Christchurch in a day: What to do with less than 24 hours
Christchurch is the largest city on New Zealand's South Island and serves as a popular cruise ship destination.
Ships typically dock at the Port of Lyttelton, which is about 12km from the city centre.
With culture, nightlife, heritage, and some of the world's most stunning scenery on offer, it can be hard to decide what to do when you only have a short amount of time.
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Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island and a popular stop on cruises. Getty
We recently spent less than 24 hours in Christchurch, during a port stop on a Celebrity Cruise.
With one shore excursion booked and some free time up our sleeves, here are some of the things we managed to tick off.
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Christchurch Gondola
The Christchurch Gondola and Punting on the Avon shore excursion, booked via Celebrity Cruises, was the perfect start to a whirlwind visit.
Depart the pier for a short transfer to the gondola base, where you'll receive safety instructions and board your gondola (cable car).
Then you'll head up the slopes of Mount Cavendish in the Port Hills, passing grazing sheep on your way to the summit.
The Christchurch Gondola offers stunning views if the surroundings. Supplied
Once you get off and head upstairs and out onto the balconies, you'll be hit with spectacular panoramic views of the city and Lyttelton Harbour – we even spotted our cruise ship in the distance.
Take in stunning vistas of the snow-capped Southern Alps, sprawling Canterbury Plains, and sparkling waters of Pegasus Bay and the Pacific Ocean.
You also have some free time at the Gondola Top Station to browse for souvenirs, and/or buy some refreshments at the cafe. The hot chocolate was the perfect morning cuppa.
We even spotted the ship parked Lyttelton harbour. Nine/Supplied
Punting on the Avon
After heading back down the mountain in the Gondola, it was time to make our way into town proper.
Side note: make sure to give yourself time before your scheduled departure to get back down the mountain, as the queues can get long during busy times. And don't make others have to wait on the bus for you!
Our driver dropped us off in the city centre, and it was only a short stroll to the Avon for our punting experience.
After receiving safety and punting instructions, you get to jump on a flat-bottomed boat and enjoy a leisurely cruise along the Avon River.
Sink back into the velvet cushions and enjoy the tales from your Edwardian punter, who helps you gently glide down the river. It was honestly such a peaceful time and a real unexpected highlight.
Cruise along the Avon River with an Edwardian Punter. Supplied
It was honestly the most relaxing time. Nine/Supplied
This marked the end of our official shore excursion, and you can choose to either head straight back to the port or remain in town and return to the pier at your leisure via a complimentary shuttle bus.
We still had a few hours up our sleeves, so we set off to find some lunch next.
Riverside Markets
From the Avon River, you can walk straight down Cashel Street, across the Bridge of Remembrance, and you'll find the Riverside Market.
The enclosed 7-day-trading fresh farmers' market sells locally-sourced food, plus offers vibrant, boutique shopping, restaurants, cafes and bars.
You'll find 20 different ready-to-eat food offerings and 40 stalls selling everything, including cakes, pastries, cured meats, cookies, ice cream, coffee, juices, craft beer, Italian deli sandwiches and more. I quickly had a freshly squeezed lemonade in hand and enjoyed some yummy dumplings for lunch.
The Riverside Market offers 40 different stalls. Supplied
She Chocolaterie Riverside
And just in case lunch didn't fill you up enough, you'll also walk past She Chocolaterie, which is described online as "a heaven for all chocolate lovers!"
The brand is all about Cacao with meaning, and is well-known for its handcrafted and award-winning chocolate.
They've received several awards for chocolate creations, particularly their hot chocolate, including winning gold at the NZ Chocolate Awards in 2022 for multiple entries.
It was a little warm for a hot drink when we were there, but the iced chocolate with all the trimmings was also divine.
Christchurch cathedral
With a little bit of time left before needing to catch the shuttle back to the ship, we went for a wander.
In 2010 and 2011, earthquakes destroyed many of the historic centre's stone-built buildings. Now, after nearly 15 years, Christchurch is no longer, first and foremost, an earthquake-damaged city – but progress to this point has been slow, and the scars are still visible all around the city.
The cathedral is still not rebuilt 15 years after the earthquake. Getty
The Cathedral, or 'heart of the city', remains under steel bracing and plastic, with no end date to the reconstruction in sight.
From the public square, the cathedral's facade – featuring the famous Rose Window – has been printed on canvas, but there are glimpses of the original Gothic beauty, such as a section of stonework with minor cracks.
Last year, work stalled following a funding shortfall. It is now estimated that about one-third of the restoration work is complete, and it could be done in another four to five years, according to Stuff.
The marks of the quake are a stark contrast to the vibrancy of the city overall. And really made you appreciate the resilience of locals.
The writer travelled as a guest of Celebrity Cruises.
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