Dunedin

Albar

Beer bar on Lower Stuart street with a great ambiance and selection of craft beers.

Arc Cafe

Opened in 1997 and closed in the late 2000s, Arc Cafe was a very popular place for music, art and alternative cultures in Dunedin. You can still view its building on the street (it is now used by a bakery shop called “Body of the Year”). You can also view paintings, photos and music from their website. The website is maintained by Elliott Young, one of the original founders of Arc Cafe.

Baldwin Street

Located in Dunedin's North East Valley suburb, it is recognised as the world's steepest street according to Guinness World Records with a centreline gradient of 34.8%. Take the ten-minute walk to the top to enjoy the view looking down! There is a drinking fountain at the top. Some people have tried, and a few have succeeded, cycling all the way up Baldwin Street – try it if you're a keen cyclist. That said, you will need to be careful coming back down – chances are the cycle's brakes will do little to slow a descent at such an incline! Only resident's cars are allowed to drive up the street.

Blue Oyster Art Project Space

Playfully named after the Blue Oyster gay biker bar featured in the 1984 comedy film Police Academy, this not for profit gallery run by the Blue Oyster Arts Trust began its life in 1999 and since then has been supporting experimental and innovative art practices.

See the website·All exhibitions and events are free to attend

Cargill's Castle

The ruins of Cargill's Castle stand on a promontory overlooking the sea. This Italianate mansion was built for Edward Cargill, eighth child of city founder William Cargill. Called The Cliffs by its owner it was designed by the young architect Francis Petre. While designing the house, Petre fell in love with Cargill's daughter Margaret. After a difficult courtship (due to Petre's staunch Catholicism and the Cargill family's equally staunch Presbyterianism) the couple were eventually permitted to marry. It now lies in ruins and while plans have been made on several occasions to restore the building to its former glory, but none have yet borne fruit. There is no public access to the site and it cannot be accessed until stabilization of the site has been completed.

Carousel

Upmarket bar upstairs on Lower Stuart St near the Octagon, with a great deck.

Dead Souls

They are crammed to the rafters with around 20,000 books so they should have something of interest. The ceiling is papered with old book covers.

Mon-Sat 10AM-6PM

Dunedin Botanic Garden

Occupying 30.4 hectares (75 acres) in the north end of the city; an excellent place to stroll for several hours. Has an aviary along with many themed garden areas such as Rhododendron, Azalea and Rose Gardens.

Dawn to dusk every day of the year, except as follows: Information Centre and Shop 10AM-4PM, closed - Christmas Day and Good Friday. Winter Garden Glasshouse 10AM-4PM. Alpine House 9AM-4PM·Admission is free to all areas of the garden

Dunedin Chinese Garden

A piece of serenity in the city. Constructed in Shanghai then dismantled and reassembled in Dunedin, the Chinese Garden is an example of a late Ming, early Qing Dynasty scholar's garden, the only traditional Chinese garden in the Southern Hemisphere. Try some amazing dumplings and Chinese tea.

Daily 10AM-5PM, closed Christmas Day·Adult $11, child under 13 free

Dunedin Prison

This was the second Dunedin gaol to be built and was completed in 1898 with cells for 52 men and 20 women. It operated as both a men’s and women’s prison until 2007 when all prison services were shifted to the new Otago Corrections Facility near Milton. The structure was designed by government architect John Campbell. The prison was constructed with superb detail and the contrasting red and pale exterior colours are an example of Edwardian neo-Baroque. The property was sold to the Dunedin Prison Charitable Trust with the intention of transforming it into a tourist attraction. And it also hosts an escape room for escape game.

Open Oct-Apr Sat and Sun 10:30AM for a one-hour guided tour which start at 10:30AM·Adult $15, school age child $5. Cash only

Dunedin Public Art Gallery

This gallery displays both local and international work in a modern building. Established in 1884, the Gallery was New Zealand’s first Art Gallery and is renowned today for the richness of its historic collection. Historical works by renowned artists such as Turner, Gainsborough, Claude, and Machiavelli feature alongside the only Monet in a New Zealand collection and master works by Derain, Tissot, Burne-Jones and internationally acclaimed Dunedin artist Frances Hodgkins.

