Luxury hotel holidays to Auckland and environs

An Expressions tailor-made holiday to Auckland sets the tone of a trip to New Zealand in many ways; you see an expanse of water and shades of green of volcanic hilly peaks and open grassy fields. The vista is unashamedly attractive; eye-catchingly pretty and incredibly welcoming. Auckland is New Zealand’s largest and fastest-growing city. It has a feel that is at once historic with its houses of timber weatherboard, corrugated iron rooves, gables, bays and decorative fretwork yet also forward-looking with striking modern architecture, the redeveloped waterfront and the 328-metre-high Sky Tower. Above all, Auckland is a city on the water. Dominated by Waitemata Harbour, Auckland probably has the most pleasure boats per capita of any city in the world. Sailing is perfect with safe harbours, nearby islands to visit and a temperate climate. Just across the harbour are the Hauraki Gulf Islands, some of the most idyllic islands in the world, either as perfect recreational spots for people or as protected sanctuaries for rare birds and native trees and plants. Waiheke Island is one of the largest and whilst people do commute the 30 minutes or so by ferry to Auckland, it is also a beautiful holiday spot with its white sand beaches and coves, vineyards and olive groves. Not far from Auckland are surf beaches on the western coast, Orewa’s 2-mile sandy beach forty minutes’ away, vineyards at Henderson about an hour away and fruit and vegetables at Kumeu.