Christchurch with its beautiful parks and gardens, quaint seaside suburbs, English heritage and contemporary architecture and stunning harbour views is not only a fantastic place to visit, but from here you can easily access the heart of the South Island. Travel north for hot pools, vineyards and oceanic wildlife encounters. A journey west could mean a train trip over the stunning Southern Alps, to discover rainforest and glaciers. Head south and discover beautiful high country, topped off by Aoraki/Mt Cook, New Zealand's tallest mountain.