Witness the revival

Spend some quiet time
Those who have been to Christchurch before will find it incredibly different post-earthquake. There's an eerie quietness in Central City despite the fact there is a bit of construction going on. With a number of buildings still to be demolished - including the Cathedral - it still captures the extent of devastation caused by the earthquake in 2011. I still find it sad to go into town, but I'm excited about the future.

Grab a coffee
Within Central City, Container Mall - shops in containers - was set up as a means to attract Cantabrians back to the heart of Christchurch. It's a great place for a good coffee and for shopping.

Visit the Gardens
The World Cup matches will be hosted at Hagley Oval, which is part of Hagley Park, an open space that includes the beautiful Botanic Gardens. In fact Christchurch is nicknamed the Garden City. There are flowers and trees from around the world and you can spend a relaxing afternoon at the gardens, which are open every day of the year.

Check out the museum
Not too far from the Botanic Gardens is the Canterbury Museum, which has Maori exhibits and collections from Antarctic explorations. It's a great place to take the kids.

Chill in the hot pools
Two hours north of Christchurch, through some of Canterbury's vineyards, Hanmer is a town that provides ample things to do for those who like outdoor activities (cycling, tramping, golf) and thrill-seekers (bungee-jumping, jet-boating). If neither of those is for you, there's always the main attraction: the thermal pools at Hanmer Springs.