Timeline
19:55
Pick up a coffee and pastry at the café inside the gardens.
20:25
Walk the loop of the Avon River in the Botanic Gardens. The low sun will cast long shadows through the exotic trees and highlight the water.
21:10
Stand by the riverbank and watch the sun sink toward the WSW. The golden light peaks just before the sun dips below the horizon.
21:55
Head to the pub near the gardens for a post-sunset drink to unwind.
Local tip
The gardens are open all day, but the café closes at 17:00 in winter. In summer, you have plenty of time. The pub is open from 11:00 on Sundays.
Check before you go
- Ilex Café hours: Sep-May 09:00-17:00; Jun-Aug 09:00-16:00; Dec 25 off.
- Pegasus Arms hours: Mo-Th 07:30-23:00; Fr 07:30-24:00, Sa 11:00-24:00, Su 11:00-23:00.
Built from places in the Wikivoyage guide to Christchurch (CC BY-SA 4.0), with open map data from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).