The capital city is neatly situated between its harbor and scenic hills. It has not always been the seat of government in New Zealand, Auckland once had that honour, but it certainly has it now. The visitor can stroll through the city centre admiring the many buildings that were built during the pioneer days before choosing one from the unusually high concentration of cafes and restaurants. After suitable refreshment the visitor may wish to indulge in some of the cultural attractions as Wellington is considered the country's focus for film, theatre, ballet and music. The more active visitor can easily be amused in and around the city where there are numerous outdoor distractions.
The area was originally known as Te Upoko o te Ika a Maui by the Maori. Europeans settled from 1839 and after a number of earthquakes displaced Auckland as capital of New Zealand in 1865 probably after concerns of gold fields in the south. It is the second most populated city in the nation and due to its latitude as well as being amongst the most southerly national capital cities in the world has quite a reputation for wind. There are a great deal of things to do, due in part to the especially densely populated central business district.
