The capital of the province of Canterbury has an unmistakable British charm, with stately homes, elegantly manicured gardens and Edwardian-style punters slowly pushing boats down the Avon River.
It was established in 1850 by Anglican English settlers and the influence really shows in the imposing neo-gothic buildings.
Sadly, much of the beautiful heritage core of this city was destroyed by tragic earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. These earthquakes were one of the biggest natural disasters in New Zealand’s history and they left 186 people dead and many more homeless.
Since then, the city has been on a path to recovery and the downtown is being revitalised at an impressive pace.
You’ll see the creative ways that shipping containers and other temporary buildings have been turned into shops, pop-up cafes and unique market stalls. The restored Christchurch Tramway runs in a circular loop through the inner city, but Christchurch is small and flat enough to get around via bicycle (or on foot).
A lovely place to explore is Hagley Park, where you can watch a rugby game or go through a stroll through the sweet-smelling Botanical Gardens. Christchurch may have been shaken, but it’s still proudly carrying on. The residents have been through a lot, but they look to the future with a positive attitude and always greet visitors with a smile.