Auckland

The City of Sails, built on volcanoes and surrounded by islands.

Auckland spreads across an isthmus between two harbours, with island vineyards a ferry ride away and wild black-sand surf beaches to the west. It is the natural starting point for exploring New Zealand.

Best time to visit: December to March for summer sailing weather. Language: English, te reo Māori. Currency: New Zealand dollar (NZD).

Did you know?

Auckland is built on a volcanic field of around 50 volcanoes.
At 328 metres, the Sky Tower is the tallest freestanding structure in the Southern Hemisphere.
It is known as the City of Sails for having one of the highest boat ownership rates in the world.

Things to do in Auckland

Auckland Art Gallery (Art museum): Auckland Art Gallery is the principal public gallery in Auckland, New Zealand.
Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira (Museum): The Auckland War Memorial Museum, also known as Auckland Museum, is one of New Zealand's most important museums and war memorials.
Auckland Zoo (Zoo): Auckland Zoo is a 16.35-hectare not-for-profit wildlife conservation organisation that focuses on the wellbeing of people, wildlife and nature.
St Patrick's Cathedral (Cathedral, free): The Cathedral of Saint Patrick and Saint Joseph, commonly known as St Patrick's Cathedral, is a heritage-listed Catholic cathedral church in Auckland CBD, situated on the corner of Federal Street and Wyndham St.
Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life Aquarium (Aquarium): Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life Aquarium is a public aquarium opened on 25 January 1985 in Auckland, New Zealand.
Auckland Town Hall (Concert hall): The Auckland Town Hall is an Edwardian building on Queen Street in the Auckland CBD, New Zealand, known both for its original and ongoing use for administrative functions, as well as its famed Great Hall and separate Con
Auckland Domain (Park, free): The Auckland Domain, also known as Pukekawa / Auckland Domain, is a large park in Auckland, New Zealand.
Aotea Square (Square, free): Aotea Square is a large paved public area in the CBD of Auckland, New Zealand.
Maungawhau / Mount Eden (Park, free): Mount Eden is a suburb in Auckland, New Zealand, whose name honours George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland.
Ōwairaka / Mount Albert (Hill, free): Mountain in Auckland, New Zealand.
Takarunga / Mount Victoria (Hill, free): Mount Victoria, officially Takarunga / Mount Victoria, is the highest volcano on Auckland's North Shore, rising to 66 metres in elevation.
Civic Theatre (Theatre): The Civic Theatre is a large heritage combination performing-arts theatre, live-music venue, and cinema seating 2,378 people in Auckland, New Zealand.
Cornwall Park (Park, free): Cornwall Park is an expansive parkland in Epsom near the heart of Auckland, New Zealand, surrounding the park containing Maungakiekie Pā or the hill of One Tree Hill.
Te Tātua a Riukiuta (Hill, free): Te Tātua a Riukiuta / Big King is a volcano and Tūpuna Maunga in Three Kings, New Zealand that erupted 28,500 years ago.
Gus Fisher Gallery (Art museum): Gus Fisher Gallery is a contemporary art gallery owned and operated by the University of Auckland in Auckland, New Zealand.
Auckland Baptist Tabernacle (Church, free): The Auckland Baptist Tabernacle is a Baptist church] located near the corner of Queen Street and Karangahape Road, at the edge of Auckland central business district in New Zealand.
Artspace Aotearoa (Art museum): Artspace Aotearoa is an art gallery in Auckland, New Zealand.
Ponsonby Mosque (Mosque, free): Ponsonby Mosque is the first purpose-built mosque in New Zealand, located in the Ponsonby suburb of Auckland.
St Mary's Cathedral Church (Cathedral, free): St Mary's Cathedral Church, also known as St Mary's Church or St Mary's-in-Holy Trinity, is an Anglican church located in Parnell Road, Parnell, a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand.
Le Roys Bush (Park, free): Le Roys Bush is a public reserve between Birkenhead and Northcote in Auckland, New Zealand.
Colin Maiden Park (Park, free): Colin Maiden Park is a New Zealand sports complex in the Auckland suburb of Glen Innes, about 10 kilometres south-east of the Auckland CBD.
Ōhuiarangi / Pigeon Mountain (Hill, free): Pigeon Mountain is a 58 m high volcanic cone and Tūpuna Maunga at Half Moon Bay, near Howick and Bucklands Beach, in Auckland, New Zealand.
Lloyd Elsmore Park (Park, free): Lloyd Elsmore Park is an urban park in East Auckland, New Zealand.
Khartoum Place (Square, free): Khartoum Place is a pedestrianised city square in the Auckland CBD, New Zealand.
Victoria Park (Park, free): Victoria Park is a park and sports ground in the Auckland city centre, New Zealand.
Auckland Domain Wintergardens (Botanic garden): The Domain Wintergardens is a complex of gardens located within the Auckland Domain.
