Dunedin

As a city, Dunedin is one that I quite like as it has a lot to offer. In the middle of the city, there are the Chinese Gardens which offer a peaceful respite in a beautiful setting.  The gardens are like stepping into a traditional Chinese scenic painting.

Bridges, statues, hand made wooden buildings, hand made tiles and lattice work all crafted by a team of artisans from authentic Chinese materials in Dunedin's sister city, Shanghai. In among all of this are the flowers and trees that make up this beautiful garden.

They also have a tea house where you can enjoy Chinese teas, steamed buns and dumplings in the tranquility of the gardens or the Tea House.  The little gift shop has a delightful array of items that make beautiful gifts for loved ones.

Only a few blocks away, is Cadbury World which is a fun and delicious place to visit. You have the option of doing a self guided tour or a fully guided tour which is a delightful journey through time and all about the world of chocolate.  The guided tour also takes you to a Sensory Lab where you can taste and learn more about the chocolate process.

The gift shop is a chocolate lovers dream and has plenty to offer for all.  There is also a cafe where you can indulge in a range of baked sweets or savoury items with something to suit nearly everyone's taste.

Also in the city is the beautiful Dunedin Railway Station which is said to be the most photographed building in NZ.  The architecture is very grand and the attention to detail is incredible both inside and out.  There is also an art gallery within the station that is sure to have something that appeals to most people.

If you are spending a night in Dunedin, then I'd highly recommend Larnach Castle just for the experience.  Larnach Castle has stunning views across Dunedin, the Otago Harbour and the Peninsula.

The castle is set in among 7 acres of beautifully maintained gardens and you are given a coloured map to help you find your way around.  The gardens are recognised by the NZ Govt as Gardens of International Significance.

The castle itself was built by William Larnach in the 1800's and has a very colourful history.  The early years held much sadness, the earlier 1900's saw it used for a multitude of purposes, a period of abandonment, then a series of different owners before it was bought by the current owners in 1967 by the Barker Family.

I was going to write about more of the detailed history here, but I've decided not to as it may spoil your enjoyment of hearing the story between courses if you ever happen to have dinner at the castle.

There is a variety of accommodation available at Larnach Castle and all accommodation includes entry to the castle and gardens plus a hearty breakfast the next morning in the Stables.  

The first time I stayed at the castle, I stayed in the stable accommodation which is above the original stables where the breakfast area and guest lounge is situated.  The stable accommodation has smaller rooms and shared bathrooms, however, are still quite comfortable.

On my second visit, I stayed in the Lodge accommodation and the room I had was the Victorian Room, complete with beautiful 4 poster bed.  All the rooms are themed and mine also had a window with views over the Otago Harbour and Peninsula.

It's well worth paying a little extra to have dinner at the castle, again just for the experience but also the food is delicious!  Both times I visited I was travelling alone and the first time, had dinner in the dining room with 7 other people. 

It was lovely small group and we got to know each other a little over the meal.  Lots of fun, lots of laughter and the pleasure of hearing the story in between the courses. It was sleeting by the time we all left that evening and although some of us held hope for a spring time snowfall, it wasn't to be.

The second time I stayed, there were many more people so they divided the group and I was among 18 who dined in the music room.  Again, a good night but not quite the intimacy of the small group the first time.

When leaving the next morning, rather than turning back towards Dunedin, drive towards out along the peninsula.  It's very scenic with a road that winds around the coastline of the peninsula.  There's a little place called Portobello where I found a fabulous little gift shop with plenty of quirky cards and items. I've thoroughly enjoyed this drive on both occasions.

If you like a bit of fun and a challenge, there is one other must do place to visit in Dunedin before you leave.  Baldwin Street. The steepest street in the world! For those fit enough and keen enough for the workout, you can walk it.  Otherwise, even the drive is a challenge and it's not recommended you stop along the way.

Baldwin Street rises gently at first, then is extremely steep towards the end. Overall it rises 47.22 m over it's length of 161.2 m which is a gradient of 1 in 3.41 for those who understand such things.

The day I drove up, there were tourists breathlessly walking, stopping, walking and taking photo's of me driving up.  I arrived at the top to cheers!  How funny was that, given they were walking and would have deserved the cheers far more than me once they arrived at the top.

I have to say the U-turn at the top was a tad challenging, as was trying not to let the car run away on the way back down. If you're into that type of thing, I say give it a go, it's a hoot!