#58 GF - Auckland, New Zealand

Known as the 'city of sails', Auckland is New Zealand's largest city and one of its most striking. The North Island metropolis is blessed with a spectacular waterfront, a magnificent skyline, and more beaches than many of the country's coastal resorts.

 

Mount Cook - Wellington, New Zealand

According to Māori legend, Aoraki was a young boy who, along with his three brothers, were the sons of Rakinui, the Sky Father. On their voyage around the Papatūānuku, the Earth Mother, their canoe became stranded on a reef and tilted. Aoraki and his brothers climbed onto the top side of their canoe. However, the south wind froze them and turned them to stone. Their canoe became the Te Waka o Aoraki, the South Island, and their prows, the Marlborough Sounds. Aoraki, the tallest, became the highest peak, and his brothers created the Kā Tiritiri o te Moana, the Southern Alps.

 

Kiwi - Auckland, New Zealand

The kiwi is a unique and curious bird: it cannot fly, has loose, hair-like feathers, strong legs, and no tail. Kiwi - the national icon of New Zealand and unofficial national emblem.

New Zealanders have been called 'Kiwis' since the nickname was bestowed by Australian soldiers in the First World War.

 

View of Auckland - Auckland, New Zealand

Auckland's Sky Tower, 328 meters high, is the tallest free-standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere. In the language of the local inhabitants, the Maori people, the city is called Tamaki Macau Rau, which in free translation means "the bride of a thousand lovers". Nicknames: City of Sails, Capital of the South Pacific.

 

#30 FOTW - Auckland, New Zealand

The national fruit is the kiwi. Waikoropupu springs near Nelson contain the cleanest spring water in the world. Their capacity is 2,160,000 liters of water per day. In the local Maori language, New Zealand is called Aotearoa which means 'the country of the long white cloud'.  

Bungee Jumping - Auckland, New Zealand

The first jumpers were the native inhabitants of the Pentecost Islands (New Hebrides) in the Pacific. Young men jumped from bamboo towers, secured with lianas tied to their ankles to prove their masculinity and, according to beliefs, provide the tribe with fertility. 

Sunrise over Rangitoto Island, Takapuna Beach - Auckland, New Zealand

Rangitoto - a volcanic island lying in the bay of Hauraki. 

The Takapuna district is famous for its lively sandy beach.

Pupuke Lake is a volcano crater filled with freshwater, popular among boating enthusiasts.