Wellington, New Zealand is the capital and second largest city. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. The Wellington urban area comprises four cities: Wellington City, on the peninsula between Cook Strait and Wellington Harbour, contains the central business district and about half the population; Porirua on Porirua Harbour to the north is notable for its large Māori and Pacific Island communities; and Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt are largely suburban areas to the northeast, together known as the Hutt Valley.
One of the best ways to explore Wellington is on foot. The central city is only 1.25 miles (2 km) in diameter, meaning you can walk from one side to the other in under 20 minutes. There is gorgsous running downtown, taking advantage of the water, parks, and nearby hills. Just outside the city, there are some wonderful recreational areas with adventurous running, with some opportunity to enjoy some sites where the Lord of the Rings was filmed!
If you want to venture outside the central city, Metlink has an easy to use journey planner to help you get anywhere within the Wellington region using buses, trains or ferries. Be sure to pick up a Snapper card from the Wellington i-SITE Visitor Information Centre — it’s the cheaper and faster way to pay.
