Monuments to visit North Island

An absolute must for all those who appreciate Tolkien's universe from near and far! When he directed the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Peter Jackson was quick to spot that the green hills of the Waikato would be an ideal backdrop for Hobbiton, the stronghold of the Hobbits, those hairy-footed, peace-loving, good-natured mini-humans. The village they built was larger than life, but unfortunately, as it was made of fragile materials and not designed to last, the set was dismantled at the end of filming!

The Hobbit village we visit today is the one that was rebuilt for the filming of The Hobbit trilogy; and this time, lucky us, it was planned to keep it and open it to the public after filming.

The site is located near the town of Matamata. Visitors are welcomed a little way from the village itself, so we board a bus that takes us to our destination, then wander the alleys, zigzagging between houses in the company of a guide with a noggin full of fascinating anecdotes about Tolkien, Jackson and the Hobbits. The vegetable gardens are wonderfully tended, smoke billows from the chimneys, laundry dries on the curved tops of the houses... it's really like being there. We'll see Bilbo's house, Sam's house, the little lake, the little mill and, of course, the Green Dragon Inn, where we'll have a few minutes to enjoy a beer at the end of the tour. A must, really. Allow around 2h30 in total.

It's impossible to miss this tower, which serves as a radio and TV transmitter from the air when arriving by plane, from the open sea when arriving by water, or from the SH1 freeway. Built between 1994 and 1997, the Sky Tower rises to three hundred and twenty-eight metres and remains the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere. Like the Eiffel Tower in the French capital, it is the landmark of Auckland and is visited by over a million people every year. Although it also houses casinos and restaurants, it's above all for its excellent panoramic view that you dare to climb this immense concrete frame. The elevator ride up is an experience in itself, thanks to its speed and the windows that reveal the city as you gain altitude. Once up there, two observatories are accessible, at one hundred and eighty-six meters and two hundred and twenty meters above sea level. From here, you can enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the CBD and the surrounding area. The port, the volcanoes, the islands, the different districts, the bay - it's all there, and you can even stand above the void on certain parts of the glass floor. Adrenalin junkies can also indulge in the skyjump, an unforgettable hundred-and-ninety-two-meter bungy between the surrounding skyscrapers. The skywalk is another option if you simply wish to walk to the top of the tower, on an outdoor platform and in complete safety.

Opened in 1959, the huge Auckland Harbour Bridge has become part of the city's landscape and is quite impressive in size: 1,020 meters long, 243 meters wide and 43 meters high. If everyone can cross it by car, it is closed to pedestrians and cyclists and you will have to pay to climb its arches or to jump from the top of the bridge on a bungy. The fall of about forty meters in the bay of the city is quite spectacular.

Iconic of Wellington, the cable car is a small funicular railway linking Lambton Quay to one of the entrances to the Botanic Gardens on Upland Road. It's part of the city's public transport fleet, and undeniably its most charming vehicle! It's also the quickest way to the top of the hill (5 minutes) and is used daily by many Wellingtonians. The view of the city from the terminus is unmissable, and the small museum dedicated to its history is well worth a visit!

The New Zealand National Parliament is one of the first monuments to see in Wellington. It is composed of several buildings: Parliament House, destroyed by fire in 1907 and rebuilt in 1918, Parliament Library, spared from the 1907 fire but not from the 1992 fire, and finally, The Executive Wing, more commonly known as The Beehive, completed in 1982. The staff is extremely helpful and friendly. It is an interesting and enjoyable tour that lasts 60 minutes. Reservations are strongly recommended.

Napier's former prison is one of the few institutions to have survived the 1931 earthquake. An audioguide is available on site. To delve into the city's prison past, you can choose between two types of visit: historical, based on the facts, or "haunted", focusing on what people saw or felt within these walls... the stories are sometimes spine-chilling... And if you want to spend 60 minutes on the other side of the bars, you can try your hand at one of the 4 escape games on site! Thrills and adrenalin guaranteed.

An ideal address if you don't know where to start exploring the vineyards. This merchant represents most of the region's producers and offers tastings and sales of their products. There's a café, a boutique and every Saturday morning (10am-1pm), a market is held in an adjacent hall. If you're looking for fresh local produce, why not drop in before your picnic? The local producers' market takes place on Sundays. Wine walks and bike rentals are also available to explore the vineyards.