48 hours in Auckland city: a weekend in the CBD
Galleries, harbour ferries, Ponsonby and K Road. How to spend two days in central Auckland, mostly on foot.
Day one: gallery, park and waterfront
Start at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, which is free for general entry and has one of the best collections of New Zealand art. Albert Park is right next door and a good place to sit with a coffee.
Walk down to Britomart and Commercial Bay for lunch, then follow the waterfront through the Viaduct to Wynyard Quarter for a drink by the water as the sun goes down.
Day two: out on the harbour
Ferries leave from the downtown terminal all day. Devonport is about 12 minutes away, with Victorian villas, a pretty main street and a short climb up Maungauika North Head for the view.
Rangitoto Island takes about 25 minutes. The walk to the summit takes around an hour over old lava fields. Take water and check the ferry timetable, as sailings are limited. Waiheke Island is about 40 minutes away if you want a full day out.
Eating and drinking
Ponsonby Road has some of the city's best restaurants and bars. Karangahape Road, known as K Road, is more independent, with vintage shops, small bars and late-night food. Britomart is good for a special dinner close to the waterfront.
Museum and city views
Auckland War Memorial Museum sits in the Auckland Domain and has outstanding Māori and Pacific collections. For a view over the whole city and harbour, go up Maungawhau Mt Eden late in the afternoon.
Getting around
The central city is easy to explore on foot, with buses and trains from Britomart and ferries from the waterfront. SkyBus runs between the airport and the city centre.
Where to stay
St James Apartment is on Wellesley Street East, a couple of minutes from Albert Park and the gallery, with secure parking for anyone arriving by car.
Alberon Property & Accommodation · Mt Eden, Auckland and Landsdown Rd, Wānaka, New Zealand · +64 22 601 0943 · admin@alberon.co.nz