Napier walking tour & city guide

Art Deco

The center is full of pastel buildings with geometric decorations. Vintage cars and costumes fill the streets during the Art Deco Festival every February.

Coast and wine

Marine Parade, lined with Norfolk pines, runs along the sea. Hawke's Bay is one of New Zealand's main wine regions, and Te Mata Peak offers sweeping views.

A city rebuilt in Art Deco

On 3 February 1931, a powerful earthquake and the fires that followed destroyed most of Napier. The city was rebuilt quickly in the fashionable styles of the time, and today it has one of the most complete collections of Art Deco buildings in the world. Pastel facades decorated with sunbursts, zigzags and Māori patterns line the streets of the center.

The best way to see them is on a guided walk from the Art Deco Centre, or from the seat of a vintage car. The Daily Telegraph building, the National Tobacco Company building in nearby Ahuriri and the Marine Parade sound shell are highlights. Every February, the Art Deco Festival brings jazz, vintage costumes and old cars to the streets.

Around Hawke's Bay

Napier sits in Hawke's Bay, one of New Zealand's oldest wine regions, known for Syrah and Chardonnay. Flat cycle trails lead from the city through orchards and vineyards, making it easy to visit wineries by bike. The Marine Parade, lined with Norfolk pines, is a pleasant walk along a long pebble beach.

Te Mata Peak, near Havelock North, offers a sweeping view of the bay and the plains. From October to April, tours visit Cape Kidnappers, home to one of the largest mainland gannet colonies in the world.