Napier & Hawke's Bay

The “Art Deco capital” rebuilt after the 1931 earthquake, with winery cycling across Hawke's Bay, Te Mata Peak and the Cape Kidnappers coast.

Napier and Hawke's Bay lie on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island at the heart of the Hawke's Bay region. Napier and Hastings are about 20 km apart and, together with Havelock North, form the “Twin Cities”. The 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake devastated both cities; Napier was then rebuilt wholesale in Art Deco style and is hailed as the “Art Deco Capital of the World”, while Hastings largely adopted the Spanish Mission style. Sunny Hawke's Bay is New Zealand's second-largest wine region, famous for Bordeaux-style reds and Syrah from the Gimblett Gravels, as well as vast apple and stone-fruit orchards. The area divides into three parts: Napier city (Art Deco architecture tours, Marine Parade, the National Aquarium, Bluff Hill and the Ahuriri waterfront); the wineries and farmers' markets of the Heretaunga Plains, Havelock North and Te Mata Peak; and the coastline (Cape Kidnappers, Ocean Beach, Waimarama, and to the north Lake Tūtira and Shine Falls). The climate is mild and dry; summer (Dec–Mar) is best for beaches and Cape Kidnappers (gannet season runs roughly Oct–Apr), February brings the Art Deco Festival, and Mar–Apr is harvest season. Getting there: Hawke's Bay Airport, on Napier's northern outskirts, has flights to Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch; it's about a 2-hour drive from Taupō and 4 hours from Wellington. The plains are flat, and the roughly 200 km Hawke's Bay Trails cycle network links the coast, towns and wineries – rent a bike for a wine-tasting ride. Allow 2–3 days, and note that drink-driving laws are strict.

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