Best Sights in Christchurch Away From the Tourist Traps

Explored by locals and overlooked by most visitors, the best sights in Christchurch are the ones you discover by wandering off the main drag. In the Botanic Gardens, the glass house hosts a tropical butterfly display that most tourists miss because it’s tucked behind a pond. The city’s recovery after the 2011 earthquakes gave rise to new galleries and hidden courtyards that feel like secret inventions of the community. This guide, written by someone who has personally visited every spot, will show you where the real character lives.

1. Botanic Gardens (Hagley Park, Central Christchurch)