Christchurch Hotels

On the east coast of New Zealand's South Island, just north of the Banks Peninsula, Christchurch, like so many Kiwi towns, is blessed with an embarrassment of natural riches. City borders include the volcanic Port Hills, Pacific Ocean and the rivers Avon - which runs through Christchurch proper - Heathcote and Waimakariri. The result is a little city big on charm, where citizens enjoy a surfeit of green space and a tranquil quality of life.

Attractions

The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament is the most elegant landmark in Christchurch. The paramount Renaissance-style cathedral on the continent has been open since 1905. Commonly known as Christchurch Basilica, the structure's magnificent design is courtesy of native son Kiwi architect Francis Petre.

The suburb of New Brighton offers a superlative span of coastline ideal for avid surfers or beach lovers. The area around the pier offers a slew of restaurants and shops, the perfect scene for an afternoon stroll.

In the center of town, ChristChurch Cathedral is the most popular tourist site not just in Christchurch, but as some claim, in the entire country. Built with obvious inspiration from the Victorian Gothic aesthetic school, the cathedral is the heart of the city.

With many inherent sites of great importance to Christchurch inhabitants, Hagley Park is a wonderful space. A pictorial area where people congregate en masse to celebrate diverse events in the city, Hagley is superb for recreation and borders the exquisite Christchurch Botanical Gardens.

To lend further credence to the “Garden City” reputation, Mona Vale, a short hop outside Christchurch city center on the shore of the Avon River, is a remarkable Victorian homestead. Replete with English gardens and estate complex, the former palatial home of a prominent family, the park space now serves as a pre-eminent piece of public city property.

Events

Christchurch earns kudos across New Zealand for a great live music scene. Various concerts, from classical to hip hop, rock to traditional, are held throughout the year at Westpac Arena, Christchurch Town Hall Auditorium, Music Centre and city Casino.

The World Buskers Festival comes to town every January, when international talents ply their funky trades on the city streets.

Christchurch has a sporty heritage in which the Crusaders rugby team figures prominently. The squad plays at AMI Stadium in front of crowds as high as 36,500. The city also has professional teams in netball, basketball and hockey, world class golf courses and is a potential candidate to host the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

Held every July and August, the Christchurch Arts Festival is a blend of performance art, cabaret, classical music, interactive installations, theatre and more.

Climate

Cape Town has a beautiful Mediterranean climate with cool temperatures and heavy rainfall in the winter months, courtesy of the Atlantic Ocean.

• Winter (June to August) 2-12°C

• Spring (September to November) 5-19°C

• Summer (December to February) 11-22.5°C

• Fall (March to May) 4.5-20.5°C