Auckland: Water to Wine

Auckland, home to a third of the civilians in New Zealand and noted as New Zealand’s largest city is one travel location you must consider. Birthplace to warm climate, summers are warm and winters are damp and mild. With the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world, weather conditions here are not made for complaining. In 2011 Mercer Quality of Living Survey, Auckland ranked 3rd in the world on its list.The skyline of Auckland, New Zealand, seen from a ferry returning from nearby Waiheke Island.Enjoy eateries at Toru Café, a place of two halves. Toru serves everything from smoothies to beer, bringing visitors delicious and innovative food, homemade baking and organic Three Beans coffee. You must indulge in Toru’s ricotta pancakes with whipped salted caramel butter and vanilla sugar. If you’re truly at Auckland’s Toru café, give their corned beef, colcannon and sauerkraut a try as well. Toru café is the latest project of the owners of award winning cafes; Teed Street Larder and Wai Kitchen.Mod-style Toru CaféConsidering you’ve filled your stomach and wanted to do a bit of sight-seeing, Auckland’s Sky Tower is the perfect follow-up. An observation and telecommunications tower located on the corner of Victoria and Feral Street; it is 1,076 ft tall and deemed as the tallest free-standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere. This is one of Auckland’s most iconic structures within their skyline. The new Depot restaurant offers top-notch fresh seafood, sitting pretty as the base of Auckland’s giant Sky Tower.Auckland’s Giant Sky Tower.Fresh seafood at the Depot restaurant.Photo Source: NY TIMES, Getty Images; Mark Coote