Hobbiton

Hobbiton is the Shire set from The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films, built on the Alexander family's farm about ten kilometres south-west of Matamata after the production found it on an aerial search in 1998, and now kept as a permanent set. A guided tour leads past 44 hobbit holes set into the hillsides, only a few of which can be entered, past Bag End, over the double-arch bridge by the mill, to the Green Dragon Inn.

What you'll find

• The hobbit holes - 44 round, colourful doors in the hillsides, a few of them open inside.
• Bag End - the famous home of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins.
• The Green Dragon Inn - the tavern serving ale and cider at the tour's end.
• The gardens and mill - the flower gardens, bridge and watermill.

When to go

Year-round; the set is kept up in every season, though a fine day shows the gardens and hills best. It is visited only on guided tours, which book up in peak summer, so reserve ahead.

Good to know

It can only be visited on a guided tour that must be booked, often ahead in summer, and it is not cheap. It is a manufactured attraction, so how much it gives depends on how much you care about the films, though the craftsmanship is visible to anyone. It is out in the countryside, needing a car or tour to reach.

Nearby

The Waitomo glowworm caves and the geothermal wonders of Rotorua are within reach.

Key facts