< Much more laid back than Queenstown, Dunedin is compact town centre which blends in the ambience of the scenic Otago peninsula with its historic architectural imprint. The lines of bluestone Victorian buildings and museums are interspersed with laid-back cafes, eateries and a signature number of bars. New Zealand’s oldest university, Otago University, is at the heart of this city, infusing a youthful vitality and energizing otherwise tranquil environs.

While Dunedin rivals both Queenstown and Te Anau as a springboard to the various natural vistas that attract adventure sports-lovers and sightseers by the thousands, the city itself boast a number of tourist hotspots.

The prestige Taieri Gorge Railway line invites visitors to join in daily excursions exploring over a dozen viaducts and tunnels and offering unparalleled views of the Taieri River. The enigmatic Larnach Castle is New Zealand’s only castle-style residence, boasting one of the finest gardens in the country. Also into the category of horticultural treasures fall the Dunedin Botanical Gardens and the Dunedin Chinese Garden. Otago Museum and The Public Art Gallery offer cultural enrichment only a stone’s throw away from Kingsgate Hotel Dunedin. 

No tour of Dunedin is complete without a visit to the landmark Speights Brewery, a celebration of beer culture spanning over a hundred years, or a taste of sweetness at The Cadbury's Chocolate Factory, a popular Kiwi brand of chocolate.

The beautiful beaches of the Otago Peninsula coastline are havens for wildlife watchers, inhabited by various penguins, seals, sea-lions and birds, best enjoyed from aboard the scenic harbour cruises that run daily.

More energetic visitors should note that Dunedin is a sports paradise with a harbour especially famed for its surfing and wind-surfing. The surrounding mountain terrain riddled with hiking and bike trails, the game-rich rivers and lake and lush golf-courses peppered throughout the area are only a tip of the ice-berg when it comes to recreational opportunities and things to do in Dunedin.