Christchurch - South Island

Christchurch, the South Island's largest city on the east coast, is usually the arrival or departure point of a trip to New Zealand. It was badly hit by earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. Now that the city has been rebuilt, there's nothing left to see, apart from the cathedral, which is still under construction. The Avon River that runs through the city center adds a touch of freshness and tranquility.

This is our favorite city in New Zealand: on a human scale, with no tall buildings, lively and pleasant.

“On a human scale” because it's easy to visit this city on foot and see a large number of places adorned with little covered passageways like in Paris, ‘old-fashioned’ tramways and street art. During our trip in 2023, we walked 11km and admired :

- the Cathedral, the Chalice... on Cathedral Square

- the triangular-shaped Transitional Cathedral or Cardboard Cathedral, built as a temporary replacement for the Cathedral.

- the Bridge of Remembrance, built in tribute to New Zealand's fallen in the First World War

- New Regent Street, with its pretty pastel facades.

- the botanical garden: a pleasant garden with different areas such as the Rose Sculpture. In spring, the roses are in full bloom, looking and smelling wonderful.

Outside town, accessible by car:

- the Gondolas, about 20 minutes' drive away, offer views of Christchurch, its bay and Lyttleton on the other side (€45 for 2 people in 2023).

- Travis Wetland Nature Heritage is a protected wetland where you can watch birds from observatories: pukeko, geese, black swans...

- New Brigton Pier and its 300-meter-long pontoon, which lights up at dusk (15-minute drive).