Choose a city to find out what's on, where to go stay and what to do ...
Pacific-lapped Auckland is perfect for water babies. This waterside city has a strong pulse and a nautical twinkle in its eye. Its location on a thin stretch of the North Island, sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea, is complemented by the lush subtropical forests of nearby hills and the volcanic terrains of nearby islands ...more
Beneath the veneer of understatement lies a vibrant city of new ideas. The South Island's largest city, Christchurch is perfect as a pleasant jumping-off point for the mountains, ocean beaches, rivers, lakes and wide-open spaces less than an hour from the city centre ...more
Come for the lake, stay for the adrenaline. Queenstown, on the northern shore of the serpentine Lake Wakatipu, is the epitome of the big-budget resort town, awash with organised tour groups. There's great skiing in winter and plenty of extreme substitute summer pastimes. Most activities are centred on the lake and many nearby rivers.
Things are pretty hot in the 'Sulphur City'. Rotorua is the most popular and, inevitably, the most commercialised tourist destination on the North Island. It has the most energetic thermal activity in the country, with bubbling mud pools, gurgling hot springs, and gushing geysers. It's also a great place to catch traditional Maori ceremonies. ...more
Come Te Papa. Bound by its magnificent harbour, with wooden Victorian buildings terraced up steep hills, New Zealand's capital is home to its parliament and national treasures. Spectacular views, challenging walks, a thriving cafe and entertainment scene, and serious dedication to the arts make Wellington an enormously enjoyable place in which to spend a few days. ...more
