a seal colony at one end, and not far away, Kapiti Island bird sanctuary recreates a New Zealand from before people arrived. The mainland Kapiti coast has some excellent beaches for swimming fishing and lying around (!) while the local ranges, the Rimutaka, have many excellent hikes and other outdoor activities. Those with more time can visit the Wairarapa valley with its wonderful vineyards, coast line and forest parks.
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