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Christchurch

New Zealand travel guide

What to see in Christchurch

The garden city of the South Island, rebuilt with great creativity after the 2011 earthquake.

Updated 19 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • 5 must-see places
  • Best time: from September to May
Photo: Bernard Spragg. NZ from Christchurch, New Zealand · CC0

Christchurch highlights

The places you can’t miss. In the app we sort them by day and close to each other.

  1. Botanical Garden

    By the River Avon, in Hagley Park.

  2. Cardboard Cathedral

    The transitional cathedral, built with cardboard tubes after the earthquake.

  3. Heritage tram

    It loops around the centre, stopping at the key sights.

  4. Punting on the Avon

    Boat trips in the Cambridge style.

  5. Akaroa

    A French-founded village on Banks Peninsula, with Hector’s dolphins.

Day trips from Christchurch

We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

Some links are affiliate links: if you book through them, Bagintravel may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

When to travel to Christchurch

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Christchurch are from September to May.

  1. Jan no warnings
  2. Feb no warnings
  3. Mar no warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun with warnings
  7. Jul with warnings
  8. Aug with warnings
  9. Sep no warnings
  10. Oct no warnings
  11. Nov no warnings
  12. Dec no warnings
  • from June to August

    Winter on the South Island

    Snow in the mountains, passes that need chains and the Milford Sound road sometimes closed by avalanches.

    What to do: It’s ski season in Queenstown and Wanaka; for hiking and lakes, November to April is better.

Where and what to eat

To eat like a local: the neighbourhood café. The dishes you can’t miss are in the New Zealand guide.

Frequently asked questions about Christchurch

What to see in Christchurch?

Botanical Garden, Cardboard Cathedral, Heritage tram, Punting on the Avon and Akaroa.

What to see in Christchurch in one day?

Don’t miss Botanical Garden, Cardboard Cathedral, Heritage tram, Punting on the Avon and Akaroa. To split it into days and areas without crossing the city back and forth, the Bagintravel app plans your trip in a minute.

What’s the best time to travel to Christchurch?

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Christchurch are from September to May.

What day trips can you take from Christchurch?

Akaroa.

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Tell us where and in under a minute you’ll have your day-by-day route, with places to stay, transport, expenses and tips. And we go with you in your pocket, offline too.

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Guide reviewed 19 October 2026. Places, areas and seasons: the same data the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.