Introducing Auckland

Auckland is a city of volcanoes, with the ridges of lava flows forming its main thoroughfares and its many cones providing islands of green within the sea of suburbs. As well as being by far the largest, it’s also the most multicultural of New Zealand’s cities. A sizable Asian community rubs shoulders with the biggest Polynesian population of any city in the world.

The traditional Kiwi aspiration for a freestanding house on a quarter-acre section has resulted in a vast, sprawling city. The CBD was long ago abandoned to commerce, and inner-city apartment living has only recently caught on. While geography has been kind, city planning has been less so. Unbridled and ill-conceived development has left the centre of the city with plenty of architectural embarrassments. To get under Auckland’s skin you’re best to head to the streets of Victorian and Edwardian villas in its hip inner-city suburbs.

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New Zealand’s other adventure capital

As the home of bungee jumping and jet boating, New Zealand has long been a mecca for thrill-seeking travellers...

As the home of bungee jumping and jet boating, New Zealand has long been a mecca for thrill-seeking travellers. Adrenaline aficionados are usually drawn to Queenstown’s South Island adventure hub, but cosmopolitan Auckland on the country’s North Island also offers opportunities to experience an authentic Kiwi buzz...

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A guide to New Zealand's Rugby World Cup (for non-rugby fans too)

By Sarah Bennett and Lee Slater, Lonely Planet authors If you’re travelling around New Zealand in September and October 2011 you’re either a rugby fan, or run the risk of becoming one...

By Sarah Bennett and Lee Slater, Lonely Planet authors If you’re travelling around New Zealand in September and October 2011 you’re either a rugby fan, or run the risk of becoming one. From the opening kick-off at Auckland’s Eden Park on 9 September, much of the country will be in high spirits as the Rugby World Cup tournament returns to its birthplace. Over the course of six weeks, 20 teams will play 48 matches in 12 stadiums in 11 towns and cities from one end of the country to the other...

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Auckland's gourmet secrets

It's lunchtime on Friday. Plumbers' vans jostle with Porsches for space, and backpacks bang into Vuitton and Gucci bags. They're all here for the treats at Auckland’s Pandoro Bakery...

It's lunchtime on Friday. Plumbers' vans jostle with Porsches for space, and backpacks bang into Vuitton and Gucci bags. They're all here for the treats at Auckland’s Pandoro Bakery. Just a 15-minute walk up the hill from Auckland's centre, Pandoro feeds hungry schoolchildren walking home, shop workers on their breaks and bus passengers on the way to the much better known Newmarket shopping precinct...

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Bottoms up: New Zealand's top 10 country pubs

With a shed load of rural settlements and a penchant for a cold pint, it’s no wonder New Zealand does a great line in country pubs. Here’s a thirst-quenching selection of pretty spots to imbibe the amber nectar...

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New Zealand’s Middle Earth: behind the scenes of The Hobbit

A land of snow-capped peaks, primeval forests and glacier-carved river valleys, New Zealand seemed destined to play a starring role in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films...

A land of snow-capped peaks, primeval forests and glacier-carved river valleys, New Zealand seemed destined to play a starring role in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films. As Middle Earth fans gear up for the last and final movie of the Hobbit series, here's a look at some of the fantastical set locations and fine behind-the-scenes craftwork that have helped shine a spotlight on one of the world’s most breathtaking countries. Queenstown Bay and the Remarkables...