There’s just one thing missing in central Christchurch right now: tourists. Never fear! Cityscape is here with your definitive guide for locals playing holidaymaker in the four avenues.

Ogle in awe at Riverside Market It’s the first place we take visitors from out of town, and it should be your first stop for a day of hardcore touristing. Grab a breakfast and load up on artisan eats to last the rest of the day in this enormous, permanent, fully covered farmers’ market.

Get the Christchurch eating experience at Little High Less a food court and more a permanent food truck collective crossed with an industrial-styled, grungy alleyway bar, this place goes off. Street food has become an icon of post-quake Christchurch and Little High is the place to enjoy the best of it in comfort.

Punt on the Avon This is the literal postcard for Christchurch, and you’ve just got to do it. Old-fashioned in all the right ways, the experience includes punters complete with cute waistcoats and straw boaters, and you get to sit back and enjoy the tranquil surroundings while being propelled through the water by a long stick. Believe it or not, punting is an all-weather activity. Snuggle up under blankets with hot water bottles if it’s cold, and shelter under umbrellas if it’s raining.

Get snap-happy in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens Take a selfie at the peacock fountain, stroll along the riverbank, hide your head and torso under the Peace Bell, stop to smell the roses in the rose garden, and check out some public art, like the little-bit-trippy Diminish and Ascend in Kiosk Lake. In spring, the daffodil lawns sprout glorious yellow as far as the eye can see and make for the most gorgeous picnic spot.

Take your own public art tour From elephants to ice cream monsters, native birds to ballerinas, the street art scene is a colourful highlight of Christchurch’s central city. SCAPE Public Art adds to the wonderful creative collection every year with new sculptures, murals and installations from local artists; check out Antony Gormley’s Stay at the Arts Centre and in the Ōtākaro Avon River near the Gloucester Street Bridge. You’d be hard pressed to miss VAKA ‘A HINA, the 16-metre-tall sculpture in Rauora Park, and Tilt’s Teeth Mural is a great one to take a photo with – see if you can mimic all the expressions! Take a wander around the streets and see how many artworks and murals you can find.

Take the whānau to the Margaret Mahy Family Playground We don’t care how old you are, this is a wonderland, and easily one of the best playgrounds in the country. It’s mobility friendly, and there’s a coffee cart for the adults. The giant slide is wide enough for the whole family, there are two flying foxes for racing, and the massive suspended rope grid could hold a whole ship’s crew. There’s a separate toddlers’ area for the younger ones, and after sundown you’ll often find grown-ups here letting their inner children out to play.

Dine al fresco and get the perfect photo in New Regent Street With its pastel-coloured Spanish Mission-style frontages and tram tracks running down its length, New Regent Street is the prettiest street in Christchurch and the perfect spot for parking up at an outdoor table and getting your people-watch on. You’ll hardly know where to begin with the plethora of amazing eateries and drinkeries here – will it be coffee and brunch at Café Stir, a classy European dinner at Twenty Seven Steps, a gorgeous G&T at gin gin., or a killer cone from Rollickin’ Gelato? Don’t worry, you can always browse the shops while you make up your mind – start with some colourful gems at Rowena Watson Jewellers and work your way down from there.

Get your retail therapy on Central Christchurch is a destination for tourist shoppers looking for high street shopping at its best, and it’s the destination for decking out your wardrobe. Start in the laneways around Riverside Market and Cashel Street, where you’ll find some incredible independent stores selling local and New Zealand-made goods, contemporary fashion and secondhand clothing. Less than a block away is the brilliant Ballantynes, the cornerstone of the central city and the oldest department store in New Zealand. It’s three floors of new-season fashion, homewares, gifts and artisan goods, plus a café, wine bar and tearooms if you need a little reviving. Cross Colombo Street to explore the awesome fashion and home stores along Cashel Mall and in The Crossing, and wind your way to High Street to finish off your spree in high fashion style.

Watch the sunset from The Terrace Big city bustle condensed into two riverfront blocks of bars and restaurants, The Terrace is the city’s hive of activity as evening transitions into night. What was once known as The Strip in Christchurch’s former life is now home to such legends as Amazonita, The Viaduct, and independent theatre Little Andromeda, providing the full date night experience all in one place.

