Christchurch

Standing here in Christchurch, it's easy to see why they call it the Garden City. The Avon River winds right through the middle, with a big urban park along its banks. The city's pretty flat, except for the Port Hills over there, and sits about 20 metres above sea level.

This area was first settled by the Waitaha people back in the 1200s, then later by Kāi Tahu. The British arrived in 1850 on those First Four Ships, and by 1856 it was officially a city — the oldest established one in New Zealand. You can still feel that English influence in the architecture.

It's also one of the five Antarctic gateway cities, supporting bases for several nations since 1901. The 2011 earthquake killed 185 people and destroyed so many buildings downtown. The rebuild is still going on.