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Offered languages
- English
Ninety minutes. One city. No wasted steps.
If you have a few hours in Christchurch, off a ship at Lyttelton or on a stopover between one thing and the next, the usual advice is to pick a single sight and hope it was the right one. This walk is the other option: the centre of the city, the short way round, with someone who lives here doing the talking.
Christchurch is not a city that shows you what it has always been. It shows you what it is becoming. In ninety minutes you will stand in front of a Gothic revival cathedral still marked by the 2011 earthquakes, then walk a few streets to a working cathedral built out of cardboard tubes. That gap, between the city that was and the city being built in its place, is the most interesting thing happening in New Zealand right now, and almost nobody is telling visitors about it properly.
Your guide is a local. Expect the short, true version: the buildings, the stories behind them, and the parts that do not make the guidebooks.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
Meet your guide at the Bridge of Remembrance in Christchurch. Look for the tour guide in a branded shirt.
Itinerary
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1Bridge of Remembrance
The Bridge of Remembrance is one of Christchurch’s best-known memorials, built in 1924 to honour those from Canterbury who served in the First World War. Spanning the Avon River, it has become an enduring landmark in the heart of the city. It’s also where our tour begins.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial (Pass by)
Ōi Manawa Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial is a place to remember the 185 people who lost their lives in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Set alongside the Avon River, the memorial creates a quiet and powerful space for reflection.
Admission ticket free -
Punting On The Avon (Antigua Boat Sheds) (Pass by)
The Antigua Boat Sheds have been part of Christchurch’s Avon River since the late 19th century. The colourful wooden buildings are best known for their punting boats, which have been carrying visitors along the river for generations. Today, they remain one of the city’s most recognisable riverside landmarks.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
The Curator’s House is one of Christchurch’s oldest surviving homes, built in 1852 beside the Botanic Gardens. Originally home to the gardens’ first curator, it has since become a much-loved restaurant, while the building itself remains a reminder of Christchurch’s early days.
Admission ticket free -
Christchurch Botanic Gardens (Pass by)
Christchurch’s Botanic Gardens have been at the heart of the city since 1863. Today, the gardens cover more than 20 hectares beside the Avon River, with everything from historic trees and rose gardens to native plants and glasshouses.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
The Peacock Fountain is one of the Botanic Gardens’ best-known landmarks, with its colourful jets and intricate Victorian design. It was gifted to Christchurch in 1911 by local businessman John Thomas Peacock, and after being restored to working order, it has been delighting visitors ever since.
Admission ticket free -
2The Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora
The Arts Centre is one of Christchurch’s most distinctive heritage precincts, occupying the former University of Canterbury buildings in the heart of the city. Built between the 1870s and early 1900s, the Gothic Revival buildings now house galleries, shops, studios and places to eat. Within the complex is Rutherford’s Den, linked to the early scientific work of Ernest Rutherford during his time in Christchurch.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
The Observatory is one of the Arts Centre’s most distinctive buildings, dating back to the late 19th century and originally built for astronomical observation. Today, the carefully restored building has a very different role as a boutique hotel, combining its historic character with a modern use.
Admission ticket free -
Christchurch Art Gallery (Te Puna o Waiwhetu) (Pass by)
Christchurch Art Gallery is the city’s home for art, with a striking glass-and-steel building at the heart of the central city. It houses an extensive collection of New Zealand and international art and has become one of Christchurch’s most recognisable modern buildings.
Admission ticket free -
Christchurch Cathedral (Pass by)
Christchurch Cathedral has stood at the heart of the city since the 19th century, giving Christchurch both its name and its most recognisable landmark. Damaged in the 2011 earthquakes, it has since become an important part of the city’s rebuilding story. We pause here to look at the Cathedral’s history, its architecture, and the ongoing work to restore it.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
The Chalice is one of Christchurch’s most distinctive modern landmarks, rising 18 metres above Cathedral Square. Created by artist Neil Dawson, the sculpture is made from 200 stainless-steel leaves, each representing a different aspect of Christchurch and Canterbury. Unveiled in 2001, it has become a familiar part of the city centre.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
The Isaac Theatre Royal has been part of Christchurch’s performing arts scene since 1908, and its grand Edwardian interior remains one of the city’s most beautiful heritage spaces. Following the 2011 earthquakes, the theatre underwent an extensive restoration and reopened in 2014, bringing this much-loved landmark back to life.
Admission ticket free -
The Court Theatre (Pass by)
Christchurch’s professional theatre company found a new home in the heart of the city - a stunning, state-of-the-art $61 million building. Designed as a purpose-built space for theatre, it brings together world-class facilities, striking architecture, and a vibrant new cultural hub for Christchurch.
Admission ticket free -
3New Regent Street
New Regent Street was New Zealand’s first fully planned shopping street, built in 1932 during the depths of the Great Depression. Its distinctive pastel Spanish Mission-style facades ensure that the street remains one of the city’s most distinctive spaces, with its heritage trams and rows of lamps adding to its character. On New Regent Street we will visit Rollickin' Gelato - a local favourite where you'll try a classic New Zealand ice cream flavour; Hokey Pokey or Lolly Cake!
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Cathedral Junction is one of the best places to see Christchurch’s heritage trams passing through the heart of the city. Trams have been part of Christchurch’s streetscape since 1880, and today these beautifully restored historic vehicles carry visitors around the central city and past many of its best-known landmarks.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
The Church Pub is housed in one of Christchurch’s historic buildings, bringing together the character of an old city pub with a lively modern atmosphere. Its heritage setting makes it a memorable stop in the central city, and a reminder of how Christchurch’s older buildings have found new uses over time.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Shand's Emporium is one of the oldest wooden commercial buildings in the city - small, crooked, and moved across town on the back of a truck to be saved. It now houses Paddy McNaughton's Irish pub.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
The Christchurch Club has been part of the city’s social life since 1856, making it one of New Zealand’s oldest gentlemen’s clubs. Housed in a grand heritage building on Latimer Square, the club has a long connection with Christchurch’s business and civic history and remains a distinctive part of the city’s heritage.
Admission ticket free -
Latimer Square (Pass by)
Latimer Square is one of Christchurch’s oldest public spaces, surrounded by a mix of heritage buildings and newer architecture. Named after English bishop Hugh Latimer, the square has long been part of the city’s civic and social life.
Admission ticket free -
4Cardboard Cathedral
The Cardboard Cathedral was designed by architect Shigeru Ban as the city's transitional cathedral. Constructed from 86 cardboard tubes weighing half a tonne each, eight shipping containers, a triangular roof and a $5.9 million budget, this building was designed to stand out, alongside offering services since 2013.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Te Kaha means “the strength” - a fitting name for Christchurch’s new 37,000-seat covered stadium. Opened in March 2026, it completed the city’s major post-earthquake anchor projects, 15 years after the 2011 earthquake destroyed the former stadium.
Admission ticket free -
City Mall (Pass by)
Cashel Street Mall is one of the central city’s best-known pedestrian spaces, running through the heart of Christchurch. Once a busy shopping street, it was transformed after the earthquakes into a more pedestrian-friendly part of the rebuilt city, with shops, cafés, public art and plenty of places to stop and take in the surroundings.
Admission ticket free -
Riverside Market (Pass by)
Riverside Market brings together food, produce, shops and local makers in a lively indoor market beside the Avon River. Opened in 2019, it has become one of the central city’s favourite places to eat and browse, helping bring energy back to this part of Christchurch.
Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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