New Zealand: Christchurch

[bjorn]

"Prettiest," "best," and "friendliest" are words often used to describe the picture-postcard city of Christchurch. And it is all true. The city's beauty surrounds you- from a gondola ride up Mount Cavendish, to a stroll through the Botanic Gardens, or a ride on the historic tram. Christchurch's Gothic revival cathedral, gray-stone nineteenth century buildings, tree-lined avenues and extensive leafy parks have preserved the grace and charm of an earlier era. The locals make you feel at home, and the cuisine is some of the best you'll taste in the Southern hemisphere.

Amongst the locals you might hear the city tagline of "Rugby, Racing, and Beer." It is true that Christchurch is a place that loves its sport and a night at the pub, but it is also the kind of place where you can just hang out and relax. There is no pressure to "tour" the city, but there is plenty to see. There's great nightlife, but it is not of the velvet rope, high cover-charge variety. There are beautiful gardens and strong English heritage, but also a youthful, bohemian edge, with an explosion of lively bars and restaurants, a strong underground nightlife, and a burgeoning of the arts community. Christchurch is the perfect vacation city.

When to go:
It is always nice in New Zealand, and there are things to see and do all year round. The warmer months (November to April) are busiest, especially during the summer (December-January) holidays. In the city, the cooler months are never extremely cold - so even in winter it is worth visiting, as there are great ski fields nearby.

What to Do:
History/Ruins:
The city has an historic air, aided by the English-style buildings, the beautiful Christchurch Cathedral, the cultural rich sights like Nga Hau E Wha National Marae (Maori meeting place). Near Christchurch are other historic areas to visit. Lyttleton Harbour- just over Banks Peninsula - is where the first British settling ships arrived. You can walk the "bridal path" that early settlers followed with their belongings over the Canterbury plains. It's a pretty area where you can gaze at the southern stars and harbor lights, stroll past historic sights, or tour some of the smaller museums.

Museums:
Museum goers will have plenty to view. The Robert McDougall Art Gallery and Annex exhibit New Zealand and international art and Canterbury Museum has fine cultural and natural collections. Air Force World captures the adventure and history of flight in New Zealand. Dr. Hein's Classic Car Collection has the poshest vintage autos.

Shopping:
Christchurch has all types of shopping, and all sorts of shops. Souvenir hunters might pick up New Zealand crafts, especially Maori artifacts. Beautiful greenstone and wooden carvings are a point of pride for the Maori/New Zealand culture and make meaningful remembrances of a trip. Super 12 and All Blacks rugby jerseys are also unique gifts for folks back home. In addition to boutiques and department stores, flea markets are fun to explore. Some popular ones include the weekend Green Point Market, and Victoria & Alfred Waterfront Arts and Crafts Market, the weekday Greenmarket Square Market and the Grand Parade Market (held Wednesdays and Saturdays).

Food/Culinary Info:
Go on a confectionary tour at the Fudge Cottage. Have a cold L & P, or a pint of Canterbury Draught. Sip some of the region's fine wines. Christchurch has a wide range of culinary tastes for you to experience. In addition to British inspired fish n' chips (don't be surprised if this comes wrapped in newspaper), there are many ethnic restaurants that range from South American to Egyptian, Greek, Turkish, Korean, Indian, Malaysian, Thai, Indonesian, Japanese, Irish, Spanish, and French.

Beach:
Visit Brighton Beach and walk or fish along the new pier, take in the scenery and watch the body-boarders and surfers. Sumner Beach is popular with a young hip crowd. At night, the beach is a popular make-out place. If you happen to be there, check out the haunted face in the clock tower.

Taylors Mistake, about 20 minutes drive from Christchurch, was named because Captain James Taylor landed there by mistake when he was trying to land in Lyttleton Harbour. The secluded beach is popular with young people for its great surf.

Riverbeds are a great summer spot to picnic, swim, or jet-boat. Waimakarari Gorge is one of the most popular.

Natural Wonders:
Christchurch, known as the Garden City, is well named with its extensive leafy parks and magnificent gardens. Christchurch Botanic Gardens is a must see if you want to learn about the local flora. If fauna is more your style, Orana Park is New Zealand's largest wildlife reserve. Willowbank Wildlife Reserve has among its displays New Zealand's largest daytime kiwi viewing area. For a relaxing and beautiful treat, take a punt down the Avon River. It's a bit touristy but the scenery is worth it.

Arts:
Christchurch is one of New Zealand's cultural centers. The Southern Ballet Theater, the Canterbury Ballet Company, and several modern dance companies are located in the city and offer performances. The Court Theater and Free Theatre are worth checking out for top quality theatre. Prefer classical music? The highly acclaimed Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, and the Christchurch Youth Orchestra, offers annual programs. There's a lunchtime classical concert series sponsored by the Christchurch School of Music and the University of Canterbury School of Music though out the year.

Festivals/Events:
Christchurch is home to an annual Jazz Festival that takes place in mid-August. Spring brings Showtime Canterbury featuring national racing events and the region's traditional agricultural and pastoral show. Summer heralds the SummerTimes festival, with a host of free outdoor events, including the hugely popular Classical Sparks. You can't have a summer in Christchurch without the Garden City Festival of Flowers or a winter without enjoying KidsFest and the Winter Carnival.

Nightlife/Bars:
Oxford Terrace and Colombo Street have a high concentration of cool pubs and clubs. Keep an eye out for street flyers to find out where local raves are. The Backpackers is a great bar for playing pool and grabbing a few cheap pints to start the night.

Cafe Quotient:
There are plenty of inexpensive cafes as well as hoity-toity ones to grab a cup of tea or a coffee. New Regent Street is a pretty place to go for wandering and people watching.

Cost:
The New Zealand dollar is the unit of currency. Costs in New Zealand are reasonable - you can stay at a hostel and eat at budget places for about US$35-40 a day.

Getting Around:
Public transportation can get you to most places you'd want to see in Christchurch. In addition to the public bus, there's a Free Bus that takes people to main destinations around the city.

Safety:
Christchurch is no more dangerous than any major city. Just be aware of your surroundings and your belongings and you should be fine.

Language:
Everyone in New Zealand speaks English, and some people speak Maori . Until recently Maori was almost considered a dead language. It is making a comeback though, and is a point of pride for many New Zealanders.

Party/Social Scene:
Christchurch has everything: pubs for pints, pool, talking rugby, dance clubs for meeting people, and raves each weekend for dancing till dawn. There's even a strip club or two in town. Whatever your desire, look around Christchurch and you shall find...

Other Info:
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