Dunedin & The Otago Peninsula Travelers Recommend

The southern city of Dunedin charms travelers with its Scottish architecture, vibrant student culture, and artsy vibe. In one day you can see the highlights of the central city and North Dunedin. From visiting colonial-era churches to hiking up the steepest street in the world, here’s how to make the most of your time.

Morning: Art and Architecture

Some cities have squares or plazas. Dunedin is a little different, with its 8-sided Octagon, encircled by Moray Place. Start the day by checking out the Dunedin Public Art Gallery and the grand St. Paul’s Cathedral. A short walk from the Octagon is the photogenic Dunedin Railway Station. If you happen to be in Dunedin on a Saturday, spend some time wandering around the farmers market outside the train station. Walk north up George Street for lunch, stopping at local boutiques and gift stores along the way.

Afternoon: University, Botanical Gardens, and Baldwin Street

The University of Otago is a major part of Dunedin life. After lunch, take a stroll through campus. Look out for the attractive clocktower building and the Quad, which has stood in for universities such as Oxford and Cambridge in films. Continuing north, make your way to the Dunedin Botanic Garden en route to Baldwin Street—said to be the steepest in the world. Climb to the top if you have the energy, or just look at the houses and cars perched there at odd angles.

Night: Dinner at the Octagon

Loop back to where you started the day, and have dinner in the Octagon. If you’re in town during the summer, sit streetside and enjoy the long, light evenings; otherwise, cozy up next to a fireplace. Despite its small size, Dunedin offers something to suit almost every taste—besides grungy student bars, you’ll find microbreweries, fancy cocktail bars, and wine bars selling fine Central Otago pinot noirs. 

Dunedin is blessed with an abundance of urban and natural attractions, and with two days, you can experience the best of both. In town check out the colonial-era architecture and the vibrant student culture, then take an easy day trip to the windswept Otago Peninsula. Here’s how to make the most of your time.

Day 1: Explore Dunedin City

**Morning:**Start the day at a streetside café in the Octagon. If you happen to be in town on a Saturday, drop by the farmers market at the Dunedin Railway Station. Otherwise, take a leisurely walk around the central city, stopping by the Dunedin Public Art Gallery and St. Paul’s Cathedral.

**Afternoon:**Relive your student days and wander around the University of Otago campus. Established by Scottish migrants to New Zealand, some of the older architecture has stood in for old British universities in movies. Afterward, head over to the attractive Dunedin Botanic Garden.

**Night:**To meet some fun-loving students while drinking cheap local beer, go barhopping in North Dunedin. The area around the university has some quieter places to grab a tasty meal. For a more sophisticated scene, make your way to the Octagon.

Day 2: Tour the Otago Peninsula

**Morning:**Drive or take a tour out to the Otago Peninsula, an arm of land that falls within the Dunedin city boundaries. Penguins, albatross, fur seals, and sea lions make their homes on the beaches and hills of the peninsula, and several centers provide eco-friendly tours to see the animals.

**Afternoon:**Continue exploring the peninsula. Or, go to Larnach Castle. Built by politician and entrepreneur William Larnach, the 19th-century mansion is a beautiful place to spend a couple of hours discovering the gardens and admiring the views.

**Night:**Quality theater can be quite affordable in Dunedin. Back in the city center for your final evening, see if there are any plays or musical performances on in one of the city’s independent theaters.

Coastal Otago, and its one major city, Dunedin, has, in typical New Zealand manner, attractions both urban and rural, offering you the chance to see New Zealand’s indie music heartland, while having the island’s most accessible wildlife at your fingertips. With three days at your disposal, it’s best to make the most of it.

Day 1: Welcome to Dunedin

Upon your arrival, you’ll find Dunedin a compact, quirky little town, full of charming bars, restaurants, and cafes, all with a distinctly New Zealand feel. The smattering of bars gives this town a reputation for good nightlife, and it’s well earned. Spend your first day waltzing the streets, seeing some of the beautiful Victorian and Edwardian architecture. From its pioneering history you’re liable to hear a good mix of the indie-rock scene floating through the air. Enjoy it, and sleep well. Tomorrow, you head off into wild.

Day 2: Exploring the Otago Peninsula

Dunedin acts as the gateway for the Otago Peninsula and all the wildlife it engenders. These are the outdoors that make New Zealand famous. Start your day with a bike ride down to the coast, where kayak rentals are available. See a coastline spotted with the rarest penguins in the world, albatross snuggling into their nests, and bull seals jealously guarding their harem. A bike trip through the city down to the peninsula is a must-do experience to truly appreciate the scenery.

Day 3: Further into Otago

The Otago Peninsula offers an incredibly diverse array of outdoor activities in which to partake. From photogenic trail hikes, to hunting and watersports, to horseback riding, whatever your pleasure, you can find here. Get information at the local tourist office and see about exploring on your own or with a local tour guide. A favorite for the outdoor adventurers is to take the Taieri Gorge Railway to Central Otago. Here, the Central Otago Rail Trail begins and is a four day cycling journey either ending in Queenstown or looping back to Dunedin. The great thing about New Zealand exploration is, any way you slice it, it’s bound to be an adventure.

Central Otago—one of the fastest-growing wine regions in New Zealand and the southernmost in the world—occupies a wide swath of mountainous terrain on the South Island. It’s the country’s only true continental wine region, with daily and seasonal temperature extremes perfect for growing wine grapes. Here’s what you need to know about the varietals and experiences on offer here.

Must-Try Varietals

The terroir of Otago wine country resembles that of Alsace or Germany, with hot, dry summers and crisp, snowy winters. These conditions produce some of the world’s best pinot noir, with grapes planted mostly in the area of Lake Dunstan. Besides the fruity, peppery reds, whites shine as well, particularly aromatics like pinot gris, riesling, and gewürztraminer. Visit any of the region’s numerous wineries and tasting rooms, and you’ll likely see chardonnay and sauvignon blanc make an appearance as well.

Must-Do Experiences

• Learn about cool-climate wines on a day trip to Central Otago from Queenstown.

• Visit large and small cellars for guided wine tastings.

• Feast on a winery lunch made from produce grown on local Otago farms.

• Pick up bottles of local wine and olive oil to take home as gifts or souvenirs. 

• Sample several Otago wines in the wine bars of Dunedin, Queenstown, or Cromwell.