Sitting Pretty In The Garden City
Internationally recognised for its award-winning gardens, elegant and sophisticated Christchurch is surrounded by a breathtaking backyard, including the vast Canterbury plains and dramatic Southern Alps, the extinct volcanoes of Banks Peninsula, stunning coastline and fresh snow-fed rivers. Visitors and residents alike can enjoy the variety of activities and experiences this unique playground has to offer.
Known as The Garden City, Christchurch certainly lives up to its name, with gorgeous parks and gardens right in the city centre. Discover the cycle and walking trails in tranquil Hagley Park or take a stroll in the Botanic Gardens and enjoy the beautiful blooms. A punt ride down the Avon River is the perfect way to experience the city’s beauty, as you glide beneath the weeping willows.
SOL Square and Poplar Lane have been described as Christchurch’s urban gardens. These revitalised heritage precincts are now home to hip restaurants, cafés, bars, nightclubs and fashion boutiques. For riverside relaxation, bask in the afternoon sun with a glass of wine at the renowned Oxford Terrace Strip.
The city’s Cultural Precinct – home to Cathedral Square – is bustling with arts, markets, cultural and heritage activities. From Cathedral Square, the delightfully restored Christchurch Tramway loops through the precinct past the modern Christchurch Art Galley, the classic Arts Centre, Christchurch Botanic Gardens, Canterbury Museum, Victoria Square and the Spanish Mission-inspired architecture of New Regent Street.
Out and About in the Garden City
Ride the Hagglund Snowcat at the International Antarctic Centre. Located near Christchurch International Airport, the award-winning International Antarctic Centre lets you get up close to Little Blue Penguins, watch an Antarctic movie and take a ride on the exhilarating Hagglund snowcat. The centre pays tribute to the city’s heritage as a stop-over en-route for Antarctic explorations.
See Canterbury from the Skyline with Christchurch Gondola. A must-do for visitors to Christchurch, the gondola gently lifts you to the top of the Port Hills, where sweeping 360deg views unfold of Christchurch, Banks Peninsula, Lyttelton Harbour and across to the Southern Alps.
Glide down the Avon on a Guided Punt Tour. This is the perfect way to see the city and you have two trips to choose from. Glide past beautiful Hagley Park with its trailing willows and leafy banks, or journey through the central city, gliding 
alongside the historic buildings.
Step Back in Time at Tamaki Heritage Village. For a Maori cultural experience with a difference, Tamaki Heritage Village takes you on a journey through times past for a night of drama, action and feasting. Trams, an old steam train and historic buildings fill the sets, as it recreates the impact of colonisation and the devastating Musket Wars.
Watch a Kiwi Hatch at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve . Get up close to New Zealand’s fascinating wildlife at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, near the airport. 
You can see a tiny kiwi hatch and observe the kiwis up close in their natural habitat, and be enchanted by Ko Tane, the Maori cultural experience within the natural reserve.
Go Racing with The Horsepower Experience. This unique experience at the Horsepower stables lets you enjoy the thrill of racing magnificent thoroughbred pacers. You’ll also learn horse handling tips from some of the country’s finest handlers.
Enjoy a ballooning adventure with Balloon Adventures Up Up and Away. Where else in the world can you lift off right from the city centre? Glide high above the Canterbury Plains and take in the breathtaking views of the Southern Alps.
Useful Information
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Thanks to Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism for images and editorial