New Zealand Tourism is best known for its nature than its cities, it may be a small country, but its warmth and natural beauty is definitely not short, many cities worth a visit and are an excellent base of exploration.
With an incredible scenery, you almost anywhere you look, the coastal cities of New Zealand are situated in amazing natural areas and are truly amazing to see. They are surrounded by mountains and volcanoes, bordered by lakes, rivers and islands. New Zealand Cities and towns are a perfect destination to visit, with a passion for painting, street wall murals, live music, comedies, food markets and coffee.

What is the Best time to visit New Zealand?

New Zealand has seasons which are the same as the seasons of Australia in Northern Hemisphere.

Summer (December to February)
The best overall weather is for travelling in summer. The biggest downside is that both local visitors and foreign tourist alike have the most busy time of the year. This leads to considerably higher prices and sometimes very challenging accommodation in certain places.

Autumn (March to May)
Spectacular shifts in colours are taking place in autumn in New Zealand with bright brown russet, crimson, and golden leaves.
For those who have their self-drive holidays when you fly to New Zealand any time after Easter, the roads and the number of other visitors are always fewer.

Winter (June to August)
In the mountains the temperatures are cold, winters are relatively short and mild when you get away from it. You have crisp, clear skies for several days or nights; but it may be a little weathery on North Island. New Zealand provides a great range of Ski Fields for the enthusiastic and beginners with the ski season from June to October’s First Week.

Spring (September to November)
Spring is an excellent time to visit New Zealand throughout the year. The Southern Alps and the Mountains are beautiful and cover snow while the ski season is still coming to a close. This is an ideal moment for white water rafting for thrill seekers, when the mountain snows melt.

How to Reach New Zealand?

By Air: New Zealand is a far way from the rest of other nations. So, the only feasible way is by plane to get in. Even then, in order to get to New Zealand, flights are said to take up to 3 or more hours, and we’re talking about the shortest distance, from Australia to here, say. Auckland International Airport, Christchurch International Airport and Wellington International Airport are the three largest airports.

By Train: For obvious reasons, no trains to New Zealand are available. In New Zealand, however, you can travel by train, even if the choices are very restricted. You will travel between the three major cities of this island nation by train: Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. You can work your way through it quickly. If you want to ride, admire the picturesque areas that whisk by you.

By Road: It is apparently quite unlikely to enter New Zealand by road all the way from another country. That doesn’t say, though, that you can’t appreciate the wonders that New Zealand’s large roads have to offer, filled with magnificent mountains and huge crystalline lakes. You could take a road trip to Rotorua via the Coromandel Peninsula, which houses stunning beaches and woodlands, if you are in Auckland.

Now Coming to top Cities, here are the must Visit cities in New Zealand

1. Auckland

Auckland is the biggest city in New Zealand and the first point to reach for most people, and one of the best places to live in the world in terms of quality of life. You suddenly get the first sensation, as the two magnificent ports shine in the sun and several volcanic cones are reaching into the sky. Lush farms spread out to the horizon in the outskirts of the city. Auckland is also the largest Polynesian city in the world, a laidback place with a provincial flavour.

The city has plenty to do with stylish stores, fantastic beaches and plenty of great restaurants and bars. From one of its volcanic summits there are spectacular views. Auckland has everything with hot springs, nature reserves and stunning booths just outside the city.

Best time to visit in Auckland

Summer(December-February)
In Auckland and the rest of New Zealand, summer’s season is an outdoor time. Although the temperatures are very similar across the world, small variations occur from region to region. Auckland’s daily temperatures range from 21°C to 26°C for the perfect time to explore the area.

Winter(June-August)
Make the wettest and coldest months in Auckland from June to August. During the winter season, the temperatures are lowered by day to 15°C and by night to approximately 8°C.

Spring (September-November)
A perfect time to visit Auckland city is yet another spring. The ideal weather, not too cold or too hot, means that spring is another time when the hordes of people who start to flood into town in summer don’t find their way. The average daily temperatures between 16°C and 19°C are ideal for exploring this beautiful area.

