In which quarter house in Christchurch?

Are you going to discover and visit New Zealand’s South Island? Here are the neighborhoods where to stay in Christchurch!

You are burning with impatience to leave for New Zealand ? If you know often Auckland and Wellington , if not of name, Christchurch is less often known. Yet Christchurch is the second largest city in the country with 374,900 inhabitants. Located north of the Banks peninsula on the eastern coast of South Island, the city is crossed by the Avon and Heathcote rivers. Surrounded by volcanic hills and bordered by the waters of the South Pacific Ocean, Christchurch is a destination of nature and winter sports, the city being near the ski resorts and mountains of the South Alps. The first traces of tribes that populated the area would go back to the 11th century according to the Maori oral history.

Christchurch is a strangely paradoxical city. Some residential areas are empty and give Christchurch ghost city air to the Walking Dead (Happyly without the zombies), especially because of the destruction suffered during the 2011 earthquake. Other neighbourhoods in the city centre are on the contrary lively and active.

So where to stay in Christchurch? Of course, you will not be directed to the desert areas – classified as a red zone by the authorities – of the city! Here are our ideas of neighborhoods where to sleep in Christchurch.

Cathedral Square

The city center is articulated around the Place of the Cathedral , which was severely damaged during the 2011 earthquake and whose bell had collapsed. It is nevertheless one of the most visited places in Christchurch. There are several points of interest around the world, including Canterbury Museum , an arts center, an art gallery (Te Puna o Waiwhetu). Passing over the Avon River on the "P Pont de la Mémoire" ("“ Bridge of Remembrance “, inaugurated on November 11, 1924 – to commemorate the participation of the New Zealand Army in the First World War in France and Belgium –, lead to the shopping streets of the city centre.

Some cafes and restaurants have gabled on the street. Beautiful walks are to be done along the docks along the Avon River. Finally, there are many hotels to stay in Christchurch in the city centre but they can be expensive, especially in the summer. Privilege backpackers hostel to find a bed to sleep: Australian hostels are often less expensive and very friendly.

Lyttelton

Small harbour town that once served on British expeditions in Antarctica, Lyttelton became an attractive city for many tourists, only 20 minutes south of downtown Christchurch. The city is high in colour, and houses numerous cafés and bobo bars, trendy shops and restaurants and attracts artists: thus floats in the air a soul of bohemian. Don't miss it. small popular market where small local producers come to sell their fresh fruit and vegetables. To stay in Lyttelton, a few hotels fill the paved but if they are complete, one can go back to Christchurch quite easily.

Sumner Beach and Taylor’s Mistake

Don't want to stay in Christchurch in the city centre but rather on the outskirts? See the beaches, especially in Sumner: the beach is one of the most popular in beautiful weather. The road descending towards Taylor’s Mistake offers few hotels where to sleep, but beautiful walks. To swim, the beaches of Taylor’s Mistake and New Brighton Beach will offer very large areas of sand, where to swim or surf.