Christchurch tramway - drive through a building or crash into it

Advantages: Fun way to do a city tour
Disadvantages: Rickety, don't run often, expensive, slow

...The Christchurch tramway is a 2.5km long tourist tramway that loops around the city centre of Christchurch in New Zealand. Although vintage trams are used, this is not a historical remnant (the tram networked stopped being used in the 1950s), but were reinstated as a tourist attraction in 1995. Each tram has its own quirks and features, and each driver tells you different interesting stories about the places you are going around. We thought that some of the stories may have had fictional elements added to them - the drivers were all charming and eccentric. Some of the trams are a little more rickety than others, though I found that they were comfortable enough inside for short distances. With these being vintage trams, accessibility isn't great - wheelchair access to the trams is available, though not from every station, and you get...

beckyXX 03.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Christchurch Tramway, Christchurch

Centerpiece of Christchurch

Advantages: Wonderful view from spire, interesting decor, great central location near other sites, free
Disadvantages: Quite busy

...Christchurch is my favourite city in New Zealand. It is modern and happening, whilst still retaining a very refined and serene atmosphere, with its willow-banked river creeping through the city centre, benches in small gardens for people to pass time on, and lovely old buildings. The centrepiece of Christchurch would have to be its gothic-style cathedral. It is located in the attractively cobbled Cathedral Square, which is packed with people enjoying street performers, including jugglers and the famous Wizard of Christchurch, an official living monument who is a site in himself, preaching on all kinds of topics from a step ladder, tourists playing giant chess, marketstalls, baton twirlers, choirs, sculptures, cafes and bars. And there is no better place to watch all this going on that from the top of the cathedral spire. From...

VC81 28.09.2005 · Read review
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Review of Christchurch Cathedral, Christchurch

Christchurch Gondola

Advantages: Brilliant views.
Disadvantages: Make sure weather is nice before you go. Expensive.

...We heard that New Zealand was famous for having more sheep than people and after being in Christchurch for a couple of days, quite amazed that we hadn't seen any sheep, that was until we had a ride up the gondola..... The gondola is a 945 mitre ride from the bottom of the port hills (very steep hill that the first settlers walked over on their arrival - i.e. had to get from the port to the flats). 500 meters above sea level. Take a trip to the crater rim of Christchurch famous extinct volcano. At the top you have a spectacular view of Christchurch, Lyttleton and depending on the clouds... Diamond Harbour/Governers Bay, etc. It's quite expensive to go up - $22 for an adult and $10 for school age kids (family pass - 2 adults and 3 kids $55). I do know at the centre of town they have an offer for a tram ride and gondola (tram...

13283 31.05.2007 · Read review
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Review of Christchurch Gondola, Christchurch

Dux de Lux - review of Christchurch Restaurant

Advantages: Central location, price, food quality, vegetarian friendly, vegan-friendly, gluten free options
Disadvantages: Not a lot for fussy eaters

...Dux De Lux is an ?aquatarian? restaurant/bar complex in Christchurch, New Zealand that offers great food for vegetarians (and pescetarians) at a reasonable price. It is located in the city centre, next to the Arts centre, and is extremely close to the Botanic Gardens. On the two occasions that I have been there, the outside seating has been extremely crowded, with a few spaces inside in the restaurant area. Dux de Lux is a complex that is divided into several parts ? including the restaurant, three bars, and two outside seating areas. This review is about the restaurant. The atmosphere The furnishing and atmosphere here are a quirky mixture of ?traditional British pub? mixed with ?gleaming school canteen? ? for the most part, the tables and surrounds are very traditional, with thick carpets and wooden panelling, but the food...

beckyXX 02.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Dux de Lux, Christchurch

Christchurch - a little piece of England in New Zealand

Advantages: Beautiful city
Disadvantages: Not very Kiwi

...Christchurch is in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island and is the largest city on this island. Like the North Island's Auckland, it is a key arrival point and hub for international travellers. Christchurch is situated close to the East coast and to the West lie the immense flat sweeps of the Canterbury plains. These vast plains feel flat, even to me, a native of East Anglia. Their main use is farmland and they require regular wind blocks of tall fences of trees to stop the topsoil from blowing away. Named by the after Oxford's Christ Church (a college that one of the Canterbury Association went to), it was a colony sponsored by the Church of England about 150 years ago. Even today, the city centre has an extremely British in feel to it and even has a river Avon upon which you can go punting!The centre itself has...

beckyXX 03.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Christchurch - New Zealand

My experience of christchurch

Advantages: So many, such a beautiful place
Disadvantages: None id go again.

