New Zealand's largest city is draped over seven volcanoes and wrapped around Waitemata Harbour (meaning "sea of sparkling waters" in Maori). Despite its British feel, it is the world's largest Polynesian city. Shop for Polynesian crafts on Queen Street, the main drag. Or from atop Mt. Eden, overlook the "City of Sails," which will host the America's Cup races in 2000.
...exquisite architecture, great museums, and fabulous dining establishments.The accommodations and amenities in Wellington are superb, and during the summer there are many hot beach spots...
Milford Sound is simply stunning. In Maori legend, the fiords were created not by rivers of ice, but by Tu Te Raki Whanoa, a godly figure who came wielding a magical adze and uttering incantations. Milford Sound (Piopiotahi) is without doubt his finest sculpture. Whatever the fiord's mood, teeming with rain or with sun glistening on deep water, it will inspire you.
Australia's "Garden City" rejoices in its greenery, from the Fitzroy Gardens to the magnificent Royal Botanical Gardens. Hiding behind the sky-scrapers along the Yarra River are the graceful 19th-century mansions of the city's Gold Rush years. Sample one of the sixty different international cuisines, which make Melbourne the food capital of Australia.
Sydney is Australia''s showcase: the oldest settlement, the largest and most thriving city, the cultural melting pot. It curves around idyllic Port Jackson, where sandstone cliffs and bright islands complement the Opera House and Harbor Bridge. Wander the cobbled colonial streets of the historic Rocks quarter, or tour the mansions of Watson''s Bay.