ITINERARY

01 Jul

AUCKLAND IN A DAY

AMANDA LINNELL shows how the diverse Pacific city of Auckland, built across 48 volcanic cones and wrapped around the beautiful Waitemata Harbour, can be best negotiated during a business-trip’s “day at leisure”

8.30am

Join the city’s hipsters on Ponsonby Road, where they gather for double-shot lattes in trendy cafes such as Bambina (try their ricotta hotcakes with fresh fruit), Landreth & Co., with their innovative breakfast salad of lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, bacon and poached eggs, or Dizengoff, which dishes up scrummy bagels.

10am

After the caffeine hit, stroll along Ponsonby Road, which is lined with fashion boutiques, chic homeware stores and art galleries. Don’t miss The Garden Party for affordable local gifts, and Masterworks Gallery for stunning pottery and one-off pieces of jewellery. Zambesi is one of New Zealand’s leading fashion labels for men and women, as is World, which creates clothes for those who like to stand out from the crowd. For menswear, Fifth Avenue stocks international brands such as Paul Smith and Strellson, as does the quirky Wunderkammer with top labels such as Commes des Garçons.

Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, hire a car and head west to the rugged Piha surf beach – approximately 45 minutes from downtown Auckland. With giant waves crashing off the Tasman Sea, black sand and hills covered with native bush, it’s the ideal place to blow away the stresses of the city. On the way there, stop off at Titirangi Village at the top of the Waitakere Ranges for coffee or lunch at The Hardware Cafe and check out the interesting art exhibitions at the Lopdell House Gallery.

11.45am

Back in the city, jump on the Link Bus (which loops around the central city every 10 minutes) and head for the Domain – Auckland’s oldest park. Here you’ll find 75 hectares of open space, formal gardens, sports fields and the Wintergarden glasshouses full of exotic and tropical plants. Head to the top of the hill and the iconic Auckland War Memorial Museum (pictured above, www..aucklandmuseum.com), where you could spend hours wandering through the world-class exhibitions that tell the unique story of New Zealand and its diverse people. Time it right and you’ll catch a live Maori cultural performance (daily; 11am, noon and 1.30pm).

1pm

From the Domain, walk – or jump in a taxi – and head to the top of nearby Mount Eden. This is Auckland’s highest volcano, complete with grazing cows and spectacular 360 degree views of the city. Then take a taxi or bus to Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour – a mecca of cafes, restaurants and bars on the water’s edge. Grab an outdoor table looking out over the super-yachts at Soul and order a dozen Clevedon Coast Oysters served raw with salmon caviar, ginger and chive dressing. Another treat is the elegant Euro, on Princes Wharf. Tuck into their signature duck dish served with couscous and wash it down with a glass or two of Cable Bay Five Hills Merlot Cabernet grown on nearby Waiheke Island.

2.30pm

Another way to wash it down is aboard an actual America’s Cup racing yacht – the NZL40 – with Sail New Zealand (www..sailnewzealand.co.nz). Sit back or join the crew for this exhilarating two-hour experience. For a more sedate water jaunt, catch one of the ferries that regularly cross the harbour to the historical maritime village of Devonport. The trip takes only 15 minutes and gives you a wonderful opportunity to view the cityscape and Harbour Bridge from the water. Once there, discover Devonport Chocolates with their tempting handmade treats, the gift store Greenplanet, and for book lovers, Devonport Vintage Bookshop which has more than 30,000 tomes to browse.

4pm

Catch the ferry back downtown and you’ll just have time to hit the designer boutiques in the trendy High Street and Chancery precinct. Workshop, Kate Sylvester, Karen Walker, Fabric and Mala Brakovich are just a few of the stores that will have your credit card working overtime. You’re going to need a drink after this.

6pm

Pop to the Wine Loft in nearby Shortland Street and you’ll feel like you’ve found a secret sanctuary, though the venue is always buzzing. With an extensive wine list, the biggest challenge here is choosing which of the many top-notch New Zealand wines to drink.

7.30pm

Time for dinner and the award-winning Dine by leading New Zealand chef Peter Gordon at the SkyCity Grand hotel is the place for it. Chic and elegant, the restaurant’s distinctive menu is a reflection of Peter’s unique fusion style which blends Asian and Pacific flavours with traditional European cuisine. Try the roast Hawke’s Bay lamb chump with sumac and fennel seeds on roast baby kumara.

9.30pm

After dinner, wander across Federal Street to Belotta. Designed by leading New Zealand architect Andrew Lister, this wood-panelled bar is a sophisticated take on the authentic Spanish tapas bar. With its comprehensive range of premium Spanish and European wine (available by the glass), a journey of complex tastes and textures is guaranteed.

10.30pm

Your day in Auckland will take you in a complete circle if you get a taxi back to vibrant, bar-lined Ponsonby Road. Choose from the laid-back Chapel bar or the cosy Mea Culpa, where mixologists whip up an innovative array of cocktails. Cross the road to The Whiskey – it’s canvassed with black-and-white photos of music legends and plays classic rock hits.