Winston Aldworth: Under 50 bucks for an Auckland fiver

See Auckland city in a day for under $50. Photo / Thinkstock

Our young German friend flew out last night. Before her evening departure, she had one day — and not quite a full day, either — in which to see Auckland. We'd already taken her up Mt Eden, and she'd picked up some souvenirs for family and friends from a shop in town.

"What should I do with my last day?" she asked.

We came up with a one-day, five-hit list of central Auckland's best. Bear in mind she had no car, was low on time and fairly low on cash.

1. The Sky Tower. Our friend's student ID card meant she could see the the best tower view in Australasia for just $18.

2. Ferry to Devonport for lunch. Comes in at $11 return, which is quite a bit but if you're coming to the City of Sails, you've got to get on the water somehow. There's not a lot of places to eat cheaply in Devonport, so we said to make herself a sandwich at our place in the morning.

3. The Auckland Art Gallery. Free as a bird.

4. Auckland Museum — also free. The bus up there would cost a couple of bucks, but for a continental European, the museum offers a rare chance to see some fantastic Polynesian artifacts.

5. A flat white at an excellent cafe.

So, an Auckland fiver for less than $50. What did we miss? Leave your suggestions in the comments.