Hawkes Bay Art Deco Festival

We leave Auckland and drive into the heart of the Waikato farmland before continuing on to Taupo where we stop for lunch. From Taupo there are views across the lake to the three active volacanoes - Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu.

In the mid afternoon we drive over the hills to Napier where the Festival, commemorating the rebuilding of Napier in Art Deco style after the disastrous earthquake of 1931, is getting underway. We  check into our waterfront hotel and dine in tonight at Te Pania's restaurant.

Relax and enjoy the vibrant festival atmosphere in Napier. We receive a first hand introduction to the festival events ahead from a specialist Art Deco guide who joins our coach to take us along the Art Deco trail through Napier's suburbs.

Our tour finishes at the Art Deco Shop at the heart of the action. We wine taste at Mission Estate before lunching in Misson's acclaimed restaurant above the vines. In the afternoon there's time to browse the Antique Fair or relax back at your hotel before dinner. This evening there are events to see at the Soundshell.

Take your time over a leisurely breakfast at your hotel this morning before we step out on the streets to enjoy the vibrant atmosphere – the streets are crowded with Art Deco dressed revellers waiting for the Automobilia Vintage Car parade to start at midday. Everything from limos and coupes drive through the town to line up on display at the Soundshell where a variety of shows are underway -  bathing belle parades, big bands, jazz and much more.

Sit back on a collapsible seat or a cushion and enjoy the sight and sounds of the festival's main events. After dinner the events continue at the Soundshell.

In the morning we drive over to Hastings, also rebuilt with Art Deco architecture, to have breakfast at the Hawkes Bay Farmers' market. It's easy to see why Hawkes Bay is known as the food basket of New Zealand.

A colourful, summertime array of produce from local orchards and gardens is on display at this busy market. Later we drive up Bluff Hill a residential suburb of Napier for the sea and landscape views then lunch in the port area of Ahuriri before travelling back to Taupo and our lakeside hotel where we dine this evening.

We breakfast at the Millennium and enjoy a leisurely start and the tranquillity of the lake. We drive down to the boat harbour to take a launch cruise out on Lake Taupo to view the Maori rock carvings.

We leave Taupo and stop to see the powerful Huka Falls where the Waikato River thunders through a narrow chasm. We lunch at Lava Glass café and visit Lynden Over’s glass blowing studio and glass sculpture garden. We continue north through the Waikato farmlands arriving in Auckland in the late afternoon.