2. Wellington

Wellington is the capital of New Zealand, the second-largest city with around 420,000 inhabitants in the bigger metropolitan area. In the early decades of the European settlement, New Zealand passed across a few capitals. However, it is conveniently situated on the ground of North Island, easily accessible from the South and the rest of Northern Island, which eventually became Wellington chosen.

Wellington has a stiff administrative hand, but it is also an artsy and artistic city. You should not skip the Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand during your visit to Wellington. When the sun shines, the best way to sense the special environment of Wellington is to stroll down the Cuba Street and along the Oriental Parade.

Best time to visit in Wellington

Summer (December-February)
Wellington’s summers are lovely and nice, often humid. The average temperature during the day is around 26°C, just above 30°C.

Winter ( June-August)
From this season the city of Wellington has been dubbed ‘Windy Welly.’ Winters produce the most precipitation throughout the year in Wellington. In addition to the rains, the winds during the season are high. Though cities in the South Island have snow, winter is a time for skiing and many other winter sports.

Spring (September-November)
Spring is known for its flora in Wellington. The temperatures are considerably higher throughout the day, although the dark clouds still remain and dominate. The hours of sunlight rise, so it is pretty good. In the season, the town often assumes a variety of colours, making it a pleasant time to visit the gardens and parks.

3. Rotorua

Rotorua is renowned for its geothermic activities, ranging from warm geysers to mineral water spas, which are located close to Bay of Plenty on Northern Island. You can visit here if you want your body and mind to be restored.

A self-catering two-bedroom City Lights Boutique Lodge is eligible for a bigger apartment. These spacious apartments, located on Mount Ngongotaha, have stunning views of the city.

Best time to visit in Rotorua

You can visit Rotorua all year round, but most people want to visit Rotorua this year, which is the summer. During the long sunshine hours, the summer is the perfect time for sightseeing and outdoor exploration in Rotorua. Spring offers the least crowds in the area to enjoy the great weather.

4. Christchurch

Christchurch is currently being renovated, as the biggest city in South Island, after the devastating earthquakes in 2010 and 2011, that have destroyed so many of its buildings. New buildings and companies open regularly, and the excitement around the place transforms it into a lively city on the move.

It’s a nice leafy area, called the ‘Garden City‘ – there are plenty of parks, museums and galleries to enjoy. The beaches of Christchurch on the Pacific Ocean and the huge population of Pacific Islanders give it a distinct taste with a very english feel. You can walk, river-raft or hike from here in the surrounding countryside.

Best time to visit in Christchurch

Summer (December-February)
The warmest season of the year is the summer in Christchurch. Summer season is the perfect time to dive into the city’s clear waters with temperatures ranging from about 21 °C to 23 °C.

Winter (June-August)
The temperature varies between 11 °C and 13 °C and the temperatures of the night are as low as 0 °C, so the nights would be very cold. The days are also much nicer with plenty of sunshine in the area.

Spring (September-November)
The spring here is thrilling and full of life with a multitude of colours over the horizon.

5. Dunedin

Dunedin, the second largest city in South Island, offers the elegance of a large and prestigious university with Scottish-inspired colonial architecture. The town was planned according to the same layout and street names as the Scottish capital. Edin’s name is Scottish Gaelic.

Situated in the far south of the southern Island of Dunedin, the Catlins area and surrounding Otago Peninsula is an ideal place from which people can discover penguins, albums and colonies of seals. Dunedin is the town with a large student population which gives it a lot of energy and is among the attractive and lively in New Zealand Dunedin is renowned for its fashion and music scenes in New Zealand.

Best Time to visit in Dunedin

Between September and April the best time to visit Dunedin is. Dunedin records 80.6°F in February as its highest temperature. In Dunedin, the lowest temperature in June is 26.6°F. Dunedin is July’s wetest month.

