Auckland

The most populous of New Zealand’s cities with the attractions to match.

Attractions and buildings

Aotea Square – the main square within the CBD, adjacent to Queen Street. It hosts rallies and arts festivals.
Auckland Civic Theatre – an internationally significant atmospheric theatre built in 1929.
Auckland Harbour Bridge – connecting central Auckland and the North Shore, an iconic symbol of Auckland.
Auckland Town Hall – with its concert hall considered to have some of the finest acoustics in the world, this 1911 building serves both council and entertainment functions.
Auckland War Memorial Museum – a large multi-exhibition museum in the Auckland Domain, known for its impressive neo-classicist style, built in 1929.
Aotea Centre – Auckland Civic Centre building completed in 1989.
Britomart Transport Centre – the main CBD public transport centre, in a historic Edwardian building.
Eden Park – the city’s primary stadium and a host of international rugby union and cricket matches. It hosted the 1987 and 2011 Rugby World Cup finals.
Karangahape Road – known as “K’ Road”, a street in upper central Auckland with bars, clubs, smaller shops, and a former red-light district.
Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Aquarium – an aquarium and Antarctic environment in the eastern suburb of Mission Bay, built in a set of former sewage-storage tanks.
MOTAT – the Museum of Transport and Technology, at Western Springs.
Mt Smart Stadium – a stadium used mainly for rugby league and soccer matches, and also for concerts.
New Zealand Maritime Museum – features exhibitions and collections relating to New Zealand maritime history at Hobson Wharf, adjacent to Viaduct Harbour.
Ponsonby – a suburb and main street immediately west of central Auckland, known for arts, cafes, culture and historic villas.
Queen Street – the main commercial thoroughfare of the CBD, running from Karangahape Road downhill to the harbour.
Rainbow’s End – amusement park with over 20 rides and attractions, based in Manukau.
St Patrick’s Cathedral – the Catholic Cathedral of Auckland. A 19th-century Gothic building which was renovated from 2003 to 2007 for refurbishment and structural support.
Sky Tower – the tallest free-standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere, it is 328 m (1,076 ft) tall and offers excellent panoramic views.
Spark Arena – events centre in downtown Auckland completed in 2007. Holding 12,000 people, it is used for sports and concert events.
Viaduct Harbour – formerly an industrial harbour, the basin was re-developed as a marina and residential area in the 1990s.
Western Springs Stadium – a natural amphitheatre used mainly for speedway races, rock and pop concerts.