How To Spend 48 hours In Christchurch

Here’s how to spend 48 hours in New Zealand’s vibrant city of Ōtautahi Christchurch.

Perfect for exploring on foot, Ōtautahi Christchurch is a charming combination of heritage, art, nature and happening urban vibes. While the largest city in New Zealand’s south island still bears the visible scars of the devastating 2011 earthquake, we find a vibrant, creative place back on its feet and ready to play.

Day one

Stop by The George for breakfast

8am: Haere ma – welcome to Ōtautahi Christchurch. Start your day with a hearty breakfast at The George, a convivial boutique hotel and member of the exclusive Small Luxury Hotels group. Chug that shot of revitalising juice: there’s a big day ahead.

a Jerusalem Artichoke at The George, Christchurch — Start your day with a hearty breakfast at The George. (Image: Stephen Goodenough Photographer)

Ride a heritage tramcar

9am: Just 100 metres down the road, hop on (and off ) one of the restored heritage tramcars of Christchurch Trams for an informative zip around town. With 18 stops taking in the key features of the city accompanied by the driver’s flow of insights, it’s the perfect way to get a quick lay of the land and explore wherever takes your fancy. Kids ride free.

a heritage Christchurch Tram — Get the lay of the land onboard a heritage tram. (Image: Pam Carmichael)

Wander the thriving Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora

11am: It may feel at first as though you’ve arrived in Oxford, England, but the beautiful Gothic Revival buildings that were once the university grounds of Canterbury College now form The Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora, a thriving hub encompassing an entire block.

First acquired as land in 1873, it’s now bursting with boutiques, galleries, museums, artisan eateries, a cinema and a fabulously furbished hotel. The museum upstairs explains the complexities of the post-quake restorations and lauds the craftsmanship involved.

The Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora in Christchurch — The Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora is a bustling cultural hub.

Satisfy your appetite at Riverside Market

12.30pm: Find fresh produce and international flavours to sate any appetite at the buzzing Riverside Market, an everyday enclosed farmers’ market oozing with culinary delights.

an al fresco dining spot at Riverside Market, Christchurch — Snag a spot next to the garden.

The choices are endless, from souvlaki to organic salads, ramen and cured salami. Pick up a travellers’ cheese box with South Island specialties, sample delicious local gins or discover 24 craft beers at Canterbury Brewers Collective.

the interior of Riverside Market, Christchurch — Find fresh produce and international flavours at the buzzing Riverside Market.

Up your chocolate game at She Universe Chocolaterie

2pm: Indulge with sumptuous chocolate lovingly created by award-winning She Universe Chocolaterie in the laneway outside; all organic, Fairtrade and even gluten-free. If you have room, ingest more cacao beans in the form of molten hot chocolate or grab supplies for DIY treats at home.

creamy chocolate drinks from She Universe chocolaterie — Treat yourself to a molten hot chocolate from She Universe Chocolaterie.

Shop great boutique finds

2.30pm: Linger in the lanes for some retail therapy: design collective Shopology boasts locally made fashion and merino knits; The Company Shed caters for gardeners; Beehive Collective has gifts and art; and Mievel’s Store houses a world of hats and accessories.

Admire local street art

4.30pm: Street art began to pop up in the spaces provided by downed or damaged buildings after the earthquake destroyed much of the city. And these massive canvases were the first signs of a city redefining itself. Join the non-profit Watch This Space for an urban art tour exploring prolific street art, murals and graffiti, learn about their creators and how Christchurch emerged as a globally recognised street art destination. Group and private tours are available by appointment.

a street art tour with Watch This Space, Christchurch — Explore the city’s vibrant street art with a Watch This Space urban art tour. (Image: Petra Mingneau)

Wine and dine at Cellar Door wine bar

7pm: In the south quad of the Arts Centre, the atmospheric Cellar Door wine bar showcases some of New Zealand’s best drops. The amusingly named wine flights, such as the Let’s Get Fizzical, are the perfect way to navigate the tantalising selection of local and international varieties. It’s not just drinks: the memorable food ranges from nibbles to hearty meals made for sharing with a focus on local Canterbury region produce, including a choice of nearly 20 cheeses.

a woman enjoying wine tasting at Cellar Door, Christchurch — Taste local drops at Cellar Door wine bar. (Image: Petra Mingneau)

Day two

Relax within lush greenery in Hagley Park

8am: Take in some fresh air with a stroll through Hagley Park, a huge designated green space located just across from your digs.

a woman relaxing and sitting on a blanket on the grass at Hagley Park, Christchurch — Sit and admire the sights at Hagley Park.

