See the world in Dunedin
Old-world castles, vibrant restaurants and bars, windswept beaches teeming with wildlife... This isn’t Scotland or the Galapágos Islands. It’s magical, modern Dunedin on the South Island of New Zealand.
Looking for that faraway feeling, for a place where cities seem like they have been drawn from storybooks and staggering nature scenes look nothing at all like home? Well, surprise. Just across the ditch, in dramatic Dunedin, you’ll find it all in one place – from the majesty of Gothic buildings juxtaposed with the deep-blue Pacific to green volcanic hills glimpsed behind a bustling bistro or bar.
Aristocratic architecture
The classic streetscapes of Dunedin look like a European postcard. Larnach Castle resembles an ancient Scottish rampart. Olveston Historic Home could have been lifted from the set of Downton Abbey. Even the city’s ornate railway station is similar to a grand-scale gingerbread house that wouldn’t be out of place in the Netherlands.
World-class food and drink
Restaurants and bars in Dunedin want to dazzle you. Inside Hotel St Clair on the waterfront, wave-making restaurant Tītī reimagines produce from nearby farms and fishing boats in “trust the chef” experiences. Moiety elevates a locavore’s five-course menu with Japanese nuances in the casual cool of the warehouse district. At Good Good, you’ll find a burger to rival any you’d taste in New York.
Galápagos-worthy wildlife
Dunedin sits on the untouched Otago Peninsula, otherwise known as NZ’s wildlife capital. Safari-style tours will take you into its hidden corners. Watch closely to spy rare and endangered yelloweyed penguins waddling the beaches, but sleek fur seals and sea lions are plentiful. The world’s only mainland breeding site for the northern royal albatross can be accessed via a dedicated observatory.
Mesmerising natural wonders
Dramatic rock formations around the region look like they’ve been thrown onto the landscape by the hands of ancient gods. The ragged cascade of basalt at The Organ Pipes brings to mind the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, while the pointed Pyramids are natural geometric phenomena that, unlike their Egyptian counterparts, you can climb. Go forth and conquer. Fly Qantas to Queenstown and take the 3.5-hour scenic drive south-east to Dunedin via the Central Otago Touring Route. Start planning your trip at dunedinnz.com