Christchurch, the largest city in the South Island, is clean and beautiful and is located on the east coast amidst a spectacular adventure playground. Ski slopes, beaches, lakes, rivers and mountains are all within an easy 1-2 hours drive from the heart of the city. The International Airport offers a direct link to Asia, Australia and the Pacific.
The City
The city is a thriving, cosmopolitan business, educational, and arts centre with an enticing atmosphere. The central city has a large library, great postal services, internet cafes, and a range of shops from designer boutiques to bargain hunters' stores. Shopping malls can be found in most major suburbs.
- Population of almost 400,000
- Increasingly multicultural with 17% of population born overseas
- Ethnic support networks
- Educational city with two universities and two institutes of technology, a college of education and many private tertiary institutes
- International airport
- ‘Garden City’ with one third of land in reserves
- Galleries, arts centre, museums
- Excellent public transport system
- Fine restaurants, cafes and bars
- Entertainment and tourist attractions, festivals and shows
- A wide range of indoor and outdoor sports facilities
- Easy access to sports and outdoor recreation activities
- High quality, affordable living standards
Entertainment
As well as an extensive range of cafes, restaurants, bars, and world class tourist attractions, Christchurch is home to many arts festivals, including the Festival of Romance, the Ellerslie Flower Show, a Winter Carnival, Showtime Canterbury, and the famous International Buskers Festival. For the outdoor sports enthusiast, the Port Hills surrounding the city provide an exciting adventure playground for the runner, walker, mountain biker, abseiller, rock-climber or photographer. There are several gymnasium and swimming complexes located in and around the central city and suburbs. Major ski fields are only an hour’s drive away.
To find out more about living in Christchurch, please visit:
www.christchurch.net
www.christchurch.org.nz
www.localeye.co.nz
www.bethere.org.nz
Getting Around
Being very flat, Christchurch is perfect for cycling or walking. We also have a reliable and regular bus service including free bus services within the centre city, which many people choose to use. For more information on buses, please visit: