Leave the city and enter a contemporary style of country life that fully embraces the pleasures of fine wine and good food. Drive through the scenic hills and roadside orchards to embrace the true beauty that is the Wairarapa.

Wairarapa is about one and half hours drive north from the capital city of Wellington. The region is bordered by the rugged Tararua Mountains to the west and the wild Pacific Ocean to the east.

Known for its hot, languid summers, the Wairarapa provides a relaxing, refined country break away from the pressures of urban life.

In and around Martinborough wine village, famed for its award-winning Pinot Noir, you'll discover a host of welcoming vineyards. Continue the trail through Gladstone and Masterton—the home of The 540 Lodge.