Ultimate Christchurch Walking Tour

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. We meet at the Gloucester Street entrance to Tūranga (Central Library), the striking, gold-panelled $92 million building at the heart of the rebuilt Square. Here, your guide will introduce the tour and set the scene for exploring how Christchurch has transformed its city centre since the earthquakes.

   7 min

2. 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.

   Passes by

3. Victoria Square is one of Christchurch’s oldest public spaces, sitting alongside the Avon River and within the city’s original grid. Before European settlement, the area was used by Ngāi Tahu as a gathering place. Since then, the square has evolved from a market and transport hub into the space we see today.

   5 min

4. The Christchurch Town Hall has been a landmark on the banks of the Avon River since it opened in 1972. Designed by Sir Miles Warren and Maurice Mahoney of Warren and Mahoney, it is one of Christchurch’s finest examples of modernist architecture and remains an important home for concerts, performances and civic events.

   Passes by

5. Te Pae is a striking $450 million convention centre, with a facade inspired by the braided rivers of the Canterbury Plains. The site sits within an area with a much longer history, connected to Waitaha settlement in the centuries before Christchurch was established.

   Passes by

6. Benjamin Mountfort's 1858 Gothic Revival complex is the only purpose-built provincial government building left in New Zealand. Badly damaged in 2011 and slowly being brought back - you will hear Mountfort's name several more times before the walk is done.

   Passes by

7. 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. Note: This tour does not include entry to the Cathedral, we will be viewing it from the outside only.

   5 min

8. 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.

   Passes by

9. The Old Government Building is one of Christchurch’s finest heritage buildings, designed by architect Joseph Maddison and opened in 1913. Built in an Italian Renaissance style, it was home to government departments for more than 70 years before eventually being restored and given a new life as the Heritage Hotel.

   Passes by

10. 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.

    Passes by

11. 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!

    7 min

12. 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.

    1 min

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Know before you go

How it compares in Christchurch

• Its from-price is 50% below the median of the 51 city tours we list in Christchurch.
• It is shorter than most of them.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Christchurch

Christchurch is the South Island's largest city, a flat, green city on the Avon River with the Southern Alps and Banks Peninsula close by.

Christchurch was planned by English settlers in 1850 around a central square and the Avon River, which winds through the city past willows and lawns. Hagley Park and the Botanic Gardens cover a large green area beside the centre, and punts glide along the river. The Gothic Revival Arts Centre, built for the university, houses studios and cafés, and Canterbury Museum stands beside the gardens.

Top-ranked sights in Christchurch: Lake Pukaki, Lake Tekapo, TranzAlpine Train.

See all 343 experiences in Christchurch