After driving around the
South Island coming into Christchurch can be somewhat of a shock as this
is by far the largest city on the South Island and it can be a bit
crowded - especially in comparison to the empty roads that you find on
most of the rest of the South Island. This is not a large city by global
standards but is large by New Zealand standards - at a little more than
300,000 people total.
Be sure to notice the neat Gothic type buildings and churches which
dominate the architecture of Christchurch.
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Its not so big that you need a car to get around - if you stay close to
the center of town, you can pretty much walk to all the local tourist
attractions, museums, churches and other sites. Downtown is pretty much
the Cathedral Square area - its a great place to people watch and during
the summer they often have vendors selling items here. The Cathedral
anchors this square and is worth a visit. If you have a camera you will
be charged to use it inside the church - however you can walk in with
the camera and as long as you don't use it, there is no charge. A small
gift shop greets you and you leave the church. For more information
please visit:
www.christchurchcathedral.co.nz
Also note that there is good cheap fast Internet access in the building
across from the church near the large bank. |
An excellent restaurant which can be very crowded on weekends or Friday
nights in the summer, is Dux de Lux located on the corner of Hereford &
Montreal Streets on the edge of the Arts Center complex (see below).
Great food, salads, soups and fish dishes. They specialize in preparing
fresh produce from the "land and the sea." Hip atmosphere - order your
food inside. Plenty of outside dining is available although it does fill
up on busy days. As with many restaurants in New Zealand they will
uncork your own bottle of wine for a small corkage fee. They also have
an award winning brewery on site. Visit their website for more
information:
www.thedux.co.nz
Be sure to visit the Botanical Gardens - this is a huge natural area in
Christchurch -
very calm and serene. Great place to take a summer's day stroll. The
Avon river flows
through the heart of the gardens and there are several small
lakes/ponds. A Museum is
located near the entrance.
The Arts Center is well worth visiting. Its located in the old
Canterbury college Gothic looking buildings, which are impressive in and
of themselves. Admission to this area is free and take some time to walk
in and among the buildings. There are arts and crafts outlets located
throughout this complex as well as shops, galleries & several theatres.
Visit:
www.artscentre.org.nz - The famous scientist Ernest Rutherford who
first split the atom studied at this college -
www.rutherfordsden.org.nz
The Occidental Backpackers is an affordable guesthouse located only a
few blocks from the Cathedral Square. Roms come with single or double
beds - also dorm available. Breakfast is served for free in the kitchen
area upstairs. Near the kitchen is an entertainment room with a TV and a
coin operated Internet station. The staff is very friendly and welcoming
at this hotel. An outside wood deck is available for eating or relaxing
on. Some of the rooms upstairs have an outside balcony which runs the
length of the upstairs - so you can easily visit with dorm mates from
nearby rooms. More information:
www.occidental.co.nz
A wonderful restaurant located in the small bucolic town of Darfield (on
main street) - about 30 minutes outside of Christchurch is the Terrace
Pub & Cafe. They are open for lunch and dinner and serve excellent meat
and seafood dishes. A very friendly staff. Call (03) 318-7303 for more
information or for reservations.
More information about Christchurch in general can be found at:
www.christchurchnz.net |
