Best short-haul holiday destinations: Christchurch

The bottom line Three hours and 10 minutes from Sydney (2129 km) and three hours and 25 minutes from Melbourne (2419 km) with a two-hour time difference (AEST) between Sydney and Melbourne.

A true garden city … stroll through a rose garden in Christchurch’s Botanic Gardens.Credit: iStock

Why go This big small-city has undergone a revitalisation of unimaginable scale since the 2011 earthquake, though Christchurch (also called Otautahi in Maori) has long benefited from a spectacular natural playground on its doorstep. Those with a taste (and budget) for the finer things are well catered for, with secluded luxury lodges to rival the world’s best.

Duration of stay Four days.

See + do A true garden city, it is best explored on foot, and Maori-owned and run Amiki Tours (amikitours.com) offers a stellar and expert way to do it, uncovering Christcurch’s myriad urban green spaces, local gems and telling ancestral stories during a 75-minute stroll.

Feel every bit the tourist while punting down the Avon.Credit: ChristchurchNZ

After wandering the festoon-light lit Riverside Market precinct, stopping for organic delights at She Chocolaterie (sheuniverse.co.nz), embrace the old-timey charm of punting on the Avon (christchurchnz.com) from the newly reopened Worcester Bridge landing. You’ll feel every bit the tourist as a spiffily dressed boatman guides you down the Otakaro (Avon River), drifting through the serenely lush Botanic Gardens.

For total R&R, book the iconic Sunrise Soak at New Brighton Beach’s He Puna Taimoana saltwater hot pools (hepunataimoana.co.nz). It includes a guided meditation, mocktail, luxury robe – and, of course, unforgettable golden east coast break of day hues.

A Sunrise Soak at He Puna Taimoana hot pools.Credit: ChristchurchNZ

Eat + drink CBD riverside hospitality hub The Terrace (theterrace.co.nz) is a melting pot of bars, clubs, eateries and creative spaces, featuring everything from an independent brew mecca (The Craft Embassy) to a teppanyaki hotspot (Amaterrace).

Lined with pastel Spanish Mission-style shopfronts housing boutiques, bars and restaurants, the heritage New Regent Quarter (soulofthecity.co.nz) has all the trappings of a memorable night out. Work through the extensive Aotearoa drops at wine bar, Downstairs (downstairs.co.nz), gorge on hearty Canterbury-sourced fare at Twenty Seven Steps (twentysevensteps.co.nz), or cosy up with a cocktail at whisky lounge The Last Word (lastword.co.nz).

Leave the city behind for a long lunch and cellar door tasting at family-run Tussock Hill Vineyard in the Port Hills (tussockhill.co.nz), a 15-minute drive from the CBD. This is sophisticated fare designed with their minimal intervention drops in mind – go for the meltingly tender Lumina lamb shoulder with Waipara quince mustard and crunchy triple-cooked Agria potatoes.

Pastel Spanish Mission-style shopfronts house boutiques, bars and restaurants in the heritage New Regent Quarter.

Stay Near major attractions, the 52-room boutique stay The George (thegeorge.com) reopened last August following a refresh with new carpets and upgraded en suites. Just 15 minutes’ drive outside the city, Kereru Corten Steel Vineyard Retreat on the sloping hills of Tussock Hill Vineyard features private outdoor twin tubs and views of the Southern Alps.

Lunch with a view ... Tussock Hill Vineyard and Cellar Door Restaurant.Credit: Clinton Lloyd

Detour A scenic flight over the Canterbury Plains towards the Southern Alps is an outrageously picturesque way to soak in the region’s diverse topography (christchurchhelicopters.co.nz), including Hollywood backdrops Castle Hill and Flock Hill Station, seen in the film The Chronicles of Narnia. In the winter months, seasoned skiers can retreat to Broken River Ski Area (brokenriver.co.nz) for some off-piste action, crowd-free slopes and New Zealand’s only alpine funicular railway.

Essentials Emirates runs two daily services to Christchurch from Sydney; one from Melbourne. It’s the only carrier on this route to operate the A380 featuring its highly awarded premium economy cabin. Christchurch has four distinct seasons, with snowfall possible, especially in the surrounding hills between June and August, and dry, warm conditions December to February. See emirates.com; christchurchnz.com