48 Hours in Napier

from Audley Traveler Winter 2020

SPECIALIST: EMILY SUMMER

DAY 1

SUNRISE Head to the city beach qto see the sun lifting above the Pacific in a tangerine wash.

Congratulations: due to Napier’s geography, you’re one of the first people in the world to see the new day breaking.

8AM Breakfast at Mister D’s w. The menu is extensive, but I’d order their doughnuts. As an added quirk, you insert your own fillings (such as custard) into the doughnuts using a syringe.

10AM After its 1931 earthquake, Napier was rebuilt and decked out in the style of the day, Art Deco. The best way to see its architectural highlights is to take a guided tour – in a vintage car, no less.

It’s a good introduction to the city’s signature look, alerting you to some of the best examples of stained glass, motifs and other detailing.

12PM Lunchtime. Try the Hunger Monger efor some of the best fish and chips in New Zealand.

2PM You’ve got two options for this afternoon, depending on how you’re feeling.

If you feel like relaxing, escape to the Ocean Spa r. Luxuriate in its waterfront setting and heated outdoor and saltwater pools.

However, if you would like to try something more energetic, drive about 45 minutes north of Napier to reach Mountain Valley t – a stretch of forested countryside at the end of the Kaweka mountain range. It’s great for hiking.

6PM Why go to just one great restaurant for dinner when you can go to many? On a dining tour, you’ll be transported around several Hawke’s Bay vineyards, from boutique wineries to historic establishments like the Mission Estate y(founded by 19thcentury French missionaries). You’ll eat different courses at each place, with wine pairings. However, the icing on the cake is that the tour is perfectly timed so you’ll watch the sunset from Craggy Range u , a glass of bubbles in hand.

Napier nouveau (from left) Appreciate the Art Deco exterior of the National Tobacco Company Building; lunch at a winery; enjoy the Dome’s Art Deco style at the heart of Napier’s atmospheric seafront

Art, wine & nature (clockwise from this) Find thousands of Australasian gannets at Cape Kidnappers; climb Te Mata peak; relax at the Elephant Hill Winery; Waipunga Falls; (opposite) head to Napier’s vineyards to enjoy some of New Zealand's best wine country

TOP TIP ‘If driving over from Taupo, stop at Waipunga Falls, a three-pronged cascade an hour’s drive from Napier.’

DAY 2

10AM Good morning. I thought you might appreciate a later start today, after last night’s indulgences…

After breakfast, drive to the site of a pa i(a place where a Maori fortress-cum-village once stood). Following a powhiri (welcome ceremony), you’ll explore the site. The signs of its existence are barely visible, but your guide will show you archaeological traces and explain the importance of the site.

1PM Your tour finishes with local seafood snacks. Then, head to Elephant Hill winery ofor a light lunch.

2:30PM Hop in a 4x4 with a guide to reach the headland of Cape Kidnappers a. The clifftops here are home to a 3,000-strong colony of yellow-headed Australasian gannets. You might see males offering seaweed to females as part of their mating dance.

5PM Time for a short stroll. Pop into Charleston Chic s, a store dedicated to all things Art Deco including clothes, bags, jewels and various trinkets.

7PM You have a dinner reservation at Pacificad, a fine-dining restaurant with locally sourced produce.

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS Flight information: Flight time is 12.5 hours direct to Auckland from Los Angeles. When to go: For a quieter, calmer ambience, go for August, the tail-end of New Zealand’s winter. Alternatively, if you love Napier’s look, early February sees the city host its annual Art Deco Weekend (you’ll need to book up to a year in advance). Get me there: A 19-day tailor-made trip to New Zealand, including time in Napier, Tongariro National Park and Waitomo, starts from $5,534pp. For more information, contact our New Zealand specialists on 1-855-760-0056. N g a r u r o r o R i v e r Cape Kidnappers Elephant Hill Winery Mangapapa Hotel Mission Estate Winery Ōtātara Pā Historic Reserve Mountain Valley Waipunga Falls Hawke’ s Ba y Tutira Eskdale

Napier Hastings Puketapu

TeAwanga NAPIER BLUFF HILL M A R I N E P A R A D E M A R I N E P A R A D E T E N N Y S O N S T R E E T S H A K E S P E A R E R O A D H A S T I N G S S T R E E T MUNR O E S T E M E R S O N S T R E E T R A F F L E S S T D A L T O N S T V A U T I E R S T R E E T D I C K E N S S T R E ET S T A T I O N S T R E E T 0 218 yards 0 200 metres Ocean Spa Charleston Chic Ajuna Eatery Mister D’s Hunger Monger

Pacifica Napier Beach N g a r u r o r o R i v e r Cape Kidnappers Elephant Hill Winery Mangapapa Hotel

Craggy Range Vineyards Mission Estate Winery Ōtātara Pā Historic Reserve Mountain Valley Waipunga Falls Hawke’ s Ba y Tutira Eskdale

Napier Hastings Puketapu

Ocean Beach TeAwanga NAPIER BLUFF HILL M A R I N E P A R A D E M A R I N E P A R A D E T E N N Y S O N S T R E E T S H A K E S P E A R E R O A D H A S T I N G S S T R E E T MUNR O E S T E M E R S O N S T R E E T R A F F L E S S T D A L T O N S T V A U T I E R S T R E E T D I C K E N S S T R E ET S T A T I O N S T R E E T 0 218 yards 0 200 metres Ocean Spa Charleston Chic Ajuna Eatery Mister D’s Hunger Monger

Pacifica Napier Beach 5

1 3 2 4 6 8

10 9