What is the most beautiful city in New Zealand?

Question

That is close to beautiful beaches (and water), has great summers and close to good mountains for snowboarding.

Answer 1

Given the parameters in your question about mountains and snowboarding, definitely NOT Auckland.

Try Christchurch, Wanaka, Queenstown, Cromwell or Taupo.

Christchurch has an ocean beach, the others have lake beaches.

Answer 2

New Plymouth

Best water, best mountain, best parks, best chicks, best petrochemical industry, best farms, best climate, best beaches, best walks, best people.

Answer 3

Dunedin..

There is all that and more. But basically anywhere in New Zealand is like that. Christchurch would be my second option.

http://www.cityofdunedin.com/city/home.h...

...

Answer 4

anywhere really.there mountins every where and were always close to the sea.

Answer 5

hawks bay ,or  lake taupo

Answer 6

Wellington

Answer 7

Auckland suburb, Orewa, which has a beautiful climate and fantastic beaches and very friendly people.  You can go off to ski at Mt Ruapehu in the winter, and just down the road from Orewa is an indoor Snow Planet, to practice skiing during the summer!

Answer 8

Hi Martin,

That city would be New Plymouth. In fact, anywhere in Taranaki. It has the mountain for skiing and surfing and the beaches for swimming and surfing. It's great. Here is a map of Taranaki: http://www.trc.govt.nz/about+taranaki/im...

As you can see in the map, the mountain in the middle (yellow) and the coast around it.

Answer 9

Lake Taupos awesome, in the north island, but EVERYWHERE has moutains, most with snow at the top, and theres heaps of lakes and rivers and always the ocean  :p

Answer 10

I think Christchurch is really pretty however im from Wellington and I absouletly love it here

Answer 11

aukland

Answer 12

Christchurch most definiatly. its called the garden city and is full of the beautiful serenity of nature! its gorgeous!

Answer 13

Having come from South Africa myself and living in New Zealand. The town that is probably the most like Cape Town in people and feel, would be Napier. Obviously no Table Mountain but the Ruahine Ranges aren't too far off for tramping, and Taupo is a couple of hours up State Highway 5, but the water is warm, some beaches are stony but also some with white sand (black sand beaches are on the West Coast, because of past volcanic action)

Answer 14

It is hard to find a city in New Zealand that has decent weather AND sand. There isn't any white sand - well I haven't found any, although this can be found in the far north in remote areas.Many areas such as the Western beaches have black sand. Having come from Australia, the only place that came close to the white sands, surfing beach and was not remote was Mount Maunganui - Tauranga. The Mount has golden sand, fabulous beach and Tauranga is a city not just a country town. The closest snow area would be a couple of hours drive away.

Later:  But if I don't take into consideration your requirements  - I would agree with Melissa that Wellington is the most beautiful city

Answer 15

New Zealand is a beautiful Lush Green Country And they have some nice beaches but really you have to be lucky to have good warm weather. Nelson is very nice. They have a nice beach for swimming and in Winter there  is skiing at St arnauds within an hours drive, http://www.skirainbow.co.nz/   http://www.new-zealand-pictures.co.nz/ta...  Kaiteriteri beach less than 1 hour from Nelson is beautiful If you really want fantastic beaches go to Australias Gold Coast where there is surfing all year   ps those that haven't seen golden sand in NZ haven't been to Kaiteriteri

Answer 16

christchurch

Answer 17

christchurch

xxn0haxx

Answer 18

Queenstown is absolutely beautiful, but very touristy.  An amazing lake surronded by mountains, I'm not dure how long it would take you to get to a beach though.

My second choice would be Dunedin, less touristy but great city life, and amazing wildlife

Answer 19

KiaOra,

first, are you talking about ocean beaches?

Because, no matter where you are in NZ you always less than 200 miles from the ocean.

Mountains run down the backbone of the country, so, like the beaches you are never that far away.

By just guesstimating ~~ I'd have to recommend Wanaka on the South Island.  

Wanaka boasts a couple of really lovely lakes nearby with beautiful beaches.   Definitely good (world-class) snowboarding and skiing.

As far as "great" summers - can you define what "great means?"  My concept and yours might be different....Not sure what you mean, but I just had a great summer holiday there !

Sure it's a grown a bit since I first got to NZ - lots of tourists pass through and come for the snow sports - but Wanaka is still a much less touristy spot than Queenstown.  

Below is a map link and a Wanaka web link so you can check it out yourself.

Good luck in your search

=)

Answer 20

Wellington definitely

Answer 21

coromandel!...

http://cc.msnscache.com/cache.aspx?q=728...