Still recovering from a devastating 2011 earthquake that took 185 lives and destroyed a lot of the city’s buildings, Christchurch is a New Zealand city that has worked incredibly hard to restore its infrastructure and redefine its future. Visitors can see some of the inventive solutions to the earthquake’s destruction at the Cardboard Cathedral, a house of worship made partially from strong cardboard as a temporary replacement for the badly damaged Christchurch Cathedral. Also visit the Re:START Mall, where food vendors, clothing stores, and gift shops are all housed in multicolored shipping containers.
No trip to New Zealand would be complete without enjoying the great outdoors, and Christchurch is an awesome part of the country to explore. Take a trip out to Sumner Village, where locals spend their weekends splashing in the surf and strolling through the festive weekend markets. One must-see for a visit to Christchurch is a cable car ride to the Crater Rim at the top of Port Hills, where you’ll get to snap unbelievable photos of a volcano, mountains, and the shore of Pegasus Bay.
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