Christchurch

Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand. The cosmopolitan city is lively with its arts scene, abundance of entertainment options and is surrounded by beautiful gardens. Situated in the Canterbury region, it was first inhabited around 1000 years ago and on July 31, 1856 Christchurch became a city by Royal Charter making it one of the oldest established cities in New Zealand.

When you tour Christchurch, you’ll experience its old-world charm with its English history still evident in its architecture and tram loops. It’s also referred to as “The Garden City” where annually the city comes alive with its flower festivals. What you’ll see are beautiful gardens spread around the city, most notable ones being Mona Vale Park on the banks of the Avon River. In 1997, Christchurch won “Garden city of the world” title.

Christchurch Tram

All aboard! Take a trip back in time with a ride on one of Christchurch’s iconic heritage restored trams. The tramway reopened in 1995 and operates a central city heritage loop, with a 1.4km extension that opened in February 2015.

Once on board the knowledgeable tram drivers will inform you of the city’s sights and landmarks along the 17-stop route. The tram will take you past well-known sites such as Cathedral Junction where the tram begins, the Avon River, the Arts Centre, the Canterbury Museum, Hagley Park, Victoria Square and New Regent Street. A daily ticket will allow you to get on and off the tram as many times as you wish with trams running every 15-20 minutes.

Choose from a variety of AAT Kings tours in and around Christchurch. View from our range of North and South Island Guided holidays below and explore what New Zealand has to offer.