Wellington

Very little remains of the history linked to the early settlers that arrived here in 1838 – a few buildings and, in particular, the names of the streets – but Akaroa, as you will discover during your MSC World Cruise, is a charming coastal town that you can easily visit on foot. 

 

A favourite holidays destination for New Zealanders, it is a good starting point for visiting the surrounding area, either with a walk along the Banks Peninsula Track or on a boat trip around the Bay to see dolphins. 

 

If you prefer to stay in town, Akaroa has a wide variety of shops and restaurants. The Akaroa Museum is opposite the Visitor Centre, where you can enjoy exhibitions dedicated to Maori craftsmanship, a twenty-minute film on the history of the settlement, photographs of the early settlers and objects associated with the whaling industry. The building that houses the Museum is also interesting because you can see the former Court House, a small Custom House and a residential building dating back to the 1840s.