Visiting Christchurch

Kia Ora,

First of all, I am from Chile so I can understand the pain and sadness to see your home destroyed or damaged by an earthquake. We lived that one year before you. I really sorry your tragedy.

I am planning to visit New Zealand in February and in my itinerary I was thinking to stay some days in Christchurch. I am going with my family.

My question is whether you recommend me to visit this city, because I have read there are many zones not reconstructed yet. Especially I am interested to know the downtown which, according to pictures I have seen in internet, is very beautiful: Oxford and Cambridge terraces, the Cathedral, New Regent street and another places maybe I have forgotten.

Until now, I am sure to visit Auckland and Wellington, so still I have to decide the third place to go.

Kind Regards.

Rodrigo.

I wasn't there when the earthquakes hit, but have been there several times now after, and slowly, things are getting back to normal.
They have decided to tear down a lot of buildings that were in ruin in Cathedral Square, especially the hotels around there.
I would say that they have learnt from it, and things are now definitely better, with one exception, and you should go and see the (former) Anglican Cathedral, they have decided to let the birds and weeds move in, they won't demolish it, and they are not going to build up on it again.
A real eye opener.
I would use Christchurch as a stepping stone so to speak, but go see Mt Cook or the lakes around Queenstown.
Queenstown airport does close when it gets cloudy, but if you are confident, you could hire a car and drive around the South Island, not a lot of snow in Feb though.
The Ibis on Cathedral Square in Christchurch is good, and has several bars around there, and also convenience stores nearby.
The land gondola ride up the hills would be worth a view, or the gondola ride on the River Avon, plus the Antarctic Centre near the airport.
And yes, I do realise you being from Chile, would need to come in via Auckland.

Thanks for your answer, aussie.

I had decided to include Christchurch in my itinerary because I know this is one of the three most important cities of New Zealand and because I had seen pictures where the city looked really very beautiful. I really feel pain when I think about the earthquake, the casualities and the structural damage of a so wonderful city like this. I have started to doubt about visit it due to the Street View, in which could see many zones in the downtown not reconstructed yet (instead of them, there are a lot of car parking). I do not know the date when the Street View images were taken and that was the reason why I decided to ask.

I know New Zealand has a lot of beautiful landscapes (in fact New Zealand is very similar to my country in many things; one of this is the geography and the landscapes). Since I am planning to travel with my family I have to think about visit familiar places. Queenstown is one of my options.

Regards.

Rodrigo.

Its true that a lot of the CBD is still empty, but there are more cranes, and also when I was there in Dec 16, there were a few of the bulldozers knocking down wrecked by earthquake buildings.
Personally, I would maybe spend 2 days in Christchurch, just to get a sense of the damage caused, even just to take a look at the old cathedral.
But we go to visit a city, not just to see buildings, unless you are an architect and want to look at rebuilt buildings.
One point though is that its hard to say when the next earthtremour/earthquake could happen, it might even happen when you are there in Christchurch, Wellington also had one about 12/18 months ago.
If you want, you could put Christchurch on the to visit later list, and instead spend time in Wellington, in Queenstown, at Mt Cook, at Taupo, at the Waiwera Thermal Resort, Rotorua etc.

Irrelevant of earth quake damage ( I was there 3 yr ago and it is is still a great city to visit) I wouldn'the go to the Sth Island just to visit that. And I think Dunedin has more to offer anyway depending on your interests.

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