It is regarded as the garden city of New Zealand. Christchurch is located in Canterbury.
Like most cities in New Zealand, it is a city of contrasts. While known for the beautiful natural environment, it is also a growing sophisticated city.
In 1815, the first European set foot on Canterbury but it was in 1840 when the first Europeans settled on its plains. Christchurch became a city in 1856. It is the oldest established city in New Zealand.
It has a dry and stable climate. In the summer, weather is often characterized by a sea breeze and in the winter, snow falls occur on the average.
You can ride your bike, running, and rock climbing in several Christchurch parks. You can also enjoy its festivals such as the New Zealand Cup and the New Zealand Fashion Week.
You can enjoy shopping in Central City where there are lots of retail shops. Other than this, there are also lots of visitor attractions that you can visit such as the Botanic Gardens and The Arts Center and Art Gallery.
Places to Visit
1. The Cathedral Square Market. It is located in the center of the city where you can find New Zealand handicrafts of different variety.
2. Centre of Contemporary Art. It contains the largest collection of contemporary art in downtown Christchurch. It is considered as the oldest art institution in the region.
3. Christchurch Art Gallery. The city’s public art museum which contains the public collections as well international and local historical and contemporary pieces.
4. Christchurch Gondola. It offers the spectacular view of Christchurch, Canterbury Plains, and the Lyletton Harbor. You can see the whole landscape at 360° as you move towards Christchurch’s extinct volcano.
5. Willowbank Wildlife Reserve. A premiere wildlife park showing the native and introduced wildlife in New Zealand.
6. Yaldhurst Museum of Transport and Science. A hidden gem which offers an exhibit of one hundred vehicles which shows various modes of transportation from horse to buggy to classic cars to fire engines.
7. Science Alive! A good place to have fun and enjoy with the kids. It offers fun and entertainment for the whole family and has a climbing wall and gyroscope as well New Zealand’s highest vertical slide.
8. Riccarton Market. It is the biggest market in Christchurch. If you are looking for the best place to shop in the city, the Riccarton Market is a great place to shop and offers various goods to choose from.