Auckland : Soak into the Essence of Bewitching Wilderness and Countryside Charm

Auckland is a stunning piece of gem that is known for its harbors and vibrant coastlines. The true essence of the quaint city in New Zealand can be felt in its vivacious culture and amazing touristy places. Also known as the “City of Sails”, it is an iconic destination to feel captivated with the surreal landscape and beautiful vibe of the city. The city is located around 2 large harbors and is towards the north side of New Zealand’s North Island. It gives awe inspiring views of the yachts lined along the harbors from the iconic sky towers. Here are the top 10 places you must visit in Auckland:

1. Auckland Sky Tower

It is the best place in Auckland to catch some stunning views of the city and the needle like tower is the most prominent landmark in the city. It is 328 meters high and there is a observation tower on the top to snap the gorgeous view of the city from the top. It is a 60-storey tower that has a revolving restaurant and is a great place even for bungee jumping. It offers 360 degree view of the city from the top and the visitors can walk the 192-meter high exterior sky walk platform to feel some adrenaline rush.

2. Auckland War Memorial Museum

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The neo-classical architecture of the war memorial museum makes it highly grandeur and is one of the most important museums of the city. It has a huge collection of things from history of New Zealand, natural history as well as military history. The exhibition for the museum collection begun in the year 1852 and the building was opened in the year 1929. There are cenotaphs and the consecrated grounds located in front of the museum serves as war memorial. It is a memorial erected dedicated to the soldiers from New Zealand who lost their lives in World War-I.

3. Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Aquarium

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The gigantic aquarium gives you almost realistic feeling of being under water. The public aquarium was opened in the year 1985 and was established and started by archaeologist Kelly Tarlton. It was proposed in 1983 in unused sewage tanks and the acrylic tanks open you to number of fishes. It has series of huge aquarium which can be seen through the tunnel walkways. There are number of marine organisms like sharks, sting ray, tropical fishes etc. It also has an Antarctic encounter gallery with snow filled penguin enclosure.

4. Waitemata Harbour

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The Waitemata Harbor divides the city neatly into two and is one of the most gorgeous and beautiful landmarks. The harbor makes things easy for Auckland through the waterway communication and led it into becoming the capital of New Zealand in 1840, later changed into Wellington. The Auckland Harbor Bridge adds double the attraction and was completed in the year 1959. The bridge is nearly one kilometer or a little long and measures 43 meters high. The bridge connects the city to the sandy beaches.

5. One Tree Hill

It is one of the most prominent landmarks in Auckland and is one of the symbolic representations of Auckland. The hill is a 182-meter and is present amidst the lush green Cornwall Park. There are number of flower beds and trees along with a gorgeous walking trail around it. The slopes contain remains or remnants of fortified village called Maori Pa. The village is located during the pre-European era and the one tree hill marks the obelisk, built over grave of Sir John Logan Campbell.

6. Waiheke Island

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The Waiheke Island is one of the most popular Islands in Auckland and there are around 8000 people who live around the village. There are number of art galleries and beautiful cafes around the Island making it an attractive part. The coastal part of the Island has number of white sand beaches. It is a phenomenal place for the hikers and trekkers with abundance of natural, green trails. The Church Bay Circuit opens you to number of gorgeous and spectacular views. The Stony Batter Historic Reserve is a great place for historians and has an underground tunnel system that was made in World War II to prevent any attack.

7. Viaduct Harbor

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The harbor is again one of the most prominent and landmark identities of Auckland. It is known for hosting America’s cup yachting regatta turning this side as one of the major attractions of the city. It has drawn number of tourists throughout the year and definitely one of the major marinas of the city. There is a flower market every Sunday that fills in crowd with live music, street food and it becomes like an event. It is one of the central attractions that has number of restaurants in and around.

8. Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Islands

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It gives you the best slice of nature with gorgeous and lush green parks around it. The marine park is a rugged landscape with Great Barrier Island and is a must visit for people who love wilderness. There are number of activities like hiking, kayaking, mountain biking etc. that one can participate in. The park also has a dormant volcano in the Rangitoto Island and has large number of pohutukawa trees making it largest forest for the same. The Tiritiri Matangi Island is a wildlife sanctuary where you can spot number of endangered species.

9. Albert Park

Albert Park is located in the heart of the city and is known for depicting the most elaborate Victorian styled fountain. It has number of flower beds and is perfect to visit with family and friends. There is an Albert Park House which contains number of eclectic attractions in form of ceramics, clocks along with a floral clock dating from 1953. It also houses the largest Meteorological Observatory that provides weather news since 1909. There is also a timber Neo-classical structure that was built in the year 1856.

10. Kaipara Coast Sculptures Gardens

The fascinating structure is major attraction of the city and is a great way to explore the countryside aura of a place. It is a beautiful and well manicured garden trail which has number of exotic flora and fauna. It hosts an array of ever changing sculptural art by some of the most prominent artists in the country. It is a 1km gallery that features nearly 50 sculptures bringing out the best contemporary art. The garden has huge number of pine forest, native bush and typical farmland, with waterfalls and streams in a beautiful forests.

◎ Closing

Auckland is a gorgeous coastal city that is divided through the mesmerizing harbors. With so many natural trails, wilderness and white sand beaches, the city is ever charming and a perfect countryside gem to explore and experience.