Daily 10AM–5PM except 25 Dec·Free

Dunedin Railway Station

Described as "the outstanding monument of Edwardian architecture in New Zealand" and designed by railway architect George Trup, nicknamed "Gingerbread George", this is the best-known building in Dunedin (apart, perhaps, from Forsyth Barr Stadium). Opened in 1906, it has an atmosphere and character unique to any public building in New Zealand. The main hall is particularly fine - look down on the mosaic floor from the balcony. The station is often quiet as regular passenger services ceased in 2002, but there are daily Train_excursions, although in the early 20th century there were 100 trains per day.

Dunedin Town Hall

Municipal Chambers

Completed in 1880 and designed by R. A. Lawson in 1878, it is New Zealand's only surviving significant Victorian Town Hall. Of Italianate design and complete with Corinthian columns and an imposing staircase and balustrade, it is built of Oamaru stone on a base of breccia from Port Chalmers.In 1929 a town hall were added behind the Municipal Chambers, and in the 1980s a new administration building, incorporating a new public library, was added to the Octagon. The town hall is home to a symphonic pipe organ (with 3,500 pipes) affectionally known as 'Norma' that is still operational. The entrance to the town hall is from Moray Place.

Emersons Taproom and Restaurant

Brewery bar and restaurant opened in 2016, showcasing the famous beers and the ever changing range of seasonal releases.

Etrusco at the Savoy

Great Italian meals ranging between $10-25. This restaurant has its fair share of long time returning locals and will definitely satisfy your need for a decent meal without having to stroll too far from the centre of town.

First Church

One of the most impressive churches in New Zealand, looking like an English cathedral. Dunedin's primary Presbyterian church, built of Oamaru stone 1868-73. The spire is 56 m high, making it the tallest building in Dunedin.

Services Sun 10AM, noon Cook Islands Service, 2PM Samoan Service, open most other days for viewing - enquire locally·Free, donations welcome

Fletcher House

This typical Edwardian villa was built in 1909 by Sir James Fletcher, founder of Fletcher Construction Company Ltd for Hubert Green and his wife. The double bay windowed villa with return verandah has views over Turnbull Bay. In December 1990 Fletcher Challenge decided to restore the Fletcher House and after restoration opened it to the public in 1992, making it the first villa in New Zealand to be opened for all to enjoy. It has been fully restored to its former glory and has been furnished in the style of the period by the Otago Settlers Museum.

11AM-4PM for guided tours·10 adults, accompanied children free

Forsyth Barr Stadium

A futuristic rugby and soccer stadium, opened in 2011, it's fully enclosed with a grass surface, made possible by a transparent roof. In 2023 it staged matches in the Women's World Cup for soccer, co-hosted by NZ and Australia. Some call the stadium the "Greenhouse of Pain" — a play on "House of Pain", the nickname of Carisbrook the stadium it replaced.

Fort Taiaroa

This Armstrong disappearing gun at Fort Taiaroa was installed in May 1889 and was recommissioned during World War II. It is still in its original gun pit. Coastal fortifications were constructed in New Zealand in two main waves. The first wave occurred around 1885 and was a response to fears of an attack by Russia. The second wave occurred during World War II and was due to fears of invasion by the Japanese. The fortifications were built from British designs adapted to New Zealand conditions. The only public access to the fort is by a 30-minute guided tour.

