Napier

Napier, on the sunny east coast of the North Island, owes its distinctive character to catastrophe: in 1931 a massive earthquake and the fires that followed destroyed almost the entire town, and it was rebuilt at speed through the 1930s in the styles of the moment, above all Art Deco, along with Spanish Mission and the geometric Māori-influenced motifs of the day. The result is a remarkably complete and coherent townscape of low, elegant buildings with pastel facades, sunburst and zigzag details, and neon, one of the best-preserved concentrations of 1930s architecture anywhere in the world. The city celebrates it with a famous Art Deco festival, vintage cars and period dress, and a stroll or guided walk through the centre is a step into another era. Napier also sits at the heart of Hawke's Bay, a leading wine region, and looks out over the Pacific along a palm-lined marine parade.

History

Before Europeans came, the Ngāti Kahungunu chief Te Ahuriri cut a channel from the lagoon to the sea to save the cultivations around it. Captain Cook's crew saw the site in October 1769, the Crown bought the Ahuriri block in 1851 and the planned town was named after Sir Charles Napier; on 3 February 1931 an earthquake and the fires after it levelled most of the town, killing 256 people, and raised some 4,000 hectares of seabed above the sea (Wikipedia, Napier, New Zealand).

What you'll find

• The Art Deco centre - the coherent 1930s streetscape of pastel facades and geometric detail.
• A guided Art Deco walk - the stories behind the buildings and the 1931 rebuild.
• Marine Parade - the palm-lined seafront promenade along the Pacific.
• Hawke's Bay wineries - the surrounding wine country's cellar doors.

When to go

November to April is warm and sunny, this being one of the country's sunniest regions; the Art Deco festival, usually in February, is the highlight but books out early. The centre is enjoyable to walk year-round. The wineries are open through the year, with harvest in autumn.

Good to know

The appeal is architectural detail and atmosphere rather than grand monuments, so those who do not warm to 1930s design may find a stroll enough. The buildings are best appreciated with a little context, which a guided walk or the Art Deco centre provides. The Art Deco festival is wonderful but crowds the town and fills accommodation, so plan far ahead if you want to visit for it.

Nearby

The wineries of Hawke's Bay surround the city; the gannet colony at Cape Kidnappers is a short trip along the coast.

Key facts