Places / Oceania / New Zealand
Christchurch
Visited in April 2010
At a glance
- Country
- New Zealand
- Region
- Christchurch City
- Population
- 383,200
- Best time to go
- December to March
- Main airport
- Christchurch International (CHC)
- Coordinates
- 43.53°S, 172.62°E
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Overview
Christchurch is the South Island's biggest city, set on the flat Canterbury Plains between the Port Hills and the Southern Alps. The 2010 and 2011 earthquakes changed it profoundly, and the rebuilt centre now mixes heritage stone with bold new architecture and plenty of street art.
It is an easy, green city to explore on foot or by bike, with the winding Avon River at its heart, and a natural gateway to Banks Peninsula, the mountains and the TranzAlpine railway.
Things to see
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Photo: Krzysztof Golik, CC BY-SA 4.0 Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Sweeping lawns, rose gardens and enormous old trees inside a loop of the Avon, right on the edge of the centre.
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Photo: Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 4.0 Christchurch Art Gallery
The region's best collection of New Zealand art, in a striking glass-fronted building.
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Photo: Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 4.0 Cardboard Cathedral
Shigeru Ban's transitional cathedral, built with huge cardboard tubes after the earthquakes, is a moving symbol of the city's recovery.
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Photo: Yvanyblog, Public domain New Regent Street
A short pedestrian street of pastel Spanish Mission-style shopfronts, with the heritage tram running down the middle.
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Photo: Tzuhsun Hsu, CC BY-SA 2.0 International Antarctic Centre
Christchurch is a gateway to Antarctica, and this centre near the airport brings the ice to life.
Tickets and tours
Things to do
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Photo: Daderot, CC0 Punting on the Avon
Glide past willows and the Botanic Gardens in a flat-bottomed boat poled by a guide in Edwardian dress.
Find tours -
Photo: Anon Mouse, CC BY 2.0 Christchurch Gondola
Ride up the Port Hills for views across the city, Lyttelton Harbour and, on clear days, the Southern Alps.
Find tours -
Photo: Hagai Agmon-Snir حچاي اچمون-سنير חגי אגמון-שניר, CC BY-SA 4.0 Day trip to Akaroa
A French-founded harbour village in an old volcanic crater on Banks Peninsula, with boat trips to see Hector's dolphins.
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Photo: Kevin Prince, CC BY-SA 2.0 Ride the TranzAlpine
One of the world's great train journeys crosses the plains and Arthur's Pass to Greymouth on the West Coast.
Find tours
Where to stay
City Centre
Walkable to the gardens, galleries and restaurants, and the best base for a short visit.
Hotels in City CentreMerivale
Leafy and upmarket just north of the centre, with good cafés and boutique motels.
Hotels in MerivaleRiccarton
Practical and good value, with plenty of motels along Riccarton Road and easy buses into town.
Hotels in Riccarton
Getting around
The centre is flat and compact, so walking and cycling work well; Metro buses cover the suburbs and the heritage tram loops the central sights.
The airport is about 12 km northwest of the centre, around 20 to 30 minutes by bus or taxi.
When to go
Summer (December to March) is warm and dry, ideal for walking and day trips. Winter is crisp and cold, with ski fields within a couple of hours' drive.
Plan your trip to Christchurch
- HotelsBooking.com
- Tours and ticketsGetYourGuide
- FlightsKiwi.com
- Attraction ticketsTiqets
- Airport parking, lounges and transfersHoliday Extras
- Car hireAuto Europe
- Mobile data (eSIM)AiraloCode DAN9406 for money off
- GuidebooksAmazon
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Guide last checked October 2026. Opening times and prices change, so check before you go.