Top it off with the mature trees and ever-changing floral displays at the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, 150 years in the making, with a decided nod to English heritage. Take a peek at the Tudor-style curator’s cottage and the veggie gardens behind.

floral fields at Christchurch Botanic Gardens — Smell ever-changing floral displays at Christchurch Botanic Gardens. (Image: Christchurch NZ)

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Immerse in the cultural embrace of Riwai Grace

9am: Feel the warm manaakitanga (hospitality) and cultural embrace of Riwai Grace from Āmiki Tours during an enlightening ‘city meander’ – a fascinating introduction into Māori culture, language and places of significance around the city, providing insights you’d otherwise miss. Food tours are also available for a guided taste test of the city.

a woman browsing through Amiki Turanga Library — Delve into Māori culture with Āmiki Tours.

Enjoy a picnic by the Avon River

11.30am: Wind back time with some peaceful punting on the Ōtakaro/Avon River in a flat-bottomed boat and imagine you’re heading for a Victorian-era picnic, your personal punter donned in a classic blazer and boater guiding you down the river. Rides leave from the historic, gaily striped Antigua Boat Sheds established in 1882. Combine your tickets if you’re taking a tram ride as they are delivered by the same provider.

Dine on modern Asian dishes

1pm: The string of restaurants along The (completely rebuilt) Terrace provides lots of eating options. King of Snake offers modern Asian-inspired dining. You could also take a lunchtime cocktail with delicious bites at Monarch Bar on the first floor. Hit the deck for views over the mall and river.

a modern Asian dish at King of Snake at Christchurch — Feast on modern Asian dishes at King of Snake. (Image: Aaron Lee Photography)

Discover the city’s significant art collections

3pm: It’s not just on the streets where you can find the city’s art. Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna O Waiwhetū, a striking glass-fronted building, houses an expansive collection from masters to contemporary works. Not far away at Ravenscar House, a contemporary museum gallery in a home, you can view one of New Zealand’s most significant art collections, donated by an art-loving couple who wanted to share their collection in a modern domestic setting.

inside the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū — Pay a visit to Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū.

Cool down with a cup of gelato

5pm: For a touch of San Francisco, head to the colourful and quirky pedestrian mall of New Regent Street with its string of painted Spanish Mission-style buildings. Sweeten your afternoon with one of the playful choices at Rollickin Gelato, home of gelato, sorbet and desserts made from organic milk and fresh fruit, which come in a multitude of innovative flavours and with a dollop of humour. Take a selfie with the gorilla on the bench outside if you must.

an al fresco dining on buzzy New Regent Street — Dine al fresco on buzzy New Regent Street. (Image: Nancy Zhou)

Enjoy fine dining at 50 Bistro

7.30pm: There’s no need to venture out when your hotel offers in-house fine dining. Relaxed but elegant with a choice of three dining spaces, 50 Bistro offers perfectly prepared classics with a modern twist. Snuggle up afterwards in a cosy corner on a velvet lounge and hook into The George’s online reading resources to access thousands of magazines and papers, or a bedtime short story, or take a seat at the bar for a sneaky nightcap.

Sink into a cold one at Gin Gin bar

10pm: Party people can head out for drinking options. The whimsical Gin Gin bar decked out in lush velvets, pinks and greens boasts more than 100 varieties of this botanical tipple and playful cocktails, while up the road The Last Word ups the ante with 320 whiskies inside, along with classic cocktails, local wines, beers and snacks. That should make for a sound night’s sleep.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.