Here, you’ll see Art Deco, lots of it, NZ-style. Just walk down Marine Parade, the tree-lined, waterfront main drag, or any of the surrounding streets and you’ll discover a surprising collection of 1930s buildings in delineated geometric patterns and zigzags, embellished here and there with those characteristic arches. There are spillover cafés in the city center, too, where you can splash for a cup of Earl Grey tea or a mug of hot cocoa alongside a stack of buttery pikelets (small pancakes), or opt for a Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris or Syrah to chase down a slice of apple crumble. There are weekend open-air markets to rummage in, and a couple of sandy beaches within a stone’s throw of town where you can burrow your toes into the sand and soak up the sunshine. And if you go to, say, the top of Bluff Hill and look down, southward, you’ll be treated to a sweeping view of the city. Sweet stuff.