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Riverside Market, Christchurch

Itinerary · Christchurch · New Zealand

One day in Christchurch

A day-by-day plan grouped by neighbourhood, so you spend your time seeing Christchurch, not crossing it.

Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team

Photo: David Palmer, CC BY-SA 4.0

Quick answer

One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 3. Day 1: Christchurch Botanic Gardens and Punting on the Avon. Base yourself in Central City.

Key facts

Days
1
Sights covered
5
Day trips
None
Best base
Central City
Book ahead
Nothing essential

Day by day

  1. Day 1: Christchurch Botanic Gardens and Punting on the Avon

    Christchurch Botanic Gardens, Punting on the Avon, Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū and Transitional Cathedral, then Willowbank Wildlife Reserve in the evening.

    1. Morning

      Christchurch Botanic Gardens

      Visit in spring for the daffodils and blossom in Hagley Park, or in April for autumn colour. Allow 1.5–2 hours.

    2. Late morning

      Punting on the Avon

      Choose a late-afternoon trip on a calm, sunny day; blankets are provided on cooler days. Allow 30 minutes.

    3. Lunch

      Lunch: Canterbury lamb

      Restaurants and gastropubs in the central city, Merivale and Lyttelton.

    4. Afternoon

      Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū

      Look for the large outdoor works around the building and nearby streets, part of the gallery's public art programme. Allow 1.5 hours.

    5. Late afternoon

      Transitional Cathedral

      Visit when the sun is behind the coloured glass window in the afternoon. Allow 30 minutes.

    6. Evening

      Willowbank Wildlife Reserve

      Book an evening kiwi tour; the nocturnal birds are much easier to see then.

If it rains

  • Swap in International Antarctic Centre (Christchurch Airport): Schedule it on your arrival or departure day, as it is a few minutes from the terminal.
  • Swap in Riverside Market (Central City): Come at lunchtime and pick from several stalls, then eat by the river on the Terrace.
  • Swap in Tūranga central library (Central City): Head to the upper levels for a view over Cathedral Square and the rebuilding cathedral.

Where to stay for this itinerary

$$$ · Best for first-timers, families, food lovers and nightlife

Central City

The rebuilt core around Cathedral Square, Oxford Terrace and the Avon

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 6–7 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9 hours in June to 15.4 hours in December, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Walking. Most central sights, from the Botanic Gardens to Cathedral Square and the Riverside Market, are within a 15-minute walk of each other on flat ground.

More or fewer days

Questions travellers ask

+Is one day enough in Christchurch?

One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 3. How many days Christchurch needs.