Christchurch is a city that has earned its second look. New Zealand’s third-largest city was devastated by a series of earthquakes in 2010 and 2011 — the February 2011 event killed 185 people and destroyed much of the central city — and the decade and more of rebuilding that followed has produced something genuinely interesting: a city that has thought carefully about what it wants to be. The results are uneven in places, still incomplete in others, but Christchurch today is a more dynamic and considered city than it was before the earthquakes. It is worth spending more than a night here.
It is also, despite everything, still the Garden City. The Avon River winds through the centre, the Botanic Gardens remain intact and beautiful, and the flat Canterbury Plains extending to the Southern Alps make the setting as dramatic as anything in New Zealand.
I visited Christchurch some time ago, and the city has changed significantly since then. What follows draws on recent visitor reports and updated sources.
A Little Background
The Canterbury region has been home to Ngāi Tahu — the principal iwi of the South Island — for many centuries. European settlement of the Canterbury Plains began seriously in the 1850s, with the Canterbury Association establishing Christchurch as a planned Anglican settlement. The city grew steadily as a service centre for the farming hinterland; by the twentieth century it was established as the South Island’s commercial hub.
The Canterbury earthquake sequence began in September 2010 (magnitude 7.1, no fatalities) and culminated in the February 2011 event (magnitude 6.3), which struck at 12:51pm on a Tuesday while the city centre was full of people. The collapse of the CTV and PGC buildings accounted for most of the deaths. The subsequent rebuild — still ongoing — has made room for innovation: laneway bars, container precincts, new cultural institutions, and some striking new architecture alongside the restored heritage buildings that survived.
What to See and Do
Christchurch Botanic Gardens occupy 21 hectares in the centre of the city, bounded on three sides by the Avon River. Founded in 1863, they remained undamaged by the earthquakes and continue to function as both a working botanical collection and the city’s most pleasant open space. Entry is free. The Gondola Garden Tour (a guided shuttle through the gardens) is a paid option; most visitors are happy simply to walk.
The Christchurch Gondola climbs 500 metres to the rim of an extinct volcanic crater in the Port Hills, giving panoramic views over the city to the Canterbury Plains and, on a clear day, out to sea. The ride itself is eight minutes each way; the view at the top justifies the journey. Adult fare approximately NZ$85; combo packages with punting and tram available.
Punting on the Avon is a slower and equally worthwhile way to see central Christchurch — flat-bottomed boats poled along the Avon through the Botanic Gardens, past weeping willows and restored bridges. It is unhurried and pleasant. Adult approximately NZ$85; available from Antigua Boat Sheds near the gardens.
Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū reopened after earthquake strengthening and is one of the better provincial art museums in New Zealand. The permanent collection covers New Zealand and international work; temporary exhibitions are usually strong. Admission to the permanent collection is free.
The Tūranga Central Library and surrounding Te Kaha precinct represent the most ambitious of the city’s rebuild projects — a new central library opened in 2018, with civic buildings, public spaces, and the new stadium development (Te Kaha, due for completion 2026) nearby. Worth a walk through to see what the rebuild has produced.
New Regent Street is a short pedestrianised lane of Spanish Mission-style terracotta shopfronts built in the 1930s — somehow one of the most charming streetscapes in New Zealand, lined with cafés, bars, and small shops. The heritage tram runs past it. A good starting point for an afternoon in the city.
Akaroa, on the Banks Peninsula an hour’s drive southeast of Christchurch, is a former French colonial settlement on the rim of an ancient volcanic harbour. Hector’s dolphin encounters, French-inflected architecture, and a very good food scene make it an excellent half-day or full-day excursion from the city.
Getting There
Christchurch Airport (CHC) is one of New Zealand’s two international gateways — direct flights from Australia, Singapore, and other long-haul destinations, as well as frequent domestic connections from Auckland and Wellington. Air New Zealand and Jetstar serve the main domestic routes. The airport is 12 kilometres from the city centre; taxis and shuttle buses are available, as is public bus (route 29).
Cost and Hours
Botanic Gardens and the Art Gallery are free. Major paid experiences — gondola, punting, tram — cost NZ$80–90 each; the Christchurch Pass combining all three runs approximately NZ$122 per adult. Allow at least two days to do the city justice, more if you plan to visit Akaroa or use Christchurch as a base for a day trip towards the Southern Alps (Arthur’s Pass is 1.5 hours west and is spectacular).