Church of St John the Baptist (Church, free): Church of St.
Charlotte Museum Te Whare Takatāpui-Wāhine o Aotearoa (Museum): The Charlotte Museum Te Whare Takatāpui-Wāhine o Aotearoa, is a museum dedicated to lesbian histories in Auckland, New Zealand, located off Karangahape Road at 1A Howe Street, Freemans Bay, Auckland, New Zealand, Aotearo
St Benedict's Church (Church, free): St Benedict's Church is a historic neo-Gothic Catholic church in Newton, Auckland, New Zealand, the church complex includes a Presbytery and a former convent — at one point the complex included a school and club rooms bu
Parnell Rose Gardens (Park, free): Dove-Myer Robinson Park, more commonly known as the Parnell Rose Garden, is a park in Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand.
Newmarket Park (Park, free): Newmarket Park is an approximately 6-hectare-large park in Auckland, New Zealand.
St Stephen's Chapel (Church, free): The St Stephen's Chapel is a historic Neo-Gothic Anglican chapel and associated churchyard located in Judges Bay, Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand, and registered as a category 1 building with Heritage New Zealand.
Pah Homestead (Art museum): The Pah Homestead is a historic building located in the suburb of Hillsborough in Auckland, New Zealand, within the bounds of Monte Cecilia Park.
Ngahue Reserve (Park, free): Ngahue Reserve is a multi-purpose stadium in the suburb of St Johns in Auckland, New Zealand.
Taurere / Taylor Hill (Hill, free): Volcano in Auckland, New Zealand.
All Saints Church, Howick (Church, free): All Saints’ Church is a historic Tudor Revival Anglican church located in Howick, Auckland, New Zealand.
Waipaparoa / Howick Beach (Beach, free): Waipaparoa / Howick Beach is a beach in the Auckland Region of New Zealand's North Island.
St Matthew's (Church, free): St Matthew-in-the-City, sometimes called St Matthew's, is an historic Anglican church located at 132–134 Hobson Street in the central business district of Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand.
Fingers (Gallery): Fingers is a contemporary jewellery gallery in Auckland, New Zealand.
Auckland Women's Suffrage Memorial (Memorial, free): The Auckland Women's Suffrage Memorial is a public mural designed by artists Jan Morrison and Claudia Pond Eyley for the centenary of women securing the vote in New Zealand.
St Paul's Church (Church, free): St Paul's Church is a historic Anglican church, located on Symonds Street near the University of Auckland and Auckland University of Technology, in the central business district of Auckland, New Zealand.
The Basement Theatre (Theatre): The Basement Theatre is an Auckland theatre founded by Charlie McDermott in 2008.
St Andrew's First Presbyterian Church (Church, free): St Andrew's First Presbyterian Church is a Neoclassical Presbyterian church constructed in 1850 in the Auckland city centre, and is the oldest surviving church in the central city.
Mercury Theatre (Theatre): The Mercury Theatre is a theatre in Auckland, New Zealand, located on Mercury Lane, off Karangahape Road.
Victory Christian Church (Church, free): Victory Christian Church is a non-denominational neo-charismatic church in Auckland, New Zealand.
Blandford Park (Park, free, hidden gem): Blandford Park, in Auckland, New Zealand, was the home of association football in Auckland for much of the 20th century, and one of the country's main football grounds.
Tautai Pacific Arts Trust (Gallery, hidden gem): Tautai Pacific Arts Trust, also known as Tautai, is a Pacific gallery in Auckland, New Zealand and a charitable trust founded by Fatu Feu'u to empower Pacific arts in New Zealand.
Pitt Street Church (Church, free, hidden gem): Pitt Street Church is a 19th-century Methodist church located in Newton, Auckland, New Zealand.
Western Park (Park, free, hidden gem): Western Park is a midsized public park located in the suburb of Freemans Bay, west of the CBD of Auckland, New Zealand.
Basque Park (Park, free, hidden gem): Basque Park is a north-facing reserve in Eden Terrace, a former working class suburb in central Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand.
Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Church, free, hidden gem): The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, commonly known as Holy Sep and Te Mīhana Māori, is an historic Gothic Revival Anglican church located on Khyber Pass Road, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand.
St. Michael's Catholic Church (Church, free, hidden gem): St.
Western Springs Reserve (Park, free, hidden gem): Western Springs Reserve, also known as Western Springs Lakeside Te Wai Ōrea, consists of a sanctuary for wildlife, surrounding a lake fed by the natural springs.
