Lyttelton - Christchurch Travel Guide

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Lyttelton, Christchurch
See all Christchurch Off the Beaten Path

by keeweechic

Off the Beaten Path in Christchurch: Lyttelton tips and photos posted by real travelers and Christchurch locals.

Lyttelton
10km from City Center, through the Tunnel

• 14 Photos
• 11 Reviews

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and lots of charm.

With its brightly painted houses tumbling down the steep hills and narrow stairs to go up and down, Lyttelton reminded me of the Chilean port of Valparaiso way across the other side of the Pacific. Whilst still the busiest commercial port and deepest harbour on the South Island, like its Chilean counterpart, Lyttelton has seen better days but still has a a lot of appeal. Solid Victorian port offices and bank buildings along the main street are reminders of a time when everything that came to this far-flung corner of the Empire passed through this port, bringing both settlers and cargo to the new colony and shipping out . Nowadays containers and coal form the bulk of goods passing through the port.

Situated on the north side of the long bay formed by the crater of one of the long-extinct volcanoes that created the Banks Peninsula, once the only way to get from the port to the city of Christchurch was via the Evans Pass over the Port Hills that divide the harbour from the flat land of the Canterbury Plain beyond - an arduous journey on foot for the first settlers until a roadway was built in 1857. Now the port is accessible in just 20 minutes by road from the centre of Christchurch via a road tunnel.

Maritime history, harbour cruises, scenic walks, cute cafes, nature trails and the spectacular views offered by the Christchurch Gondola are all good reasons to head for Lyttelton for a day.

Take the No 35 or 28 bus from Cathedral Square in the city centre.

Lyttelton, Christchurch

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