Wine stay on Waiheke
After a busy work schedule ending in Auckland, it was nice to spend a weekend on the city’s wine island, Waiheke.
The picturesque island is a 40-minute ferry ride from downtown Auckland, with a return ferry ticket costing $50 – it’s better value to book a return instead of two one-ways.
Auckland Harbour
Downtown Auckland from the ferry
The scenic residential island has three main areas for staying and dining – Oneroa, Onetangi and Palm Beach. It’s a gorgeous island of lush green gardens and rolling hills. We mastered the island’s bus system which got us everywhere we needed and conveniently ran daily until midnight.
Sunshine in Oneroa
Passing Onetangi on our wine tour
Palm Beach
We stayed in the privately managed Villa Blanc located at Waiheke Island Resort with an amazing view over Palm Beach. The villa had everything we needed for a relaxing weekend of wine, cheese and naps.
Villa Blanc Palm Beach
Wine and cheese with an amazing view over Palm Beach
The sun was out when we arrived so we went for a swim at Palm Beach, a 10-minute walk down the hill.
Just before we jumped in!
We enjoyed a not so sunset dinner at Aperitivo Bar & Kitchen in Oneroa overlooking the bay. We enjoyed the acoustic music alongside smoked fish crostino, marinated olives, heirloom tomatoes, pork belly and a bottle of red.
Dinner with a view at Aperitivo Bar
Heirloom tomatoes with cucumber mayonnaise and confit pork belly with puffed quinoa
Crostino with smoked fish, beetroot and orange
A stay on an island of vineyards wouldn’t be complete without a wine tour and we timed it perfectly with a rainy day forecast. Wineries are located on the west side of the island and the region is known for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec.
Vineyards of Waiheke
We went on a small group tour with Waivino visiting Obsidian for a tasting, Passage Rock for a tasting, olives and lunch and Postage Stamp for a tasting and camembert. The five-hour tour also took us through the main areas of the island which was a nice addition.
Arriving at Obsidian for our tasting
Tasting and lunch at Passage Rock
Freshly shucked oysters and homemade bread with charred eggplant
Postal Stamp
We ended our Waiheke wander with breakfast at Wai Kitchen overlooking Oneroa Beach on another sunny day.
Smashed avo at Wai Kitchen
It was a really beautiful stay on Waiheke with the perfect balance of enough to do and not too much to do. I would highly recommend a stay on the Island when visiting Auckland next – it feels like a world away from downtown.
Our last 24 hours was spent in Auckland enjoying a fairly relaxing afternoon, stroll around the Britomart district and a yummy Vietnamese dinner at Cafe Hanoi.
Downtown Auckland
Wynyard Quarter in downtown
Dinner at Cafe Hanoi
It’s now less than three months until Europe and I can’t wait to share all those wanders with you.
Until then…
LWL xxx