Napier Travel Guide, New Zealand

Napier, New Zealand - Overview 

Napier is a popular city for New Zealand holidaymakers due to its pleasant climate and wonderful beaches.  It is known as a city of Art Deco, maintaining its title due to the Art Deco Trust's work.  The city's buildings have gone under massive redevelopment since the 1931 earthquake.  The natural disaster nearly destroyed every single building in Napier, leaving maybe one or two still standing.  The fast reconstruction of the city occurred only in the next few years following the earthquake, which turned the city into Art Deco, being influenced by that period’s architecture.

There are many tourist attractions in the area, which include the Hawkes Bay Aquarium, a Kiwi House, and the Marineland.  The city is also popular for its array of water sports, which includes windsurfing, parasailing, kayaking, water skiing, etc.

 Transportation

Napier is conveniently situated on the North Island's east coast, near the main shipping lane.  It handles much of the cargo moving from and to the area.  There is a full range of shipping services offered by the city's port, which include weekly container services that are complemented with great domestic transport systems.

Any point on the North Island can be reached from Napier with the Intercity coach lines.  The fares of the company provide travelers with great value everywhere and every day through its extensive network.  This is the biggest bus transportation network that operates in the country, and it has been transporting visitors, as well as kiwis, from all around the world for over 30 years.  Intercity provides quality bus transportation on coaches that are up-to-date with economic pricing.  It is recommended, however, that travels book their seat in order to be sure they get a place.

 Scenic Tours

There are many different scenic tours that travelers can enjoy throughout Napier and its surrounding area.  This is a destination that is internationally renowned for is gourmet wine and food, as well as being the Art Deco capital.  Travelers can have the chance to enjoy wine tastings, as well as visit some wineries of historic significance.  An informative tour can also be taken to learn about the city's history and heritage, covering the massive earthquake that struck Napier 76 years ago and the rebuilding of the city in its unique Art Deco style.

The city is also the host of the Art Deco Festival, which is held every year in the third week of February.  This festival lasts the whole week, celebrating with wining and dining, theater, dancing, jazz, classic vintage cars, as well as people who are dressed elegantly and glamorously in the Deco era style.