Tucked away in one of the world’s most picturesque mountain-encircled harbors, New Zealand’s stylish capital is an artsy, sophisticated and dynamic metropolis that offers a wide variety of historic and contemporary attractions.

A village-like atmosphere remains in Wellington’s center, and being only 1.25-miles (2 km) wide, due to it being sandwiched between mountains and sea, it is an exceptionally easy place for the visitor to traverse on foot. The compact city is divided essentially into quarters — the Lambton Quarter, the premier shopping street, lined with arcades, plazas and elevated walkways; the Willis Quarter, which has a mix of lifestyle shops; the Cuba Quarter, an exotic display of diversity and color with its fashion boutiques, antique shops and eclectic cafes; and the Courtenay Quarter, a buzzing 24-hour experience, from early morning brunch to shopping, lattes to champagne, innovative theatre to blockbuster movies.

The heart of Wellington is known as the “Miracle Mile” and stretches from the train station at the northern end of Lambton Quay to Cambridge Terrace. Civic Square, with its public buildings, open spaces, bars, theatres, street performers, outdoor concerts and exhibitions, is a natural meeting place for Wellingtonians and visitors alike. The ever-expanding Harbor-front is dominated by the City-to-Sea Bridge, a public art space full of sculptures, and by the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, housed in an historic building on Queen’s Wharf.

Wellington’s Te Papa Tongarewa Museum is said to be the most advanced of its kind in the world.

An easy way to get to know Wellington’s layout is by taking the cable car from Lambton Quay to the top of Mt Victoria — with superb panoramic views and a great vantage point for planning your trip (as long as the infamous wind is not too strong, this is an invigorating experience!). From here you can spot Katherine Mansfield's (1888–1923, the most famous of NZ’s authors) authentically restored birthplace, the architecturally special Edwardian Neo-Classical Old Parliament Building, the landmark 1970’s “Beehive” ministerial building and the Gothic Cathedral. The city is surrounded by green-belt land. The Prime Minister’s residence, the Botanical Gardens and an observatory are all located here, as well as arguably the best coastal drive in NZ.

Wellington has always been the cultural heart of New Zealand, known for its spectacular art exhibitions and galleries. Its strong visual arts scene combines an international flavor with an intrinsic Pacific identity. The city is home to the Royal NZ Ballet, NZ Symphony Orchestra, NZ School of Dance and the excellent Te Papa Tongarewa (National) Museum, acclaimed to be the most advanced museum of its kind in the world. Inside, the interactive museum has enough exhibition space to cover three football fields, housing a huge carved Maori (New Zealand’s native peoples) meeting house, a collection of ornate Maori canoes, simulated earthquakes and a futuristic, ultra-modern house that would fit well into the year 2055. And as one would expect, this vibrant, culture-driven spot is host to many eclectic events throughout the year.

Culture takes center stage at the beginning of the year with the Summer City Festival of Free Outdoor Entertainment. (Remember you’re in the Southern Hemisphere!) This is a sun worshippers’ celebration of Wellington and its people, with concerts, Maori cultural events, festivals and film events. The arts come to the fore in late summer (February to March) at the biannual New Zealand International Arts Festival, the country’s most extensive and exciting multi-arts event. The creative splendor of the Cuba Quarter is also celebrated with the two-day Cuba Street Carnival, the country’s largest and most spectacular free street festival.

With autumn comes better weather, so March is the perfect time to hold the Wellington Dragon Boat Championships, when thousands converge on the waterfront. The Wellington Fashion Festival in September is an annual event of six days of seriously cool style and is followed by the Wellington International Jazz Festival in October.

And now one of the most uniquely entertaining events in the country is coming to stamp its high-heeled mark on Wellington this September and October. It is the 2005 World of Wearable Art Show (WOW), where the world of fashion extraordinaire makes Vivian Westwood look like K-mart. The event started in 1987 as a promotion for a small gallery in the town of Nelson, on the South Island, and has now gained an iconic status. With close ties to Wellington, from home-grown designers to the NZ School of Dance performers, it is fitting that the event will be staged in the Queen’s Events Center, the sparkling venue for the Lord of the Rings premiere.