Discover Auckland
New Zealand's most vibrant and multicultural city is Auckland and should definitely not be missed on your New Zealand tour. With a population of 1.2 million, it is New Zealand's largest and most vibrant city. This city is also called the 'city of sails', because Auckland is surrounded by water and there is a lot of sailing. In summer, the many harbours are teeming with boats. Getting transported by a ferry here is as common as catching a bus. The America's Cup, the largest annual sailing competition in the world, was also held here twice. Reasons enough to travel to Auckland.
Auckland has many cosy neighbourhoods with cute little shops, atmospheric cafes and good restaurants where you can eat delicious food during your trip. Take Queen Street for instance, the main and busiest shopping street with department stores, atmospheric restaurants, theatres and cinemas. Here you will also find lots of Asian restaurants where you can eat delicious food for relatively little money.
If you're planning on staying for a while and want to feel more at home, consider checking out some of the best Auckland Aparthotels. Offering the comfort of home with the convenience of a hotel, these could be a great option for your accommodation needs.
Because Auckland is a fusion of many cultures, there is something for everyone. A very good example is the restaurant Oh Calcutta on Parnell Road located in the Parnell district. Here you can choose from many Indian dishes that are all equally delicious. It is said to be Auckland's best Indian restaurant.
If you want to take a gamble, head to Sky City, a complex with restaurants, a theatre and a very large casino. Part of this is the Sky Tower (318 m), the tallest tower in the Southern Hemisphere. From the two viewing platforms, you have a great view over the city centre and Waitemata Harbour.
It's also fun to visit a cultural Maori show at Auckland's War Memorial Museum. Furthermore, it is worth visiting Mount Eden for great views over the city and its many bays. From this mountain you also have a view of the crater of this dormant volcano (you can look 50 metres deep into the crater!).
Whether it's your first time in Auckland or are a returning visitor, the city never fails to impress. For comfortable and convenient stays in the city, feel free to book hotels on tophotels.com.
History New Zealand / Auckland
New Zealand was discovered in 1642 by Dutch explorer and researcher Abel Tasman, who named the country after our province of Zeeland, which is also surrounded by water. He stayed here only briefly and soon lost interest in the area. New Zealand remained what it was until Englishman James Cook set foot ashore in 1769 and mapped the country. He would return twice more and soon claimed the country as Britain's colony. In 1830, the first Europeans set foot ashore and the first settlements were built.
The town of Russell became the administrative centre. But soon the town no longer sufficed and a more central location was sought. Auckland was chosen because of its location on a headland which surrounded the town with water. This provided a large harbour for the ships coming and going. Also, the area around Auckland was very fertile and after 20 years there was plenty of trade and many farms.
Auckland did not remain New Zealand's capital for long: after 25 years, Wellington was appointed the new capital.
Today, Auckland is New Zealand's fastest-growing city and Wellington may be New Zealand's political capital, but New Zealand's commercial centre remains Auckland.
