Auckland and Wellington. The former is busy, lively, and delightfully British, the latter is sporty, disheveled by the gusts of the Cook Strait, creative and bohemian.
Wellington
1- An oasis in the city
One of the most beautiful botanical gardens in the Southern Hemisphere. Blending English and Maori influences, it has been the pride of Wellingtonians for over a century. On 25 steeply sloping hectares, you will pass through a rose garden worthy of Buckingham Palace, a valley of camellias, a staggering collection of endemic plants, and another from the four corners of the world.
The most extraordinary part of the site is the original forest, with its trees from the depths of time. One of the accesses to the garden is made by a charming red funicular which rises to 120 meters high, at the top of Kelburn hill.
2- Green island facing the city
About twenty minutes by ferry, and we land on Matiu/Somes Island. A fortress of trees and rocks, once dedicated to quarantine for migrants, then until 1995 for sick animals, it is now managed by the Department of Conservation which has the will to make it an island of biodiversity. A beautiful escape in the middle of the Cook Strait, where you can observe the tuatara, or sphenodon (iguana from the dinosaurs), and the giant weta (the largest insect in the world). Remember to bring a picnic lunch.
24 NZD (14 €) round trip by ferry.
3- A treasure box
Te Papa Tongarewa (literally “place of the treasures of this land”) is more than a great museum: it is the symbol of the ongoing reconciliation between Maoris and Pākehās (whites), after the dark years of British colonization. A million visitors pass through every year. Careful and educational scenography.
The permanent exhibition on Oceanian civilizations and indigenous collections, a must-see, includes exceptional pieces, such as this finely sculpted canoe or this marae (common house) which you can only enter after removing your shoes. A whole day is not enough to see everything, so it is recommended to opt for a visit with a private Maori guide.
4- Bicycle by hills and valleys
Tested and approved. An electric bike tour through this wickedly hilly capital with Jimmy, a voluble and strong guide, allows you to focus on the places where Wellingtonians live. His ride (25 kilometers, one morning) starts from the port and follows the road to Oriental Bay. Then it’s on to Evans Bay and Shelly Bay (a local favorite for its bike paths, nature walks, and Chocolate Fish Café with a view of the sea), and up Mount Maupuia, a green haven. Then it’s back down to Miramar, the Hollywood of New Zealand.
5- The secrets of Wellywood
One could fear a tourist trap. It is not. Going to Park Road Post Production, in the heart of Miramar, is like going behind the scenes of a funny movie. This is where the Weta Workshop is located, a creative and special effects studio founded by Richard Taylor with the filmmaker Peter Jackson (both of whom worked on The Lord of the Rings). Escorted by a guide with the false airs of a hobbit, we find ourselves face to face with fake weapons and faces dripping with fake blood. One room even allows you to see employees working on new silicone masks.
Auckland
6- Sunset on Mount Eden
One should always start his stay in the biggest metropolis of the country by climbing this 196 meters high volcanic cone. It offers a 360-degree view of the whole city and the Hauraki Gulf. Perfect to understand where we have just landed. It is best to go there at the time when the sun is declining when the landscape is getting darker and the song of the birds accompanies the hum of the horns.
Although very touristy, the place is tapu (sacred) for many Maoris. You can get there by cab or bus, but it is worth the effort to get up there on foot. The steep garden that rises to the top is made of dozens of small paths winding under century-old trees. Here and there, remnants of ancient pā, the Maori fortified villages.
7- Under the asphalt, the sand
When not working, Aucklanders go to the beach. Buses #767 and #769 head southeast on the scenic Tamaki Drive. From Okahu Bay, several swimming spots attract families. Further out, beyond the headland of Mission Bay, Victorian houses, yacht clubs, and restaurants announce the chic sands of Kohimarama and St Heliers.
With a car, head for Piha. 45 minutes west of Auckland, on the Tasman Sea side, it’s the den of cool babas and surfers. Just next door, the mythical black sand beach of Karekare: it is in this amphitheater of dark rocks that part of Jane Campion’s Piano Lesson was filmed. A magical beach where one does not swim, because it is considered the most dangerous of the North Island.
8- On a very young volcano
A great excursion from the port. In twenty minutes of the ferry, we reach Rangitoto, a small uninhabited volcanic island that emerged from the depths of the Gulf of Hauraki barely 600 years ago. A big dromedary hump. Good shoes and plenty of water are required to climb the slag-covered slopes in the shade of the pohutukawas, in bloom from November to January. The summit can be reached in one hour. The panorama is breathtaking.
9- Modern and contemporary Maori art
In a corner of the bucolic Albert Park, on the edge of the university campus, in one of the most charming places in the city, the Auckland Art Gallery is our favorite place in Auckland. Welcomed under a Japanese-style atrium of wood and glass, one feels immediately at home. In addition to Picasso, Gauguin, Cézanne, and Matisse, the museum exhibits many high-quality Maori works, like this hypnotic series of tattooed faces painted by Charles Frederick Goldie (1870-1947).
Open every day except December 25.
10- Devonport, vintage district
Facing the skyline of the waterfront, a village sparkles. Easily accessible by ferry (connection every thirty minutes), the suburb of Devonport is located on the other side of the bay. Bohemian atmosphere, Edwardian and Victorian houses repainted in bright colors, seafood restaurants… You will quickly fall in love with it.
Also Read: Discovery Of Paxos The Most Secret of The Ionian Islands
