I spent three days in Nelson and am finally jet lag free! Nelson is a beautiful little town on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay. It’s the economic and cultural center of the Nelson-Tasman region, the second oldest settled city in New Zealand, and the oldest city on the South Island. Nelson was named in honor of Admiral Horatio Nelson who defeated the French and Spanish fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Together with the town of Richmond, the urban area population is around 60,000 and it’s New Zealand’s 9th most populous city.
Nelson’s geographical location is absolutely spectacular – surrounded by mountains on three sides with the Tasman Bay on the other and several rivers as well! The Nelson-Tasman region is the gateway to Abel Tasman National Park, Kahurangi National Park, and Lakes Rotoiti and Rotoroa in the Nelson Lakes National Park.