Christchurch City - South Island, New Zealand

Christchurch, the capital of Canterbury region, is the second largest city in New Zealand. The Anglican Church Cathedral towers over the Christchurch skyline with its 19th century classic gothic architecture. Its spire is 63 metres long with stunning vistas of Christchurch, and the square around it is the focal point of the city.

The streets of Christchurch form a grid fanning out from Cathedral Square and the downtown part of the city is contained within the Four Avenues namely the Moorhouse, Fitzgerald, Deans and Bealey Avenues. The Italian-style Old Post Office and the Andrea Palladio style architecture of the former Government Building stand out next to their gothic style building counterparts.

The Old Post Office contains the Visitor Centre and the Southern Encounter Aquarium. Outside it is a statue of Robert Godley, member of the Canterbury Association and the founding father of Christchurch. The Memorial of the Four Ships nearby is a tribute to the four ships sent to create a model Anglican community.

The Chalice sculpture has become a symbol for expression of public grief and is littered with flowers and messages. The majority of the shops, bars and cafes are concentrated to the South of the Square. High St and Lichfield St are popular spots.

To the north of the Square is the attractive New Regent St with trendy cafes and stores and buildings reflecting the Spanish Mission style of architecture. On the western side of the Square are the gentle Avon River and the modern Town Hall and Convention Centre.

A few yards down the river are the magnificent Provincial Government Buildings with the Great Hall, a masterpiece of 19th century gothic architecture, bearing testimony to the greatness of Christchurch's famous architect Benjamin Mountfort. Heading north, you find the casino and the Victorian Clock Tower.

The Christchurch Art Gallery is a very spectacular example of modern day architecture, located at the corner of Montreal and Worcester Boulevard. It houses a large collection of local and international artworks as well as a ceramics and glassworks collection.

The Arts Centre is located diagonally across from the Art Gallery with a multitude of restaurants, food stalls, galleries, cinemas and the Court Theatre. The artifacts created in the stores in the Arts Centre form the bulk of the sales at the weekly Craft Market held at Market Square.

In the vicinity is the Rutherford Den which houses the laboratory in which Nobel Prize winning Ernest Rutherford worked. The Town Hall and the Arts Centre are home to serious music and drama events.

Across from the Arts Centre is the Canterbury Museum, another example of neo gothic architecture built in late 19th century. Its most famous exhibit is the Exploration of Antarctica as many expeditions have used New Zealand as their launching point.

There are other Maori treasures and geology related exhibits. The city ends at the Museum and the magnificent Hagley Park takes over. It is the home of the incredible Botanical Gardens with its exotic collection of plants and herbs, a beautiful golf course and ample playing fields. The Park is a favourite haunt of the Christchurch populace.

The Avon River loops around the Gardens and you can explore this on your own by hiring paddleboats, canoes or rowboats, or you can hire the services of a guide to punt you along the river. Tickets are available at the Visitor Centre.

The southern side of Hagley Park ends at the Christchurch Hospital with the Nurses Memorial Chapel, a beautiful memorial for nurses who served during World War I.

On Oxford Terrace is the belltower adjacent to the St Michael and All Angels Church. This houses a bell that came along with one of the first four migrant ships. It served as the timekeeper for the early settlers and was rung every hour. A couple of blocks from the church is the active Canterbury Brewery which offers a Heritage tour.

Christchurch has the largest number of eateries, bars, pubs and clubs in the entire South Island. The mindboggling variety of gourmet and ethnic cuisine available has to be experienced first hand. There are the typical pubs dishing out cheap meals and booze, there are several themed restaurants with live music, and there are the trendy bars and cafes with great food and music.

The distinction between restaurants and bars is fairly blurred with most places offering both as well as entertainment and dancing. The Dinner Tram gives you a chance to savour local cuisine and kiwi delicacies while simultaneously enjoying the sights of Christchurch nightlife. Colombo and Cashel Streets within the city are famous drinking spots. The Strip along Oxford Terrace is another popular haunt for spirited revelers. Lichfield St is famous for its dance clubs.

Christchurch Activities:

Outside of the Four Avenues, North Hagley Park leads to the Canterbury Horticultural Society whose prized exhibit is the beautiful Mona Vale. The gardens are resplendent with roses and dahlias, rhododendrons and perennials, along with a Bathhouse. There is also a restaurant providing lunch.

Close by is the Deans Bush, a native forest containing several 500 year plus old trees which was planted by the Deans brothers, William and John. They built the Deans Cottage, the oldest house in the Canterbury region and their descendants built the grand Victorian structure of Riccarton House.

Past Deans Bush, the Memorial Avenue leads to the airport and also the International Arctic Centre showing New Zealand's active participation in all matters relating to the icy continent. There are several interesting video and digital photo presentations, traditional and interactive displays.

The Snow and Ice Experience lets you experience a -5 degree snow environment. The highlight of the tour is the fifteen minute Hagglunds Ride in a buggy. There is a cafe and a fantastic gift shop on the premises.

Past the northern side of the airport, there are a couple of interesting zoological parks in Orana Wildlife Park with a variety of wildlife and Willowbank Wildlife Reserve with great native birds. Southwest of Hagley Park, a 20 minute drive leads to the Air Force Museum containing most of the World War II fighter planes.

The Christchurch Gondola is a fascinating cable car ride that climbs the 94 metre summit of Mt Cavendish in the Port Hills countryside surrounding Christchurch. You can experience stunning views of Christchurch, the Canterbury Plains, the Banks Peninsula and the Southern Alps. The Gondola Terminal is located at the entrance to the Lyttelton tunnel, a 15 minute drive from Cathedral Square.

From the mount summit, you can enjoy a scintillating tandem paragliding experience. Alternatively, you can join the bike tour operator and bike your way down along well laid out hill tracks to the base. The easiest option is to return by cable car itself.

Christchurch has attractive beaches in its suburbs of Sumner and Redcliffs. There are great accommodation and eating choices here. Waimari Beach is a great place to go for a swim or just to lounge on the sands. New Brighton is a hub of activity with a lovely stretch of sand and it has a long concrete pier occupied by casual fishing enthusiasts.

There are a variety of eating spots around this place. Beyond this, Marine Parade runs north to the Queen Elizabeth II Park, a stadium and swimming pool centre built in 1974 for the Commonwealth Games. South of New Brighton are a couple of superb bird watchers delights in the form of Te Huingi Manu and Te Huingi Martu wildlife reserves.

Redcliffs, located at the mouth of the estuary, has dull red cliffs which give it its name. It is a popular beach community along Main Road. The base of the cliffs have been eroded by the sea which has given rise to a series of caves, the famous ones being Moa Bone Point Cave and Moncks Cave. The Barnett Park provides a well-formed walking track in the Barnett Park Walkway.

Following the coast past Redcliffs, the estuary beaches become sea beaches of which Sumner occupies the pride of place. It has beautiful golden sand over long stretches and is ringed by cafes, bars, craft shops, surf gear hire and cinemas.

The highlight of the beach is the Cave Rock. There are surfing lessons available at the beach along with surf gear for hire. The best surfing spot is 2 kms south at Taylor's Mistake.

Christchurch, the garden city of New Zealand and pride of the Canterbury Plains is an incredible blend of ancient quaintness and modern world vibrancy, energetic to the core and at the same time displaying its traditional origins.

This cradle of the South Island is yours to enjoy and cherish. LooknbookNZ can help you with your Christchurch Accommodation and Christchurch Activities bookings and allow you to take in all this beautiful city has to offer.