WellingtonNZ.com,
New Zealand 

Wellington was the main filming and production location for The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Shot in New Zealand between October 1999 and December 2000, you should experience Middle Earth in all its diversity whilst in Wellington.

Conservation and legal requirements mean no film sets from The Lord of the Rings remain. However, there are many Wellington tour operators who know the secrets of the making of these movies, and can even take you into places the public does not have access to.

The Lord of the Rings tour operators to check out:

• Wellington Rover Tours
• Flat Earth New Zealand Experiences
• Hammonds Scenic Tours
• Wellington Movie Tours

Day 1

• Hop on one of the tours of Middle Earth.
• Any The Lord of the Rings tour will include this, otherwise you should pay a visit to the Weta Cave!
• Lunch – depending on the length and itinerary of your tour, you may want to check out Cafe Polo. You may even rub shoulders with the stars, given its proximity to Weta Workshop.
• If you have some time for shopping, check out Zambesi, Starfish, Robyn Mathieson and Voon, as well as Hema facial products which was popular with Liv Tyler (Arwen).
• Dinner – Green Parrot was popular with Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn) who also launched one of his books there. Otherwise check out the Hobbits’ hangout – Matterhorn, a Wellington institution.
• After dinner, check out Wellington’s vibrant nightlife. Make a stop at Motel, where Liv Tyler was reportedly turned away.

Day 2 

• Spend some time at Te Papa - the first world venue for The Lord of the Rings exhibition.
• When you return to Wellington, treat yourself to some fine dining at Logan Brown or The White House, popular with Elijah Wood (Frodo) and Liv Tyler. Otherwise check out the more laid-back Molly Malones, Wellington’s original Irish Pub, a favourite of Sean Bean’s (Boromir).
• Then catch a movie at The Embassy Theatre, the venue of the world premiere of The Lord of the Rings – The Return of the King. Be sure to check out the name plates with the actors and characters’ names by the engulfing leather seats.

If you have more time, be sure to check out:

• Eastbourne on The Dominion Post Ferry. Sir Ian McKellen (Gandalf) stayed there during the filming and he reportedly enjoyed the ferry ride to the city. Enjoy a nice meal at one of the many boutique cafés and a picturesque walk by the beach.
• Take a drive to Mount Victoria – numerous scenes were shot in Mount Victoria’s city belt – it also has fantastic views of Wellington city and harbour.
• If you are interested in horses, get in touch with Lord of the Rings Movie Horses NZ to spend time with Princess Arwen’s stallion, Brego, the Ring Wraith horses and Gandalf’s cart pony.
• Drive along the South Coast of Wellington, where you will come to the quaint seaside suburb of Seatoun. Most of the cast and crew stayed there during filming. Seatoun is also home to Peter Jackson - you can sometimes catch him hanging out in his garden or on the beach.
• Continuing on the South Coast past Breaker Bay and the Wellington Airport, you will get to Lyall Bay. This was where Billy Boyd (Pippin) and Viggo Mortensen learned to surf!