Sydenham

Not to be mistaken for simply a place to pass through, North Canterbury's Amberley and Waipara have a few aces up their sleeves when it comes to places worth lingering a while. Wine country in Waipara is home to a number of top-class vineyards and tasting rooms. Here, you'll look out upon rolling hills of vines and sip wide varieties of wine, while hearing about the process from the talented winemakers themselves. Vintage shopping or boutique beer anyone? Amberley has the best of both, and after meandering your way through thrift shop finds and filling up your takeaway rigger, there are cafés aplenty to rest your feet in and fill up on small-town cheese scones.

Encompassing Merivale and St Albans, City North in Christchurch is chock full of chic spots to get some retail therapy or a caffeine fix. Fancy a wine or a bite? City North has you covered there, too. Dating back to 1851, it's an area with plenty of history, and a wide range on offer for anyone venturing just outside the Four Aves. Easily reached by bike, bus, or on foot, make your way to City North and check out what's on offer.

Once home to Christchurch's greatest number of Victorian and Edwardian style buildings, High Street has been built from the ground up following the 2011 earthquake. Now welcoming back some of the very shops that give it such an edge in the city, High Street is once again becoming the shopper's go-to destination for the greatest and latest in high-end fashion. A street that slants its way through the grid of inner-city laneways, High Street is comfortably at odds with staying within the box, and its popular array of eateries doing things a little differently are all proof that this neighbourhood is very much happy to move to the beat of its own drum.

Bygone days of seaside prosperity linger in the eastern suburb of New Brighton, but don’t be surprised if you fall for its current bohemian charm. With newly emerging hospitality, He Puna Taimoana hot pools and 18 kilometres of sandy coastline, New Brighton has a distinctive appeal. Having famously gained popularity in the 1960s - when New Brighton was the only shopping centre open on a Saturday in Christchurch - crowds would routinely flock to the shops where they could pick up their wares, an ice cream and stroll along the pier. Nowadays, locals and visitors alike can still be seen meandering down the longest pier in Australasia and breathing in some of that salty sea air. 

Over the rolling Port Hills in Christchurch, you’ll find the eccentric suburb of Port Lyttelton. This is a place where cosy houses teeter on steep streets and the weekend farmers market brings London Street alive with the colourful characters who call this side of town home. Lyttelton was historically known as the ‘gateway to Canterbury’ for colonial settlers who came to the bustling port back in the 1700s. With a love for music, food and culture, the port suburb lays claim to some of the country’s current music stars - Aldous Harding, Nadia Reid, and Marlon Williams to name a few. With a passion for community, local produce, and doing things their own way, any Lyttelton dweller will be quick to tell you this is one of Christchurch’s best-kept secrets.

Named after its geographical positioning in Christchurch’s CBD (Saint Asaph, Lichfield, and Tuam), SALT District is dubbed the city's most alternative neighbourhood. Here you’ll meet a mishmash of interesting characters making heritage buildings, multi-purpose containers, and mural-splashed laneways their home. Things are done differently on this turf, from the way the coffee is brewed (delicious that is) and how menus are designed (100% local) to the creative possibilities offered by tattoo parlours, thrift shops, and art studios. If you’re looking for a neighbourhood to unashamedly express yourself in, this is it.

Named for its position at the bottom edge of the city's main centre, Christchurch's South Town offers a pretty fantastic mix of eateries and shops. Made up of a collection of boutique cafés, bars and workspaces, the area has seen a massive renewal since the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes. An ambitious group of young owner/operators have flocked to the area to combine forces and bring a bit of quirk to the centre city’s southern suburb. If it’s coffee you’re after, this is the place to come. Those who excel at roasting have set up camp here and are followed religiously by those who can’t start the day without a cup of joe.

With landmarks like the Arts Centre and the historic Canterbury Museum, there's plenty to love about Christchurch's West End. Walk down from The Terrace towards the beautiful Christchurch Botanic Gardens and you'll see what all the fuss is about. From the tram tracks to the collective of cultural hotspots, this is a neighbourhood that is quintessentially Canterbury. As the central city has been rebuilt after the 2011 earthquakes, there's been plenty invested in West End - from the building restorations to swanky new office blocks. Dive into the restaurants and cafes tucked into ground floor haunts, and while away a morning exploring.