Auckland holds about 1.7 million people, a third of the national population, and sits on an isthmus barely two kilometres wide at its narrowest point, with the Waitemata Harbour on one side and the Manukau on the other. Beneath it lies the Auckland Volcanic Field: around fifty separate volcanoes, dormant rather than extinct.
The cones
Maungawhau Mount Eden, 196 m, is the highest natural point and has a crater 50 m deep; the summit is now closed to vehicles and the crater floor may not be entered, at the request of Ngati Whatua. One Tree Hill, Maungakiekie, holds an obelisk and the grave of John Logan Campbell, and preserves terraces from one of the largest pre-European Maori settlements in the country. Both are free and both give a complete view of the isthmus.
Rangitoto
The youngest volcano in the field erupted from the sea only about 600 years ago and was witnessed by Maori living on the neighbouring island. Its symmetrical silhouette defines the Auckland skyline. Ferries take 25 minutes; the summit walk is an hour each way through the largest pohutukawa forest in the world, growing directly on bare lava.
Waiheke
Forty minutes by ferry, Waiheke has more than thirty vineyards, a string of good beaches at Oneroa, Palm Beach and Onetangi, and a coastal walkway. Several cellar doors are within walking distance of the ferry; the rest are served by a hop-on bus.
The city
The Sky Tower, 328 m, is the tallest structure in the southern hemisphere and offers a glass-floored observation deck and a controlled base jump. Auckland War Memorial Museum in the Domain holds the finest collection of Maori and Pacific taonga anywhere, with a daily cultural performance. The Auckland Art Gallery is free and strong on colonial and contemporary New Zealand work. For eating, Ponsonby Road, Karangahape Road and the Britomart precinct cover most tastes.
West coast beaches
Forty-five minutes west, Piha and Karekare have black iron sand, heavy surf and a rip current that has killed swimmers — swim only between the flags when lifeguards are on duty. The Waitakere Ranges behind them hold kauri forest, though many tracks remain closed or restricted because of kauri dieback disease. Clean your boots at every station; the rule matters.
Getting around
An AT HOP card covers buses, trains and ferries. The City Rail Link is expected to transform inner-city services when it opens. Traffic is the worst in the country, so avoid driving across town between seven and nine in the morning.