Akaroa: French charm
04 February 2025
An hour’s easy drive from Christchurch and just over the crest of the hill you reach Akaroa harbour opening dramatically before you, the land dropping steeply to turquoise sea.
The Giant’s House: a whimsical wonderland
At the top of a hill in Akaroa, you’ll find a striking candy-coloured house with the kind of garden that dreams are made of.
The work of local artist Josie Martin, the Giant’s House is a slice of Gaudí-esque ceramic architecture as if transplanted from Barcelona to the Banks Peninsula and is regarded as a Garden of National Significance.
Terraces are formed from millions of pieces of broken crockery into surreal mosaic sculptures – people, animals, plants – many towering several metres high, bursting with colour and a flamboyant sense of joy.
Abundant flowers, shrubs and laden fruit trees create secret corners where even more artworks lurk.
Relax on a mosaic throne, take a seat at the grand piano filled with succulents, or stroll across the manicured lawns as you soak up the ambience of this special place. The Giant’s House is a testament to whimsy and years of labour and love.
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