Hagley Park (165 ha), a recreation area opened in 1855, is composed of golf courses, woods, lakes and sports fields. The collection of indigenous and exotic plants in the Botanic Gardens , nestled in a bend in the Avon, hasn’t diminished the appeal ..

The Banks Peninsula, a volcanic landscape dotted with bays and charming valleys, wraps around the harbour of Akaroa , which owes its French touch to its French settlers. Lyttleton, closer to Christchurch , boasts pretty façades around the largest..

Canterbury, the country’s largest plain, boasts sheep pastures, superb beaches and the highest mountains in New Zealand. This stunning landscape attracts crowds of sports enthusiasts from Christchurch , its very British capital.

The Southern Alps are a string of snow-capped peaks and unique landscapes separating the southeastern part of the South Island from Westland, a strip of land along the coast. To be explored as soon as possible - on its large roads or on the picturesq..

It’s lovely to come upon Arthur’s Pass National Park after taking the spectacular road to reach magnificent Arthur’s Pass (920m). The mountain chain is at its highest point here at Mount Murchison (2,400m). A thrilling sight, but be sure to exercise ..

Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, on the UNESCO World Heritage List, is worthy of great respect with its 140 summits over 2,300m - including Mount Cook (3,764m), New Zealand’s highest peak. Over a third of the area is covered with glaciers such as the..

The magnificent, stark and nearly uninhabited coast on the Tasman Sea, set against the backdrop of the Southern Alps , is made for the strong of character. You’ll love the pioneer spirit of the West Coast, its rugged hospitality and dozens of peaks ..

Lake Matheson makes a wonderful tableau with Mount Cook and Mount Tasman. But the stars of Westland National Park, a treasure house of nature on the UNESCO World Heritage List, are Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Glacier, 25 km away. There are numerous e..

The Pancakes Rocks in Punakaiki, a pile of folded rocks wreathed in sea spray, are located on the edge of Paparoa National Park and are the most well-known site in the park. Another sight not to miss is the Ballroom Overhang and its gigantic mineral ..

In the 19C this steep-sided river was awash in gold. Nowadays the Shotover transports daredevils who rush down its rapids in rafts and jet-boats , or go bungee jumping (90 m). Ideal for thrill seekers.

Along with Westland , Aoraki/Mount Cook and Fiordland , Mount Aspiring National Park is one of the four national parks in the southwest on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Its high point is the angular Mount Aspiring (over 3,000m) set in a supe..

This vast, shady octagonal square is the nerve centre of Dunedin , the place where everyone meets and everything happens. The Octagon is flanked by some imposing Victorian and Edwardian buildings including St Paul's Cathedral, the Municipal Chambers..

The Dunedin Public Art Gallery houses one of New Zealand’s finest collections of European art, certain pieces dating from the 15C. More recent works by Monet, Pissarro, Reynolds, Gainsborough and Turner are featured along with those by contemporary N..

The wonders of the Otago Peninsula loom into view on the loop formed by Highcliff Road and Portobello Road. You may catch a glimpse of the extremely rare royal albatross while driving along this unparalleled coastline. Lovely Larnach Castle is also w..

You’re sure to be intrigued by the spherical stones scattered over Moeraki Beach, the result of underwater sediment accumulated 60 million years ago. The Maoris have turned these boulders shaped like cannonballs and turtle shells into a source of leg..

The agricultural plains of Southland run down to one of the country’s most beautiful coastlines, the last before Antarctica. The coast road takes you past one marvellous sight after another until you reach the most beautiful of all, the sublime Fior..

The Catlins Coast road is dotted with natural treasures, from the 160 million-year-old fossilised trees at Curio Bay and Cathedral Caves to Purakaunui Falls and the paradise of Porpoise Bay with its playful dolphins.

With its sublime fjords, including Milford Sound , waterfalls crashing down, high cliffs and great glacial lakes, Fiordland National Park, on the UNESCO World Heritage List, is one of New Zealand’s most remarkable sites with many facets to admire.

The splendour of Milford Sound, in the shadow of Mitre Peak (1,692m), has awed generations of artists and writers. You’re sure to be just as impressed by this 16km sound lying between dizzying mountain walls. To be explored by boat or on the famous M..

Rakiura National Park covers over 80 % of Stewart Island - a good reason to brave the rough Foveaux Strait crossing. The island, at the far end of New Zealand, attracts hikers and bird-watchers who come to observe yellow-crowned parakeets, large sea ..