Dominion Road Methodist Church (Church, free, hidden gem): Dominion Road Methodist Church is an early 20th century Methodist church located in Mount Eden, Auckland, New Zealand.
Fowlds Park (Park, free, hidden gem): Fowlds Park is a small public reserve in the northern part of Mount Albert, in Auckland City.
Gribblehirst Park (Park, free, hidden gem): Gribblehirst Park is a park in central Auckland, New Zealand, close to the suburbs of Sandringham and Morningside.
Greyfriars Presbyterian Church (Church, free, hidden gem): Greyfriars Church, originally known as the Mt Eden Presbyterian Church, is an early 20th-century Presbyterian church located in Mount Eden, Auckland, New Zealand, listed as a Category 2 building by Heritage New Zealand.
Church of St Alban the Martyr (Church, free, hidden gem): The Church of St Alban the Martyr is a late 19th century Anglican Church located in Balmoral, Auckland, New Zealand listed as a Category 2 building by Heritage New Zealand.
St Martin's at St Chad's (Church, free, hidden gem): St Martin's at St Chad's is a former Anglican church located in Sandringham, Auckland, New Zealand.
Auckland Hebrew Congregation (Synagogue, hidden gem): The Auckland Hebrew Congregation is a Modern Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 514 Remuera Road in Remuera, a suburb of Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand.
Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple New Zealand (Buddhist temple, free): The Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple of New Zealand is a temple and community centre of the Fo Guang Shan Chinese Buddhist movement in the East Tāmaki/Flat Bush suburb of Auckland, New Zealand.
Maungarei / Mount Wellington (Hill, free): Volcano in Auckland, New Zealand.
Matukutūreia / McLaughlins Mountain (Hill, free): Matukutūreia / McLaughlin's Mountain is one of the volcanic cones in the Auckland volcanic field.
Rainbow's End (Amusement park): Rainbow's End is a theme park in Manukau, Auckland, New Zealand.
Wiri Lava Cave (Nature reserve): Matukutūruru is a volcano in Wiri, Auckland.
Te Uru Waitākere Contemporary Gallery (Gallery): Te Uru Waitākere Contemporary Gallery is a contemporary art gallery located in Titirangi, Auckland.
Albert Park (Park, free): Albert Park is a public park in central Auckland, bounded by Wellesley Street East, Princes Street, Bowen Avenue and Kitchener Street.
Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church (Church, free): The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, also known as The Church of the Assumption, is a heritage-listed Catholic church located in Onehunga, Auckland, New Zealand.
Lucas Creek Waterfall (Waterfall, free): Lucas Creek is a stream and tidal estuary of Upper Waitematā Harbour in the Auckland Region of New Zealand's North Island.
Oakley Creek waterfall (Waterfall, free): Oakley Creek is a creek in Auckland, New Zealand.
Fairy Falls (Waterfall, free): The Fairy Falls is a waterfall in the eastern Waitākere Ranges of Auckland, New Zealand.
Rangitoto Lighthouse (Lighthouse, free): Rangitoto Lighthouse is a lighthouse off the coast in McKenzie Bay, in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf.
Whakamana Cannabis Museum (Museum, hidden gem): Whakamana Cannabis Museum is a museum dedicated to cannabis history and culture, based in Auckland.
Cheltenham Beach (Beach, free, hidden gem): Devonport is a harbourside suburb of Auckland, New Zealand.
Albany Lakes Civic Park (Park, free, hidden gem): Albany Lakes Reserve is a public park located in Albany, New Zealand, a suburb of Auckland.
St Heliers Memorial Fountain (Memorial, free, hidden gem): St Heliers Memorial Fountain is a drinking fountain and war memorial located in St Heliers, Auckland.
Dingle Dell (Park, free, hidden gem): Dingle Dell Reserve is a nature reserve in the St Heliers suburb of Auckland, New Zealand.
Freyberg Place (Square, free, hidden gem): Freyberg Place is a small square located in Auckland, New Zealand.
St Johns Bush (Park, free, hidden gem): Nature reserve in Auckland, New Zealand.
Kepa Bush Reserve (Nature reserve, hidden gem): Park in Auckland.

Where to eat and drink in Auckland

Viaduct Harbour, Viaduct: Waterfront seafood and bars among the superyachts.
Depot Eatery, CBD: Oysters and small plates from chef Al Brown.
Federal Delicatessen, CBD: A New York-style deli with famous breakfasts.
Cassia, CBD: Modern Indian, one of the country’s most awarded restaurants.
Ortolana, Britomart: Garden-to-table Italian in the Britomart precinct.
Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby: Auckland’s favourite strip of bars and late kitchens.
Parro, Mt Eden: The neighbourhood restaurant the critics crowned this year.
Tala, Parnell: Henry Onesemo’s Pacific-rooted cooking.
Mr Morris, Britomart: The new benchmark for a business dinner.

Also in New Zealand

Queenstown

Plan a trip to Auckland