Get your history lesson in at Canterbury Museum This grand old lady sits next door to the Botanic Gardens and holds at least an entire day’s worth of exploring within its walls. The Antarctic collection is one of the best in the world, the Discovery Centre has a ton of interactive displays that kids will love, and in the replica Christchurch Street you can have your photo taken on a Penny Farthing, listen to the stories on the 19^th Century wall phone and see how the antique dollhouse fared in the 2011 earthquake.

Shake it up at Quake City Whether you experienced the Canterbury Earthquakes yourself or moved to Christchurch in the intervening decade, there’s guaranteed to be new things to learn and surprising things to remember at this permanent exhibition. See earthquake relics such as the spire from Christ Church Cathedral, rebuild Christchurch with LEGO, measure your own quake with the seismograph, and check out the bicycle-powered film of Gap Filler’s many creative projects.

Go exploring in the Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora A hub for events, workshops and creative collectives, The Arts Centre has tons of hidden treasures to discover. Pick up some beautiful stationery at Pepa, treat yourself to something sweet from Christchurch institution The Fudge Cottage, and grab a wine flight at Cellar Door. Be sure to rock up on Saturday mornings to browse the arts and crafts market.

Lumière Cinemas Also in the Arts Centre, Lumière is run by film lovers for film lovers, screening everything from arthouse to foreign film festivals, blockbuster new releases to decades-old cinema greats. With luxurious Art Deco styling and a snack bar serving freshly baked pastries, cheeseboards and Rollickin’ Gelato, this is a cinema that welcomes you in like an old friend.

Fill the gaps in your day with Gap Filler activities Play a giant arcade game with a giant joystick on a street corner, take a bumpy Detour on a custom-made skate-scoot-and-ride track, or have a boogie whenever the urge takes you on the coin-operated Dance-O-Mat. Gap Filler began by literally filling the gaps left behind by the earthquake with creative community projects, and the team and the projects have continued to grow ever since.

Grab some respite at Tūranga If beating a track around the city’s sights is getting a bit much for your tired legs, it’s time to give them a rest at Tūranga, Christchurch’s central city library. It’s beautiful inside, with a stunning architectural staircase leading you up five floors to discover lovely views and plenty of cosy corners ideal for studying, working or curling up with a book. Imagination Station on the first floor is particularly impressive, boasting six LEGO and DUPLO building tables and two building pits. Foundation Café on the ground floor is the resident refuelling station.

Do the art thing at Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū Get your culture fix here at the South Island’s largest art institution, an architectural marvel and regular host to fantastic international exhibitions. The gallery is a beautiful space to spend an afternoon, browsing collections of New Zealand, Pacific and Māori art as well as extensive European works.

Then hit the contemporary art scene at CoCA Right around the corner from the Christchurch Art Gallery, the Centre of Contemporary Art Toi Moroki (CoCA) is the place to gaze upon innovative, explorative and thought-provoking contemporary artworks that challenge your imagination and stimulate conversations.

Get a bird’s eye view from our rooftop bars Want to get above it all? Central Christchurch’s rooftop bars serve up beautiful views across the city along with delicious cocktails and small plates. Mr Brightside in Oxford Terrace enjoys a leafy outlook over the river, to Cathedral Square and the city skyline, and The Pink Lady sits at the top of Muse Art Hotel, boasting 360-degree views all over Christchurch, as far as the Port Hills and the Southern Alps.

Get the tour on the Christchurch Tram If you’ve seen it go past a million times but haven’t jumped on yet, now is your time. Ride around the city, enjoying informative commentary and hop-on-hop-off privileges. The historic and super-cute tram is a great way to learn some fun facts about the central city, not to mention the gorgeous polished-wood interior invites some excellent Instagramming.

Finish the week off at the Friday Street Food Market There’s a cool vibe at this food truck market, held every Friday night in Cathedral Square. Browse the trucks and stalls and treat yourself to unique cuisine while enjoying live music and entertainment from local buskers. There’s everything here from Malaysian, Indian and Chinese to German, Egyptian and Transylvanian.