Wellington

 

Your MSC Cruise will stop in Wellington, the capital. It's a city of Maori origin, with an urban area located in the bay between Cook Strait and Wellington Harbour, in a cove so engaging that it looks like the stalls of a theatre facing the blue of the ocean. Wellington is a lively arts/cultural centre, where ancient and modern blend to create a mix of Victorian, primitive and contemporary. 

 

An MSC Excursion will allow you to discover Mount Victoria, whose name in Maori is Tangi Te Keo, or Matairangi. If you want to climb its full height, you will be rewarded with a panoramic view of the city stretching beyond the horizon. You can choose whichever route or footpath you prefer to reach the top, perhaps through a shady pine forest. 

 

Another MSC Excursion will take you to the entrance of Wellington Harbour at Pencarrow Lodge. This is a remote rural farm close to the rugged coastline where you will be charmed by the beautiful view of the Kaikoura District in the South Island, the Strait of Cook and the dolphins' water games. A paradise where vehicles can not circulate and where a cosy setting, with fireplaces, wooden floors, comfortable sofas will be the ideal environment to allow you to relax.

 

 

New Zealand is also the land of The Lord of the Rings, the famous fantasy saga, created by Tolkien. Director Peter Jackson chose it as the location for the trilogy. An MSC Excursion will allow you to visit the forest of Mount Victoria, used to shoot the scenes of the forest of Hobbit; the Waitarere Forest chosen for the Siege of Sauron; the Queen Elizabeth Park where the Battle of the Fields of Pelennor took place. Lovers of the saga can visit a museum that houses a few unique exhibits of the movie sets.