Christchurch & Canterbury
Straddling the Southern Alps, known to Māori as Ka Tiritiri o Te Moana (Steep Peak of Glistening White), this vast alpine wilderness became the South…
Must-see attractions in Christchurch & Canterbury
Christchurch
Strolling through these 30 blissful riverside hectares of arboreal and floral splendour is a consummate Christchurch experience. Gorgeous at any time of…
Christchurch
Damaged in the earthquakes, Christchurch's fantastic art gallery has reopened brighter and bolder, presenting a stimulating mix of local and international…
Christchurch
A must-visit for anyone interested in understanding the impact of the Canterbury earthquakes, this compact museum tells stories through photography, video…
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Christchurch & Canterbury
It's fitting that Waipara Valley's premier winery should have the loveliest setting and one of Canterbury's best restaurants (mains $36 to $43). Verdant…
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Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park Visitor Centre
Christchurch & Canterbury
Arguably the best DOC visitor centre in NZ. It not only dispatches all necessary information and advice on hiking routes and weather conditions, it also…
Christchurch
Dating from 1877, this enclave of Gothic Revival buildings was originally Canterbury College, the forerunner of Canterbury University. The buildings are…
Christchurch
Yes, there's a mummy and dinosaur bones, but the highlights of this museum are more local and more recent. The Māori galleries contain some beautiful…
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Christchurch & Canterbury
Located within Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve, Marble Hill is home to one of NZ's most beautiful DOC camping grounds – a row of sites tucked into beech forest,…
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Christchurch
Historic Riccarton House (1856) sits proudly amid 12 hectares of pretty parkland and forest beside the Avon River. The grounds host the popular…
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Christchurch & Canterbury
Near Broken River Bridge, 2km northeast of Castle Hill, you'll find this 594m-long cave. As indicated by the information panels in the car park, the walk…
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Te Papa Ōtākaro/Avon River Precinct
Christchurch
One of the city's key post-earthquake redevelopment projects is reinvigorating the area around the Avon (Ōtākaro) River. Running along the river as a self…
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Christchurch & Canterbury
The picture window behind the altar of this pretty stone church (built in 1935) gives worshippers a distractingly divine view of the lake and mountains;…
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Christchurch
Take a ride to the top of Mt Cavendish (500m) on this 862m cable car for wonderful views over the city, Lyttelton, Banks Peninsula and the Canterbury…
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Christchurch
Wrapped around the Botanic Gardens, Hagley Park is Christchurch's biggest green space, stretching for 165 hectares. Riccarton Ave splits it in two, while…
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Christchurch
Orana is an 'open range' zoo, and you'll know exactly what that means if you opt to jump in the cage on wheels for the lion encounter ($52.50 per person)…
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Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial
Christchurch
Unveiled in 2017, this moving monument comprises a 100m-long memorial wall, curved along the south bank of the Avon and engraved with the names of the 185…
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Christchurch & Canterbury
Scattered across lush paddocks around 33km from Springfield, these limestone formations reach up to 30m high, and look so other-worldly they were named …
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Christchurch & Canterbury
Perched on a hillside overlooking the valley, this striking black barn is home to some excellent drops – try the pinot noirs from the winery's three…
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Christchurch & Canterbury
The variety of craft beers available to taste at this wee brewery never wanes. Stop in to fill a rigger (flagon) to take away, or sup an ale alongside a…
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Christchurch
Universally known as the Cardboard Cathedral due to the 98 cardboard tubes used in its construction, this interesting structure serves as both the city's…
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Christchurch
Willowbank focuses on native NZ critters (including kiwi), heritage farmyard animals and hands-on enclosures with wallabies, deer and lemurs. There's also…
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Christchurch & Canterbury
Sitting in a pretty glade right next to the general store, this gorgeous little Anglican church (1885) has a warm wooden interior and some interesting…
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Christchurch & Canterbury
Opened in 2019, the Ngāi Tahu Lake Pukaki Centre presents the historical, geological and Māori cultural background of the lake and the region. Don't miss…
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Christchurch & Canterbury
At 27km long and up to 4km wide, the Tasman is the largest of NZ's glaciers, but it's melting fast, losing hundreds of metres of length each year. It is…
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Christchurch
Christchurch's city square stands at the heart of the rebuilding efforts, with the remains of ChristChurch Cathedral emblematic of what has been lost. The…
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International Antarctic Centre
Christchurch
As one of only five 'gateway cities' to Antarctica, Christchurch has played a special role in Antarctic exploration since expeditionary ships to the icy…
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Christchurch & Canterbury
Just off the highway, this mountainous area becomes a mecca for ski bunnies from June to October, with several fields in its midst, including Broken River…
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Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre
Christchurch & Canterbury
This multimedia museum opened just three weeks before the 2008 death of the man regarded by many as the greatest New Zealander of all time, explorer and…
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Christchurch
Canterbury College's most famous alumnus was the father of nuclear physics, Lord Ernest Rutherford, the NZ physicist who first split the atom in 1917 …
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Christchurch & Canterbury
On the town’s northwestern fringe, Talbot Forest Scenic Reserve is a good place for a peaceful wander. Leafy delights include lofty kahikatea (white pines…
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Christchurch & Canterbury
A somewhat dusty window on to rural NZ of old, this museum endears with its farm machinery, model aeroplanes, dodgy dioramas and eclectic ephemera…
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Christchurch & Canterbury
With more animals than Dr Dolittle's, this farm park is great for kids. Llamas, Tibetan yak, deer, goats, guinea pigs and chinchillas all feature, and…
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Geraldine Vintage Car & Machinery Museum
Christchurch & Canterbury
Rev-heads will enjoy this lovingly maintained vintage car collection, featuring a 1907 De Dion-Bouton and a gleaming 1926 Bentley. There's also a purpose…
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Christchurch & Canterbury
Occupying the photogenic Town Board Office building (1885), this cute little museum tells the town's story with an eclectic mix of exhibits, including an…
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Christchurch
This majestic bridge and archway spanning the Avon River is a memorial to those who lost their lives in two world wars and conflicts in Vietnam, Borneo,…
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Christchurch
Housed in the Arts Centre's beautifully restored 1916 Library building, the Central Art Gallery exhibits contemporary works by established and emerging NZ…
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Christchurch
At the top of the Bridle Path, overlooking Lyttelton, this stone shelter commemorates the courage and hard work of the region's pioneering women.
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Teece Museum of Classical Antiquities
Christchurch
Part of the University of Canterbury, this petite, well-designed museum has an interesting collection of Greek, Roman and Egyptian antiquities.
