Dunedin Essential: Victorian Grandeur, Otago Peninsula Wildlife and the World's Steepest Street
Dunedin is New Zealand's most Scottish city, founded in 1848 and built rich on the Otago gold rush. It has New Zealand's finest collection of Victorian and Edwardian architecture, the country's oldest university, and the Otago Peninsula harboring some of the world's most accessible wildlife: royal albatross, yellow-eyed penguins and fur seals.
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Dunedin Railway Station
One of the most photographed buildings in New Zealand, the 1906 station is a Flemish Renaissance Revival masterpiece with an elaborate mosaic floor inside. Now a tourist center and market venue, it remains architecturally stunning.
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Otago Peninsula
A rugged peninsula extending into the Pacific from Dunedin, the Otago Peninsula is one of the world's top wildlife destinations. Royal albatross, yellow-eyed penguins, fur seals and sea lions all live within an hour of the city.
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Taiaroa Head Albatross Colony
The only mainland royal albatross breeding colony on earth. Guided tours from the Royal Albatross Centre at Taiaroa Head allow close views of the world's largest flying birds, with wingspans reaching 3.3 meters.
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Baldwin Street
The Guinness World Record holder for the world's steepest residential street, Baldwin Street climbs at a maximum gradient of 35 percent. The annual Jaffa Race rolls chocolate pieces down it for charity.
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Otago Museum
A comprehensive natural history and cultural museum covering the geology, Maori culture and colonial history of Otago. The butterfly experience and Pacific collections are particularly strong.
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Speights Brewery
Founded in 1876, Speights is synonymous with Dunedin and southern New Zealand masculinity. The heritage brewery tour includes tastings of their celebrated ales in a beautifully preserved Victorian brewing facility.