Larnach Castle & City Drive

Soak up the grandeur of Dunedin’s architecture, from the classical bank to the buildings surrounding the Octagon, the eight-sided plaza that forms the core of Dunedin's lively business district on an orientation drive through this well-preserved Victorian city. Notable landmarks include the Town Hall, Municipal Chambers and St Paul's Cathedral, watched over by the statue of poet Robert Burns. Take a guided tour of Larnach Castle, beautifully situated in tranquil countryside. This magnificent neo-Gothic estate was built for William and Eliza Larnach and their six children and commands the highest point on the Otago Peninsula. Hear colourful stories of William Larnach and the castle’s architect, Robert Arthur Larson, designer of Dunedin’s First Church. The Barker family bought the castle as their home in 1967 and have spent more than 40 years restoring it, filling it with original New Zealand period furniture and antiques, and cultivating a Garden of International Significance.