Boutique hotels
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Otahuna Lodge
- Style
- A vision in Victoriana
- Setting
- Canterbury hill country
Christchurch Overview
South Island
- Cityscape
- Savvy South Island hub
- City life
- Punting, parks and galleries
Slung between the Pacific Ocean and the Southern Alps, New Zealand's second largest city offers a blend of old-English charm, contemporary dining and cutting-edge galleries.
This Antipodean hotspot offers more than a passing nod to England, thanks to its manicured gardens, stunning Victorian Gothic architecture, Avon River punting and pint-pouring pubs. The heart of verdant Canterbury on NZ's South Island, Christchurch has emerged as a cosmopolitan hub with a world-class art scene and exciting line-up of restaurants and bars. Use Christchurch as a base to explore the neighbouring Waipara wine region, French-toned town of Akaroa and quirky port of Lyttelton, three distinct areas that all add flavour and flare to a city that is very much on the rise.
Completely Christchurch
As the sun sets, skip the touristy drinking holes lining the Avon, and instead slip into Sol Square. Even though it's smack-bang in the centre of town, this hip dining and bar enclave 'South of Lichfield' seems to be hidden from plain sight. Seek it out for Asian-inspired cocktails at Ishimoto or a pint at His Lordships. Next, skip over to the cobblestoned Lichfield Lanes precinct for a boutique brew at the Twisted Hop or a heart-starting ristretto at C1 Espresso.
Local Knowledge
- Taxis
- You shouldn't have any trouble hailing a cab in town. There's a taxi rank on Cathedral Square and if you do need to call one, Christchurch's main companies are Blue Star (+64 (0) 3 799 799), First Direct (+64 (0)3 775 555) and Gold Band (+64 (0)3 795 795.
- Siesta and fiesta
- Shops are open 9am–5.30pm Monday to Friday, though some will stay open until 9pm on Thursday. Shops tend to shut a little earlier on the weekends, at around 5pm. Restaurants start filling up by 7pm, with last orders called around 10pm; bars stay open late from Thursday to Saturday.
- Packing tips
- Merino knits for layering (or stock up at local eco-boutique Untouched World), black and white to blend in during rugby season, and a jaunty straw boater for punting.
- Recommended reads
- A Land of Two Halves by Christchurch-based travel writer and newspaper columnist Joe Bennett offers an offbeat look at touring New Zealand. For a sneak peek into life in Christchurch in the 1860s, source an old copy of Station Life in New Zealand by Lady Barker. Read up on rugby in preparation for the NZ-hosted World Cup in 2011 with All Blacks: The Authorized Portrait by Ron Palenski. As Christchurch is the jumping-off point for Antarctica, get the lowdown on this land of ice from the big man himself, with Sir Ernest Shackleton's South: the story of Shackleton's 1914–1917 expedition.
- Regional specialities
- Christchurch is blessed with an abundance of local produce. Look out for Akaroa salmon, native bluff oysters, Canterbury venison, artisan cheeses and Waipara wines, particularly the region's aromatic whites and savoury pinot noirs.
- Currency
- New Zealand dollar (NZ$).
- Time zone
- GMT +12.
- Dialling codes
- New Zealand country code: +64; Christchurch: (0)3.
- Do go/don't go
- The summer months (December–February) are warm and dry, with temperatures typically between 27°C–33°C. Autumn (March–May) can be a tad unpredictable, so pack for cool weather. In winter (June–August) the mercury drops to around 2°C–12°C, and although spring (September–November) brings warmer days, the nights remain chilly. In September 2011, the Rugby World Cup comes to town, which may be a drawcard or a deterrant, depending on where you sit.
Don't go home without...
taking a punt (and we don't mean at the local casino). Instead, sit back and allow your Edwardian punter to guide you up and down the Avon River.
