Christchurch, the international gateway to the South Island, is famous for its natural beauty and huge range of attractions and activities. With the centrally located 161ha Hagley Park and Botanic Gardens, Victoria Park, leafy avenues, and spectacular gardens like Mona Vale on the banks of the Avon River, Christchurch certainly lives up to its internationally recognised title of “The Garden City.
There are a multitude of must-see attractions throughout the city, including:
- The Art Gallery (Te Puna o Waiwhetu) – the largest art institution in the South Island, the gallery replaces the Robert McDougall Art Gallery as the home of New Zealand’s most important public art collections. The Gallery’s collection totals over 5,500 items including paintings, prints, drawings, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, glass, metalwork and photography.
- The Arts Centre – once the site of the University of Canterbury and is now a vibrant and exciting venue for a huge range of New Zealand made art & crafts, shopping, education and entertainment. This award winning attraction includes 40 specialist shops, fine art galleries, world class theatre, art house, cafés and restaurants.
- The Botanic Gardens – founded in 1863 with the planting of an English Oak tree, the Gardens now feature one of the finest collections of exotic and native plants found in New Zealand. 21 hectares of towering majestic trees, conservatories, extensive themed plant collections, sweeping lawns and walking tracks.
- A ride on the Gondola – to 500m above sea level for magnificent 360° views of the Canterbury Plains, Lyttelton Harbour and the Southern Alps.
- A ride on the tram – an inner city tour experience that combines the heritage of the trams, attractions and historic buildings with the culture of the Garden city.
- Punting on the Avon – sit back on the velvet cushions of your boat as you travel past trailing willows and leafy banks of the beautiful Avon River.
Christchurch also has an abundance of activities and attractions, festivals, art and culture, 19th Century buildings and unique and diverse retail outlets.
Other varied attractions include the International Antarctic Centre, Orana Wildlife Park, cruising on Lyttelton Harbour or a stroll through the Cultural Precinct – education, art, science, government, religion, history and recreation all within an area of less than a square kilometer in the heart of the city.
The surrounding area is a largely undiscovered playground. The varied landscape includes rugged ocean beaches, wide braided rivers, spectacular gorges, fertile plains, and beyond to the majestic Southern Alps. From bungy–jumping, jet boating and skiing for the thrill seekers, to hiking in the Port Hills, visiting award winning wineries or punting on the Avon for those wanting a more relaxing holiday, Christchurch has it all.
