Must-see attractions in Auckland

Maungakiekie was the largest and most spiritually significant Māori pā (fortified village) prior to British arrival. At the top of this volcanic cone (at…

From the top of Auckland’s highest volcanic cone (196m), the entire isthmus and both harbours are laid bare. The symmetrical crater (50m deep) is known as…

This imposing neoclassical temple (1929), capped with an impressive copper-and-glass dome (2007), dominates the Auckland Domain and is a prominent part of…

Auckland's premier art repository has a striking glass-and-wood atrium grafted onto its 1887 French chateau frame. It showcases the best of NZ art, along…

Housed in a gorgeous 1879 mansion with views to One Tree Hill and the Manukau Harbour, this arts centre is endowed with contemporary NZ art from an…

At this modern, spacious zoo, the big foreigners tend to steal the attention from the timid natives, but if you can wrestle the kids away from the tigers…

North Head was a Māori pā and is still a fortress of sorts, with the navy maintaining a presence. It's riddled with tunnels, started at the end of the…

The 'mighty Civic' (1929) is one of only seven ‘atmospheric theatres’ remaining in the world and a fine survivor from cinema’s Golden Age. The auditorium…

The impossible-to-miss Sky Tower looks like a giant hypodermic giving a fix to the heavens. Spectacular lighting renders it space age at night and the…

Built in 1856, this stately building was the colony's seat of power until 1865 when Wellington became the capital. The construction is unusual in that it…

The Wintergarden, with its fernery, tropical house, cool house, cute cat statue and neighbouring cafe, is in the Auckland Domain.

In this topsy-turvy aquarium sharks and stingrays swim over and around you in transparent tunnels that were once stormwater tanks. You can also enter the…

Parents bring their children to this picturesque park for the popular playground. It’s a pleasant picnic spot and a good place to get acquainted with…

This museum traces NZ’s seafaring history, from Māori voyaging canoes to the America’s Cup. Recreations include a tilting 19th-century steerage-class…

Covering about 80 hectares, this green swath contains the Auckland Museum, sports fields, interesting sculpture, formal gardens, wild corners and the…

Auckland's most recent installation of public art is this replica 'state house' – a form of public housing popular in NZ in the 1930s and 1940s – erected…

Hugging the hill on the city’s eastern flank, Albert Park is a charming Victorian formal garden overrun by students from the neighbouring University of…

Politics, harbour views and lush lawns combine on this pretty headland with a chequered history. An elaborate clifftop garden mausoleum honours Michael…

Opened in late 2019, this excellent visitor centre showcases the geological and Māori cultural history of Maungawhau/Mt Eden. Highlights include an…

These formal gardens are blooming excellent from November to March. A stroll through Dove-Myer Robinson Park leads to peaceful Judges Bay and tiny St…