Nestled around the bays, coves and inlets on the cusp of New Zealand’s central ball-and-socket joint that connects the volcanic rises of North Island to the snow-tipped alpine mountains of the south, pretty little Nelson City really is one of the country’s hidden gems.
Right from the get go travellers here are treated to stunning scenery, with the undulating hills and farmlands of Motueka opening up into the wide Tasman Bay, crowned on the north-western end by the shimmering beaches, turquoise seas and forest-clad peaks of the Abel Tasman National Park (easily reachable from Nelson town).
Closer to the centre, visitors can opt for a spot of beachcombing on the city’s sandy Tahunanui Beach, or quiz their Nelson tourist guide for a selection of the city’s sights that honour its English namesake; the Nelson Market on Montgomery Square; the leafy Founders Park; the tellingly-named Trafalgar Street. Adventure travellers can look forward to paragliding, sea kayaking and the ubiquitous New Zealand skydive to those who dare!