New Zealand Holiday – More Main Cities

Your New Zealand holiday heads south

The capital city of New Zealand, Wellington is the country's third largest city in terms of population.

Wellington

Wellington is New Zealand’s capital, and holds the nation’s parliament. It is well known for its nightlife. The port of Wellington is the home-base for the Cook Strait ferries, which transport passengers and vehicles between the North and South Islands with several sailings per day. When planning your New Zealand holiday it is important to check sailing times and make bookings ahead of time at the Interislander website, which you can visit by clicking here. Passengers can usually gain passage on any sailing but bookings are essential for vehicular traffic. To visit the main Wellington Visitor Information website, click here.

Christchurch

The "Garden City" is New Zealand's second largest in terms of population with over 382,000 residents. As its nickname suggests, the city prides itself on its many colourful gardens. It is a hit with international tourists and its almost dead-flat landscape makes cycling one of the preferred forms of travelling for many commuters.

Christchurch is the largest city in New Zealand’s South Island, and is often referred to as The Garden City. With an abundance of botanical gardens, reserves and parks, it truly earns its billing. If beautiful gardens are your thing, then you really must include a few days in Christchurch as part of your New Zealand holiday.

Christchurch also plays an important role for many New Zealand businesses based in Auckland and other parts of the North Island. Christchurch is often used as the location of those companies’ South Island office, due to its central South Island location and its outstanding freight access via the Lytteton Port.

Click here to visit the main Christchurch visitor information centre website.