Hobbiton

Hobbiton exists because Peter Jackson found a farm in Matamata with a hill that looked exactly like Hobbiton should, and the Alexander family agreed to let him build it. Twice — once for the original trilogy in temporary materials, and again for The Hobbit films in permanent ones. The result is a fully realized village of hobbit holes, gardens, washing lines, and tiny details that make the fictional feel tangible. We joined a guided tour and spent two hours in a state of delighted disbelief.

The attention to detail is extraordinary — the gardens are maintained by a full-time gardener, the washing on the lines matches the size of the hobbit who supposedly lives in each hole, and Bag End sits at the top of the hill exactly as Tolkien described it. The tour ends at the Green Dragon Inn, where you drink a complimentary ale or cider in a pub that looks like it has existed for a hundred years and was actually built for a film. Whether you are a fan of the films or not, the craftsmanship and the setting — rolling Waikato farmland in every direction — are genuinely impressive.

When to go: Year-round — the Shire looks beautiful in every season. Spring brings flowers and green grass. Summer offers the longest daylight. Autumn colours in March and April add golden tones. Evening banquet tours include a feast and the village lit by lanterns. Book in advance as tours sell out, especially in summer.