Christchurch New Zealand

Christchurch is the biggest city in the south island, it is a bit bohemian with quite a 'cafe culture' and enjoys a varied night life with a good selection of restaurants and bars. There is lots to get on with during the day too and depending on your budget a variety of activities. The art galleries in the city, the museum and the Botanical Gardens are free, as is people watching in Cathedral Square, either just observing the tourists, the big chess games or the locals. Hagley park is the scene of a lot of local level sports if watching that type of thing floats your boat and is a great place to go for a run yourself.

If you have the cash then take a trip up to the gondola and a tram ride around the city. Or have a leisurely breakfast at the Antigua Boatshed followed by punting on the River Avon, a city tour, either on foot, by bus or hire a bike. There is horse riding, ballooning, rafting, fishing, surfing, parascending etc all within an hour of the city centre., and in the winter its only an hour and a half from the ski fields.

During the summer months Christchurch council manages to put on quite a few events that are free. There is Christmas in the Park at the end of November, the big Buskers Festival, a jazz festival and weekly there are events happening in Cathedral Square and along the strip. the best place to check out when and what is going on is the www.bethere.org.nz site. For those who are after culture it has its fair share of theatres, shows and art galleries too.

If you choose you can use Christchurch as a hub for a series of day trips. A day down at Akaroa where you can enjoy the scenery on the way down and either spend the day exploring the village, the Banks Peninsula, take a harbour cruise to view or swim with the dolphins or just have fish and chips down by the pier. Head north and spend the day at Hanmer springs soaking in the thermal baths or west out towards Arthurs Pass where just after Springfield there is some great rock-climbing. Wherever you go the scenery is great so make sure you have the camera with you.

We have only been here in Christchurch for a few years ourselves but so far we are finding it a good feel place. Its small enough to not be overwhelming and big enough to have a little bit of everything.