Traditionally the most English of the New Zealand cities, Christchurch has been slower than Auckland and Wellington to embrace the increasingly multicultural nature of urban NZ society. There’s still plenty to remind visitors of Christchurch’s English past though, with a grand Anglican cathedral rising from a stately square, punts gliding down the sleepy Avon River, and trams rattling contentedly along Worcester St. But scratch the surface a little, and a more dynamic Christchurch is reflected in the restored laneways and squares around Lichfield St, High St’s hip café scene and locals’ immese pride in their beautifully maintained Arts Centre.
Auckland (AKL) is New Zealand's biggest city and offers plenty to entertain and amuse. Auckland’s a city of volcanoes, with the ridges of lava flows forming its main thoroughfares and its many cones providing islands of green within the sea of suburbs. As well as being by far the largest, it’s the most multicultural of New Zealand’s cities. Auckland flights disembark at the International Airport, the main gateway to New Zealand. With its temperate climate, flights to this destination are popular all year round, but cheap flights to Auckland can be secured by booking any cheap flight found well in advance of departure. Flights to Auckland will usually involve a flight change or stop of several hours or more, and take around twenty-four to thirty hours in total from UK. You can arrange your flights so as to stopover for a longer period, in order to ease the discomfort of such long haul travel on your way to Auckland New Zealand. Fly from major UK airports London Heathrow (LHR), London Gatwick (LGW), Birmingham International (BHX), Manchester (MAN), Glasgow (GLA), Newcastle (NCL), Aberdeen (ABZ) Edinburgh (EDI), Cardiff (CWL) and enjoy our stopover packages in Singapore (SIN), Hong Kong (HKG), Los Angeles (LAX), Dubai (DXB) & many more destinations. A sizable Asian community rubs shoulders with the biggest Polynesian population of any city in the world. Far more than a base camp for New Zealand exploration, the "City of 100 Lovers," as it is in the Maori language, offers top-notch museums, scenic islands and a richly diverse cultural mix. Free City Circuit buses circle city center locations. Experience Maori influences at Auckland Museum, find Polynesian handicrafts at Otara Market or people-watch in bustling Ponsonby and Parnell. Outdoor enthusiasts will find a mélange of adventure, from kayaking and sailing to high-octane bungee jumping.
Named capital of New Zealand in 1865, Wellington was first settled by the Maori around the 11th century. Europeans arrived in the mid-1800s. The compact centre is easy to explore on foot. Take a nocturnal tour of Karori Wildlife Sanctuary to meet some colourful inhabitants. People-watch while sipping coffee in lively Courtney Place. Discover the city's Maori roots at the Museum of Wellington City & Sea, plus more of its identity at the Museum of New Zealand. Survey the city from scenic Mount Victoria. In recent years Wellington has stamped its place firmly on the world map as the home of New Zealand’s dynamic film industry, earning itself the nickname ‘Wellywood’.
