It is well worth spending a few days exploring the regions surrounding New Zealand’s capital city, with the Wairarapa Wine Region and Martinborough’s numerous vineyards in close proximity on one side and the wild Kapiti Coast on the other.
The ideal step away from the bustle of city culture, Martinborough holidays boast a more laid back way of life. Home to over 30 vineyards, you’re never more than a short stroll away from wine tasting with friendly locals, often alongside the winemaker who made it.
Martinborough Wineries
Whole days can easily be spent wandering from vineyard to vineyard. To ensure you get to explore as many as possible, simply hire a bike and enjoy a gentle cycle along some scenic routes. Maps are readily available from the visitors centre to plan your own route, although you can easily book an escorted wine trail, if you’re unsure where to head first. For a taste tour of the area without even leaving your chair, head to the Martinborough Wine Centre, where you can enjoy samples from various vineyards, all under one roof.
When heading on holidays to Martinborough, don’t forget to pack your appetite. The simplest way to enjoy locally sourced food and wine is to pack up a picnic to enjoy in the shade of a scenic vineyard. If you’d prefer something cooked on site, then most of the vineyards are home to cafes and restaurants, whose menus are packed with fresh New Zealand produce, which can be perfectly paired with their own fine wines.
Cape Palliser Highlights
Follow the beautiful coastline to see the lighthouse on Cape Palliser, built in 1897. With over 250 steps up from the coast, the climb shouldn’t be taken lightly, but the view is more than worth the effort. If you’d prefer to stay closer to ground level, take a stroll to see North Island’s largest colony of fur seals. The large flat rocks of Cape Palliser provide the perfect place for them to lie out in the sun, and dip in and out of the water. If you’re there between November and January, make sure to keep a close eye out for seal pups.
Holidays to Martinborough mean while you are close to Wellington’s cosmopolitan city life, you’ll still feel like you are a world away.