6. Nelson

Nelson is a city facing Tasman Bay on the South Island of New Zealand. It is renowned for its local handicrafts, coffee, galleries and restaurants. It is also the gateway to some of the finest alpine and coastal scenery, unbelievably lovely bays and slopes. Three national parks with a number of sightseeing and adventure opportunities can be found at the doorstep.
The history is presented at the Founders Heritage Park in 1841, a live museum and a vintage railway built by English settlers in 1841.

Miyazu Gardens can also be found in the park, named after their sister town of Japan. This is a popular base for nearby caving sites, cycling routes and winegrowing regions, and is easily accessible by ferry from North Island or local South Island airports. A town with the most reported hours of sunlight is obviously difficult to beat.

Best Time to visit in Nelson

January, February, March, April, November and December are the best months to have decent weather in Nelson. January, February, March and December are on average the warmest months. July is the year’s coldest month. In April, May, June, August, August, October, November and December are all the rainiest seasons.

7. Queenstown

The magnificent mountains surrounding Queenstown offer one of the finest scenes of the whole country in addition to their incredible place at the shores of Lake Wakatipu. While it is definitely blessed by scenic settings, the city has also a wonderful arts scene to enjoy for tourists as well as some delicious restaurants, delightful bars and great vineyards.
Most people however visit Queensland because it’s referred to as the world’s adventure city over 220 hair raising activities are available.

Queenstown has it all, whether it’s hiking, bungee or zip lines, paragliding or mountaineering. Its marvellous natural wonders are the ideal place for this adrenaline rush to experience.

Best Time to visit in Queenstown

Summer (December – February) is the best time to visit Queenstown, where long, sunny days are fun for outdoor activities. Outdoor activities are offered in summer, thanks to their high number.

8. Napier and Hastings

In Hawke’s Bay, on the eastern coast of North Island, there are twin towns of Napier and Hastings. The Hawke’s Bay is one of the major wine-producing regions in New Zealand, which provides plenty of food and drink.

Napier’s attractive Art Deco architecture is another distinguishing characteristic. In February 1931 Hawke’s Bay was struck by a 7-8 magnitude earthquake, destroying the cities, killing more than 250 people and permanently reducing the coastline. As the creative designer of Art Deco was in vogue at the time, numerous buildings were restored in this attractive way. An Art Deco tour is one of the key attractions of visiting Napier.

Best Time to visit in Napier and Hastings

The months between November and April are the fall and spring experiences of the city which are regarded as the fun period for Napier and Hastings. The temperature is not too hot or too cold at a modest margin.

9. Whangarei

Whangarei is the only city on the north end of New Zealand in a beautiful location. It is an entrance to the wonderful natural wonders all about it. It’s a wonderful place. The city is increasingly transforming with a laid-back atmosphere; the museum for art, the Shopping and Restaurant Complex has opened up, and the city is full of excellent bars and cafes.
Although Whangarei has many fabulous beaches on which to relax, most people go for their spectacular scuba diving on the Poor Knights Islands and enjoy the stunning scenic Bay of Islands.

Best Time to visit in Whangarei

Summers are comfortable in Whangarei, winters are long, cool and rainy, windy year-round and partially cloudy. Typically, temperatures range from 51° F to 75° F throughout the year and are rarely lower than 46°F or higher than 79°F.

10. Tauranga

Today, Tauranga is the fifth biggest city in the country. Over the years, retirees and young families alike flock here to find cheaper housing options. During its busy port, gas stations and traffic-rich streets, its beautiful seafront and the beautiful beaches make it a nice stopping place. It’s probably not the most beautiful in town.

Tauranga’s distinctive Mount Maunganui is an incredible place with world-class beach with some great restaurants and bars available. Visitors will have the opportunity to visit a wonderful live volcano to White Island nearby.

Best Time to visit in Tauranga

In the warm weather, December, January, February and March are the perfect months for your stay in Tauranga. These are the heaters in Tauranga at 24.9°C at the end of January and the beginning of February.

Explore these amazing Cities to see in New Zealand and share your amazing experience with us!