Christchurch Shopping

Pedestrianised streets, outdoor markets and indoor shopping malls mean Christchurch is an ideal shopping destination, where you can find everything from traditional New Zealand arts and crafts to the latest designer fashions.

The main shopping streets in the city centre are Colombo, The Mall, High Street, Hereford, Gloucester and Armagh Streets. The cobbled street of New Regent is also home to a great mix of boutique shops. Shopping highlights include Ballantyne's Department Store at City Mall. This historic store dates from 1854 and is still a popular one-stop shopping destination for designer fashions and luxury goods. For arts, crafts and unique souvenirs don't miss the Arts Centre in Worcester Boulevard, where you can find wood turners, bone and jade carvers, potters, glass blowers and more. The Arts Centre is also a market venue every Saturday and Sunday.

The large undercover shopping malls are located in the city suburbs, and are all connected with the Orbital and Metrolink bus services. Westfield Mall in Riccarton is the largest mall in the South Island with over 130 stores, and Merivale Mall is home to a range of excellent boutique shops with high quality jewelry and gifts.

The Malls
The city has a number of suburban malls. Westfield Riccarton (tel. 03/348-4119) has more than 100 shops; the bus stops right outside the door. Northlands Mall, in Papanui (tel. 03/352-6535), has 67 stores. The Palms, in Shirley (tel. 03/385-3067), has more than 85 stores, a big entertainment complex, and good bus services. The recently revamped, upmarket Merivale Mall (tel. 03/355-9692) is smaller, but features a more expensive range of designer stores and boutiques. All malls are open daily.

The Markets
The Arts Centre, on Worcester Boulevard (tel. 03/366-0989), offers a good range of everything from quirky to quality, especially during the open market weekends when the courtyard swells with purveyors of all things.

Riccarton Rotary Market (tel. 03/339-0011), which you'll find Sundays from 8am at Riccarton Racecourse, on Racecourse Road, Upper Riccarton, is supposedly New Zealand's biggest outdoor market and attracts over 300 vendors. Arrive early to get the best bargains. The goods are predominantly secondhand, but there are some good buys in sheepskin products and crafts. You'll need to sift through everything as there's a lot of junk.