Christchurch Botanic Gardens
A large garden curving around the Avon River, with themed collections, glasshouses and shaded lawns. It is one of the city's best-loved green spaces, reached on foot from the centre.
Christchurch
The South Island's chief city and its gateway, with punting along the Avon, botanic gardens and the way into the Southern Alps.
Attractive locations
Christchurch Art Gallery
A modern gallery with a striking glass facade, showing New Zealand and international art. Its collection and changing exhibitions fill large, airy spaces.
Cardboard Cathedral
A temporary cathedral designed by the architect Shigeru Ban after the 2011 earthquake, built with large cardboard tubes and a timber frame. It has become a symbol of the city's recovery.
Christ Church Cathedral
The historic Gothic Revival cathedral in Cathedral Square, badly damaged in the 2011 earthquake. Repair work was paused in 2024 for lack of funds, and the building remains closed.
Port Hills
A line of hills along the southern edge of the city, with walking and cycling tracks, lookouts and views over Christchurch, the plains and the harbour at Lyttelton.
Akaroa
A small harbour town on Banks Peninsula with French colonial history and colourful old buildings. Visitors go for harbour cruises to see dolphins, cafes and walks around the bay.
Airports
Christchurch International Airport CHC
It is about 10 km in a straight line from Christchurch.
Timaru Airport TIU
It is about 142 km in a straight line from Christchurch.
Scams and safe taxis
Taxi and scam advice for this country is on the New Zealand page
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan17.5 °C67 mm
- Feb17.1 °C58 mm
- Mar15.1 °C61 mm
- Apr11.9 °C77 mm
- May9.2 °C79 mm
- Jun6.6 °C80 mm
- Jul5.9 °C73 mm
- Aug7.1 °C70 mm
- Sep8.9 °C57 mm
- Oct10.8 °C78 mm
- Nov13.3 °C68 mm
- Dec15.8 °C77 mm
Driest months: Feb, Mar, Sep. Wettest months: May, Jun, Oct.
Costs
Prices here are about 86% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Who can help
Emergency
111 for police, fire and ambulance.
local government
New Zealand Police (111 and 105)
Helps with: National police. Call 111 when you need an emergency response from Police, Fire or Ambulance. Call 105 to report things that do not need urgent police help.
Who qualifies: Anyone in New Zealand, including visitors.
Phone: 111
ngo
New Zealand Red Cross
Helps with: New Zealand's national Red Cross society. Contact its national office in Wellington by phone or post for its humanitarian services.
Who qualifies: People in New Zealand who need its services.
Phone: 0800 733 27677
Address: 69 Molesworth Street, Thorndon, Wellington
embassy
Diplomatic missions in New Zealand (MFAT order of precedence)
Helps with: For a lost passport or serious trouble, contact your own country's embassy. The foreign ministry page lists heads of mission in New Zealand and the city each is based in.
Who qualifies: Citizens of each country, through their own embassy or high commission.