Avon Punts, Akaroa Harbour & Christchurch Flavours for Two
See it in NavoySix romantic days based in central Christchurch, with two nights in the French-flavoured seaside village of Akaroa. You'll punt the Avon, wander the Botanic Gardens and graze at Riverside Market. A harbour cruise and Banks Peninsula cheese and seafood add to the food and culture. The week closes with Lyttelton's Saturday market, the Gothic Arts Centre and a final riverside dinner.
1Gallery Walls and Tram Rails
$166An easy first day in the heart of the city. You'll see world-class art, have lunch in a heritage post office and ride the historic tram. A relaxed riverside dinner ends the day.
Gallery Walls and Tram Rails
Christchurch Art Gallery Toi o Waiwhetū
Start with the city's striking glass-fronted gallery. It has Aotearoa and Canterbury art, bold contemporary installations and a calm cafe. Entry to the collection is free.
Lunch at C1 Espresso
Lunch in a restored 1930s post office, where sandwiches arrive by pneumatic tube. The coffee and creative menu are a local favourite.
Heritage Tram Loop
Ride the vintage tram around the central city for an easy orientation. It passes Cathedral Square, New Regent Street and the Avon River. Hop off wherever catches your eye.
Riverside Dinner at The Terrace
Choose a riverside table at The Terrace dining precinct for a relaxed first-night dinner. Share plates of local produce, with New Zealand wine to match.
2Punts, Petals and Market Plates
$160A garden-and-river day that follows the Avon downstream. You'll walk through the Botanic Gardens, glide under willows by punt and then eat your way around Riverside Market. A quake museum visit adds context to the city's story.
Punts, Petals and Market Plates
Christchurch Botanic Gardens Stroll
Wander the rose garden, the conservatory houses and the grassy riverbanks, with coffee from a garden cafe. It's best in the cool morning light, and entry is free.
Punting on the Avon
A boatman in a straw boater poles you past willows, lawns and the edge of the Botanic Gardens. It's the classic romantic Christchurch experience, and it takes about 30 minutes.
Lunch at Riverside Market
Walk the Avon path to the two-level market hall. Graze on fresh bread, smoked fish, cheese, dumplings and gelato from the 20-plus food stalls. Take a picnic back to the river if the weather is fine.
Quake City
A short walk north leads to a moving, well-designed museum about the 2010–11 earthquakes and the city's rebuild. It explains much of what you'll see around town.
3Over the Hills to Akaroa
$345Leave the city for Banks Peninsula, an old volcanic landscape with a French colonial story. After a scenic drive, you'll have a seafood lunch and an afternoon on the water with dolphins and seabirds. A candlelit dinner closes the day.
Over the Hills to Akaroa
Scenic Drive to Akaroa via Hilltop
Drive about 1.5 hours (85 km) to Akaroa, pausing at the Hilltop lookout over the crater-rim harbour. Budget covers a shared transfer or fuel and parking.
Waterfront Seafood Lunch
Settle in with local blue cod, salmon or Akaroa seafood chowder on the harbour front before your cruise.
Akaroa Harbour Nature Cruise
Cruise the flooded volcanic harbour looking for rare Hector's dolphins, little blue penguins, seals and sea cliffs. Book ahead for peak summer sailings.
French Quarter Stroll and Dinner
Wander Rue Lavaud and Rue Jolie in the golden evening light, then have a romantic French-inspired dinner with Canterbury wine.
4Cheese, Mosaics and Slow Akaroa
$190A slower day in the village. You'll visit the local museum, taste cheese in the countryside and tour the mosaic-covered Giant's House garden. A relaxed dinner ends the day.
Cheese, Mosaics and Slow Akaroa
Akaroa Museum
A compact museum on Māori, French and British settlement. It makes sense of Akaroa's unusual heritage.
Barry's Bay Cheese Tasting and Picnic
A short scenic drive along the harbour takes you to Banks Peninsula's cheese-making country. Sample cheeses and assemble a picnic of cheese, bread and fruit.
Giant's House Gardens
A hillside garden filled with colourful mosaic sculptures and harbour views. It's a joyful, photogenic place for two to wander in the afternoon sun.
Sunset Dinner by the Harbour
Spend your last Akaroa evening over local seafood and Canterbury wine at a harbourside table. Afterwards, stroll the waterfront under the lights.
5Back to the City Lights
$330Drive back over the peninsula to the central city. You'll have lunch in a laneway food hub, ride a gondola for panoramic views and finish with a special dinner.
Back to the City Lights
Return Drive to Christchurch
Leave Akaroa after breakfast and drive about 1.5 hours back to the central city. Budget covers a shared transfer or fuel. Check in and freshen up on arrival.
Lunch at Little High Eatery
A lively food hall of independent kitchens, so each of you can order something different. It's a good place for a leisurely lunch.
Christchurch Gondola
Ride the gondola up Mount Cavendish for views across the city, the Canterbury Plains, the Southern Alps and Lyttelton Harbour. Walk the lookout paths before heading down.
Celebration Dinner at Pescatore
A refined seafood-led dinner at The George, in the Park Terrace hotel by Hagley Park. Share a tasting menu with matched Canterbury wines.
6Harbour Market and Gothic Farewell
$210Spend the last day on Saturday's Lyttelton Farmers' Market and the harbour-side village's cafes. After that, return to the Gothic Revival Arts Centre and share a final dinner by the Avon.
Harbour Market and Gothic Farewell
Lyttelton Farmers' Market
Take a 25-minute drive or bus through the Lyttelton tunnel to Saturday's market. Taste Canterbury produce, pastries, smoked fish, coffee and cheese from local makers.
Harbourside Lunch in Lyttelton
Linger over lunch in the port village, with its murals, indie cafes and harbour views. Choose a seafood or wood-fired dish.
The Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora
Return to the city to explore the neo-Gothic stone quads, galleries, artisan shops and weekend market stalls. Entry is free to wander.
Farewell Dinner at Riverside Market
For your final evening, choose one of the upstairs restaurants overlooking the Avon. Enjoy a long, unhurried dinner and a last glass of New Zealand wine.