10:15AM to dusk·The Fort Taiaroa tour (adult $26, child $10, family $62) or the Unique Taiaroa Experience (adult $62, child $20, family $134) include the guns and the birds

Gasworks Museum

This old coal gasworks operated from 1863 until 1987. At its peak in the 1970s coal gas was provided to over 18,000 customers in the city. Much of the facility was pulled down during the 1980s, though many of the Edwardian buildings of the complex were saved by a trust and it is one of only a handful of preserved gasworks museums in the world. The main part of the museum is housed in the engine house. Other buildings which are included in the museum include the boiler room, boiler house, chimney stack, fitting shop, and blacksmith's shop. The museum includes five stationary steam engines, some of which are in working full order. There are also displays of domestic and industrial gas appliances.

every Sun of the month from noon until 4PM

Glenfalloch Woodland Garden

Glenfalloch, Gaelic for ‘hidden valley’ enjoys a microclimate that extends the seasons and nurtures growth. There are walking tracks meandering throughout 30 acres of lush, well-tended woodland gardens, filled with flowers and swaying mature trees, including a 1000-year-old matai that you can enjoy at your own pace or you can also take a guided tour. Glenfalloch has been classified as a Garden of National Significance. There's also a good restaurant on site.

Daily 9AM-4PM·$3 adult, $1 child

Good Oil

Good Oil on George St has premium ALLPRESS espresso coffee, fantastic edibles from the cabinet made fresh daily, and a full à la carte brunch menu available, also on Fridays from 6PM they host some of Dunedin's top acoustic musical talent with fantastic Central Otago wines and locally brewed ales available.

Hard to Find

The largest antiquarian and second hand bookshop in New Zealand, and the largest online one in Australasia. Access is via a majestic staircase. It has a spacious front room adorned with comfortable couches where customers are encouraged to relax and read. The books in the shop are only the precursor to Hard to Find's library, a gigantic collection of 120,000 books in a warehouse like room behind the shop. A database of these books is searchable on the store’s website, or you can ask at the desk and they'll make it available to you.

Daily 9:30AM-5:15PM

Harry's Kitchen

Cozy little student favourite with authentic Japanese and Korean dishes. They offer good size portions of tasty fried chicken, pork ramen and chashu. Expect to pay a reasonably priced $15 for a dish.

11AM-8PM

Jizo

Japanese restaurant. If you want to be impressed, then order one of the Katsu dishes. Deluxe Katsu is good as is the Chicken Katsu. Damn good sushi to boot.

Jonathan's Photo Warehouse

Handy if you need a passport photo or some films. They also do C41 film development but not B&W (they need to send B&W films to Auckland for development, which will be a slow process).

Knox Church

The largest church in Dunedin, used by a Presbyterian congregation. Built of bluestone and Oamaru stone, with a wooden ceiling between 1872-76 to design by Robert Lawson.

8:30AM-5PM. Services Sun 10AM and 7PM·Free entry

Larnach Castle

Billed as "the only castle" in New Zealand, it's very pretty but it's actually a manor house. Lanarch Castle has a rich and interesting but rather unhappy history. It was built by wealthy businessman William Larnach and later cabinet minister in the New Zealand Government, holding various portfolios, over a period of 25 years. He took his own life in the New Zealand Parliament Buildings in 1898. After the home was sold by the family it became first a lunatic asylum, then a hospital for shell-shocked soldiers and a nuns' retreat. In 1967 it was purchased by new owners and restored.

Castle Oct-Mar 8AM-6PM, to Apr-Sep 9AM-5PM. Garden Oct-Mar 9AM-7PM, to Apr-Sep 9AM-5PM·Castle, gardens & grounds adult $34, child (aged 5 - 14) $12, family (2 adults and up to 4 children) $80. Early bird special 8—9:30AM (Oct-Mar) adult $25.50, child (aged 5 - 14) $9, family $60. Gardens & grounds only adult $17, child $5. Guided tours $125

Law Courts

Designed by John Campbell, the law courts are one of the finest examples of Gothic civic architecture in the country. Constructed of dark Port Chalmers breccia (commonly called bluestone) ornamented with lighter Oamaru stone the complex was completed in 1902 on the site where the city’s first prison had been located. The building is still used as Dunedin’s law courts, and comprises four courtrooms as well as the local Law Society’s library.

Mazagran Espresso

Mazagran Espresso on Moray place also roasts its own coffee and is thought of by many as the best coffee in Dunedin.