Christchurch travel guide

Christchurch, New Zealand - Overview 

Christchurch is situated in the middle of the East Coast of the South Island towards the northern part of Banks Peninsula and is its biggest city. Not only do the New Zealanders find it a vibrant and progressive place to do business in but of late, many foreign companies have found it hard to resist the cultural and social charms, the beauty of its topography as well as the various means to live, work and expand operations for family and business in Christchurch.

 Christchurch calling:

Most of the people in Christchurch have found their calling in services and businesses like manufacturing, retail trade, cafes and restaurants, property, health and community Services besides construction and the education field, which are the main occupations followed here.

 Communicating in Christchurch:

Maori is traditionally the language of New Zealand and is counted as the official language, besides English, which is the language predominantly spoken in Christchurch. A favourite is ‘cheers’ in place of a thank-you, which is a typical way to wish the bus-driver!

  Highlights of Christchurch

With a population steadily rising over 350 000 and being globally recognized as the international gateway to the South Island, Christchurch, which was named after a college in Oxford University has grown to earn itself the tag of Garden City. This is not only because the city is bursting with color, ambience and myriad tourist attractions that make it appealing to globe-trotters and business travelers alike, but it serves as a hub for naturalists, adventure-seekers, educational and cultural exchange program enlisters and avid sports-lovers, all of whom find a place after their own heart when it comes to finding things they love to do here. It mainly earned this sobriquet because in 1997 it was acknowledged as the outstanding garden city from among 620 international entries for the Bloom International Competition and judged ‘Garden City of the World!’

A visit to the The Daffodil Lawn in the Botanic Gardens in Christchurch will substantiate the tag for this New Zealand city truly being a Garden City of the World as tourists entering for the first time find the riot of yellow gold across acres of green and the gazebos scattered around the lawns too brilliant to commit to words; ideal for a slow day's unwinding plan for families and couples visiting Christchurch for a week-end stopover.

Other must-visit spots that make Christchurch a tourist delight include the centrally-located Hagley Park spread across an expansive 161 hectares; Victoria Square and equally stunning Mona Vale gardens situated on the Avon river’s banks, which is also ideal for a day of punting!

With a cosmopolitan flavor to its various cultural beats, Christchurch offers visitors exciting carnival-like atmosphere, ‘a winter in summer feel,’ festivals (e.g. Floral Festival held in February) and fetes galore besides a wide range of shopping bonanzas, theatre-viewing choices, modern art galleries, vibrant night-life, historic site visits, fantastic cuisine and endless sporting opportunities, among other attractions.

 The Something For Everyone City: charms of Christchurch 

The beauty of Christchurch lies in its diversity of terrain from spectacular, curvaceous slopes of the Kaikoura Ranges behind the city to the rugged coastline skimming pristine beaches. The tranquility of surrounding bays, the upbeat call of rugby, mountaineering, water-sporting activities, 24 hour casinos, pubs and shopping festivals beat the monotony of eating, dancing and sight-seeing.