Today we backtrack a little from our first look at downtown Napier by going back to our northbound trek along Marine Parade and the shoreline. Just before reaching downtown you’ll stumble across Napier’s Sunken Gardens. As you can tell from the right side of the photo below, the gardens truly are ‘sunken’, in that they reside below Marine Parade street level. This provides one with a sense of removal from the bustling city just a short distance away.
Napier Sunken Gardens
There is more to see here than just flora, however. There are sculptures:
Napier Sunken Gardens
As well as a fountain, and even a picturesque repurposed waterwheel:
Napier Sunken Gardens
But let’s take time to sit back and smell the flowers:
In addition to the walk along the beach, make sure you also take in the sights on the parallel Marine Parade. If not, you’ll be missing some pretty interesting sights. One of those sights is an impressive group of Victorian-style homes called the Six Sisters:
Six Sisters — 1891
These houses were built in 1891 by architect Robert Lamb for his six daughters. Today these beauties are occupied by businesses rather than home owners:
Six Sisters — 1891
But even so, they do retain their charm:
Six Sisters — 1891
These Victorians are actually a bit of an oddity in comparison with Napier architecture, which appeared to me to run more toward Art Deco.
Charleston Pharmacy on Hastings Street
Continuing north along Marine Parade you eventually wind up reaching Emerson Street, which appears to be the main shopping and entertainment area for Napier. You’ll know you’ve reached Emerson when you see the green dome of a rather large Art Deco building housing several businesses, including a bed-and-breakfast and a bar:
Green Dome on Marine Parade and Emerson Street
Hang a left and you’re on Emerson. Along the way you’ll see such nifty little gems as these: