In addition to its senior status among South Island settlements (founded in 1841 and named after the famed English admiral Lord Nelson), this city of a bit over 51,000 also happens to lie at the geographical centre of New Zealand. And it's become a popular getaway for Kiwis attracted to its laid-back lifestyle and art/culinary scene, with a lively marketplace and a handful of museums, gardens, and other attractions thrown in (renting a bike is the best way to get around).
But even more than all
