New Regent Street

New Regent Street started life in the 1880s as a skating rink, but opened as a boutique shopping street with the current Spanish Mission-style buildings in 1932, in the midst of the Great Depression in New Zealand. Most of the shops on the street remained unoccupied for a long time, because of the economic hardships. Now, tourists and locals both love the street, and there’s a range of high-end souvenir shops, jewelers, bars, coffee shops and restaurants, hairdressers, galleries, and other shops on street level. Although some buildings on the street were damaged in the earthquake in 2011, they were quickly repaired. The street is pedestrianized, aside from the historic tram that runs through it. Many organized tours of Christchurch city include some time at New Regent Street; alternatively, it’s easy to visit independently.