...Christchurch new zealand. Well what can i say? One of THE most beautiful places i have ever visited in the world. I visited christchurch last christmas (2007-2008) and had one of the most memorable times of my life. When we arrived in christchurch airport the security was tight, showing the care that new zealand has for their country. We had our walking boots washed down and our big rucksacks emptied to make sure everything in them was ok! Which it was thankfully. And we walked through the doors to be greeted by beautiful sunshine and us thinking omgosh, after just coming for 9 degree tempratures in the uk, to 27 degrees in christchurch. We stayed in a guide house on our first night (as we are guides) and it was called crarcroft house and it was beautiful. On our way travelling through christchurch we commented how fresh and clean...

alico 31.07.2008 · Read review
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Review of Christchurch - New Zealand

Elms Hotel,Papanui Road,Christchurch,New Zealand

Advantages: Well located,quiet,comfortable,clean,excellent service,
Disadvantages: breakfast time in the restaurant a little hectic

...We used this excellent hotel on two occasions at either end of our journey around South island. Staying at the recently refurbished Elms Hotel on Papanui Road (their claim that "Nothing is too much trouble" we certainly found to be true!) was a pleasure. Reception staff offered a warm welcome, and a great willingness to assist us in finalising and resolving problems with our travel arrangements.Free secure storage was kindly provided for two exceedingly large pieces of luggage that we did not require for our 10 days moving around South Island. The hotel is very handily placed more or less midway between the international airport and the centre of Christchurch itself. The airport to hotel transfer by a member of the hotel staff was prompt and efficient.Further the hotel lies on 3 main bus routes offering a frequent service -a...

wanlan 31.05.2006 · Read review
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Review of Elms Hotel, Christchurch

Vintage Trams!

Advantages: Nice vintage tram
Disadvantages: We had rude staff

...Christchurch Tramway When in Christchurch we decided to take a ride on the rustic trams. They do a circle of the city centre giving you some commentary and stopping at different places so you can get off to see the sights. It is a hop on hop off tram, which means you might not finish your journey on the same tram. Your ticket lasts you for 24 hours. The stops are detailed below. **STOP 1 - Cathedral Square** This is the heart of the city, here hosts markets, stalls and the information office. The day we were there, there was a art exhibition with different sculptures set up. I'm assuming this is only a yearly thing though. In the centre there is a Cathedral which you can go in and see. You can pay a small donation and climb the spire. To do this you have to climb a small spindly staircase. Up at the top there isn't a great pile...

DeniseKelly40 02.09.2008 · Read review
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Review of Christchurch Tramway, Christchurch

Handy For Sunday Services (Or Temple Bar!)

Advantages: Very centrally located, good standard 3-star hotel with reasonable prices
Disadvantages: A bit noisy if you get a front facing room

...This Jury's Inn, one of three in Dublin city, is ideally located for accessing the city centre, as are all Jury's Dublin Inns) It's situated in Christchurch Place, about 5 minutes walk from the drinking dens of Temple Bar (heh, heh) and Grafton Street (the main shopping area) and College Green. (Trinity College and the Central Bank) Dublin Castle is about one minute's walk and the Guinness Hop Store, the single most visited tourist attraction in the city (by far!) is only about ten minutes brisk walk away. It's also directly opposite Christchurch Cathedral, and just around the corner from St. Patrick's Cathedral. So you're ideally located whatever your preference; a night on the tiles, followed by a Sunday service the following morning to confess your sins of the night before. Mind you, both the city's main Cathedrals are...

the_mad_cabbie 26.03.2008 · Read review
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Review of Jurys Inn Christchurch, Dublin

Base CHC

Advantages: excellent location, friendly staff
Disadvantages: tv room, internet facilities

...Two days after Christmas, I was shortly due in New Zealand on 30 December on a flight from Sydney, where no beds were available. I needed to book a hostel in Christchurch to ease my worrying mind. No problem. Booking online at basebackpackers.com was easy. I entered my MasterCard details at the secure payment section of the website and settled my fears. Everything you would expect to be there, is there. Just enter your arrival date, number of nights and which hostel (they have a network across Australia and New Zealand), then it's a simple choice of which type of room you would like. At base Christchurch I stayed in three different rooms, across two visits. The first was a 6-bed mixed dorm with no facilities (apart from a rattling window!), situated on the second floor next to the television room. The rooms are cleaned daily with bed...

magicloudz 01.09.2007 · Read review
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Review of Base Backpackers, Christchurch