University Bookshop

There is a certain kind of feeling you get when you enter a good bookshop, it’s warm and inviting, and a sense of cosiness and calm takes over. The scent of hundreds and thousands of pages waiting to be discovered and devoured is nostalgic, and it is easy to lose an hour or two browsing the aisles deliberating over your next read. In Ōtautahi Christchurch, we are blessed with a stellar number of bookstores, from a specialist children’s shop, booksellers that have been in the city for generations and second-hand shops that ensure literary gems reach the hands of new readers. So whether you are on the hunt for the latest bestseller, looking to build up your child’s library collection or happiest when spending an afternoon amongst stacks and rows of books, here’s your guide (in no particular order) to enjoying the best bookshops around the city.

Christchurch is a city known for its many incredible cafés, greenspaces and close proximity to day trips and adventures throughout the region. However, now the city is also gaining a reputation for its emerging shopping offering, particularly in the central city, where there are many districts and laneways to discover.