Small but perfectly formed – that’s Christchurch. It’s got all the sass of its sprawling counterparts, with fashion-forward shopping precincts, hospo haunts of every shade and a big-city smorgasbord of art galleries, design stores and centres of culture. All in one grid. Turn left or right 4 times and you’ll be back where you started. Try that in Auckland.

And birds and bees. From Garden City to the new identity of Ōtautahi Christchurch as a place of harmony between people and nature, here is a city of green spaces and some wild places too. Serenity is never too far away. No coincidence that it’s fertile ground for all manner of artisans, from craft brewers to vegan bakers and natural cheesemakers.  

• HagleyPark is the 3rd biggest city park in the world, behind New York’s Central Park and London’s Hyde Park.
• Christchurch has long been a departure point for Antarctic explorers, including Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton.
• The Māori name for the area is Ōtautahi. It was first settled in 1250. Ōtautahi is home to Ngai Tahu, the main iwi in Te Waipounamu (South Island).

From the vantage point of a rooftop bar, Port Hills lookout or the top floor of Tūranga, the central-city library, you can look over the city and Canterbury Plains to the Southern Alps and the Pacific Ocean. Myriad stunning land and seascapes are there to explore. You can surf in the morning and ski in the afternoon!