Wellington, New Zealand: 5 free things to see

Wellington is New Zealand's capital and laws are made in Parliament buildings. There are regular hour-long guided tours of both Parliament and the adjacent executive wing called the Beehive because of its distinctive, and rather impractical, cone shape. In addition to a tour, you may want to come along at 2 p.m. on a day Parliament is sitting to watch democracy in action. That's when you'll see the combative question-and-answer sessions in which lawmakers of different stripes try to make each other look foolish using rollicking British-style parliamentary banter.

MOUNT VICTORIA LOOKOUT

It's a serious climb or bike ride to the top of Mount Victoria, which is 196 meters (643 feet) above sea level. But at the lookout there are stunning views over the city and harbor. Across in the other direction, you can look out over the airport and ocean. And yes, Mount Vic, as it is known locally, was one of the locations used in the filming of the "Rings."