Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island, with a population of over 350,000. It is one of the two main international airports for the country, and is connected via a tunnel to a seaport at Lyttelton on Bank's Peninsula. It is widely regarded as the Gateway to the South Island and is the perfect place to base your New Zealand holiday.
The Garden City is also, arguably, the most attractive city in New Zealand, with extensive inner city public gardens and parks, the shallow Avon river meandering though the city centre, and a pedestrian oriented downtown centred on Cathedral Square.
Christchurch was a planned settlement founded by English colonialists. This rich English history is still apparent in the city's atmosphere; historic trams loop around the city, you can punt down the Avon, and the city is scattered with impressive Neo-Gothic buildings.
The area administered by the Christchurch City Council has a population of 368,900 (June 2008 estimate), making it the second-largest in New Zealand, and the largest city in the South Island. The Christchurch urban area is the second-largest in the country by population, after Auckland.
Christchurch lies in Canterbury, near the centre of the east coast of the South Island, east of the Canterbury Plains. It is located near the southern end of Pegasus Bay, and is bounded to the east by the Pacific Ocean coast and the estuary of the Avon and Heathcote Rivers. To the south and south-east the urban portion of the city is limited by the volcanic slopes of the Port Hills separating it from Banks Peninsula. In 2006, Banks Peninsula was incorporated into the city, in effect tripling the city's land area while adding only about 8,000 people to the city's population. To the north the city is bounded by the braided Waimakariri River.
Alphabetical Listings of Hotels in Christchurch
HOTELS IN CHRISTCHURCH WITH INSTANT CONFIRMATION
ALL RATES DISPLAYED ARE NETT EXCLUSIVE OF TAXES AND SERVICE CHARGE
