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christchurch: general info
· city links
· history
things to do
· hostels
· tours
· photos
· trivia
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CHRISTCHURCH
Calling Code: +64 3
Christchurch is living proof that you could take to colonists out of England but you can't take england out of the
colonists. The whole project was designed to create a little slice of Kent in the antipodes and they came clost to realizing that ambition.
Christchurch is a pin-neat, arty city with lovingly restored neo-Gothic
buildings and churches. Sidewalk cafes sit alongside its meandering Avon River.
Restored tramcars ply an inner city rout. Leafy lanes and parks, sweet village
malls brimming with boutiques and a seaside suburb called New Brighton a reflection
of the city's British heritage - are a snapshot of the South Island's largest
city.
Nestled on the Canterbury Plains, Christchurch is pancake-flat, save for the Port
Hills at its edge, where a small castle at the Sign of the Takahe is a popular
events venue. The city was meant to be the model of class-structured England for
the South Pacific, not another settlement. Over the years Christchurch
has created its own flavor, which is why the town is on every visitors plan.
Christchurch is described as the most English city in New Zealand because of the
large influence of the British settlers in the late 1880s. From the Avon River
to the grand Anglican Cathedral that dominates the city square, you can feel and
observe the history that is present in Christchurch.
In recent years as the industrial sector changed and grew, so did the makeup of
the city, the end result is the vibrant and diverse metropolitan city with a lot
to offer all visitors. In close proximity to the city is the beautiful harbour
area of Akaroa, meaning "long harbour" in Maori. This was the site for the first
French settlement in New Zealand and today is home to around 650 people who strive
to maintain the feel of a French provincial village.
In 1838 Jean Langlois, a whaling captain, negotiated the sale of Banks Peninsula
from the local Maori and returned to France to form a trading company. His original
plan was to return to Akaroa and start a real French colony for the South Pacific;
this was not to happen however as the British arrived two years early and set
up a settlement before Langlois could return.
Whether feeding the ducks in the park, wining and dining at night, chilling out
with a moccachino at a sidewalk cafe, checking out the Arts Centre market at the
weekend or tearing down Port Hills on a mountain bike, the Garden City is worth
a couple of days.
Quick tips/suggestions
The city boasts the most amount of liquor licenses per capita and the countries
origins of the modern day Brew Bars, so take advantage and step out into the night.
You must visit Cathedral Square - just look for the giant spire in the heart of
the city. Everything is based around it, keeping the town small and compact. If
rugby is your thing, head to Jade Stadium for a test.
Best Way to Get Around
The historic tram will take you around the city on a 1hr guided tour and only
costs $10.
If there's a place you've stayed or something you've done, but we haven't listed,
review it for us!
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Beaches