Things to do in Dunedin, New Zealand: One day three ways

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This was published 9 years ago

Things to do in Dunedin, New Zealand: One day three ways

By Travel
Surprising: Toitu Otago Settlers Museum, Dunedin.

Surprising: Toitu Otago Settlers Museum, Dunedin.Credit: Alamy

Penny pinch

Grab a toasted bagel with cream cheese at the knowingly kitsch Modaks Espresso (337 George Street, $7), before spending the morning in the Otago Museum (otagomuseum.govt.nz, free entry). Topics veer off all over the place, but the nature section does a good job on the local fauna and the Maori and Pacific Islander sections are culturally absorbing. Swing by the Circadian Rhythm vegetarian cafe (circadianrhythm.co.nz) for a $9 Indian curry before poking around the thoroughly photogenic railway station.

Next door is the huge Toitu Otago Settlers Museum (toituosm.com, free entry) which covers the potentially dull subject of the region's early settlement in brilliant, frequently interactive, storytelling style.

Savour a $13 venison and portobello mushroom burger for dinner at Velvet Burger (velvetburger.co.nz), then stay at former bishop's residence turned historic hostel, Hogwartz (Hogwartz.co.nz). Doubles cost from $58.

TOTAL: $87

Easy does it

Kick off with kumara hash, smoked salmon and poached eggs ($15) in hip coffee spot, The Good Oil (314 George Street).

City Walks' two hour walking tour (citywalks.co.nz, $27) gives an overview of how Dunedin was settled by Scots, visits the main churches and explores how handsome Victorian buildings are getting a new lease of life.

Nova (novadunedin.co.nz), attached to the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, does globe-hopping dishes in a slick setting. The South American gumbo ($14) is superb.

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After lunch, spot seals and birdlife on Otago Harbour with Monarch Cruises (wildlife.co.nz). Then admire the rare yellow-eyed penguins from viewing hides at Penguin Place (penguinplace.co.nz) as part of Monarch's $81 half-day package.

Enjoy calvados-brushed duck leg ($31) at buzzy bistro Two Chefs (twochefsbistro.com), before sleeping with a fab view at the Brothers Boutique Hotel (brothershotel.co.nz, $149).

TOTAL: $317

Splash out

Hire a car from Thrifty (thrifty.co.nz, $79) then head out to the Orokonui Eco-Sanctuary (orokonui.org.nz, $15) to discover how endangered native animals are being brought back to the mainland within the confines of a 8.7km predator-proof fence.

Swing by seaside suburb St Clair for lunch with prime beach views at Pier 24 (hotelstclair.com, mains $24).

Cram Dunedin's heritage sites into one afternoon while being escorted around in a shiny Jaguar limousine. The five-hour, $199 tour with Classic Jaguar (classicjaguar.co.nz) includes special guided visits around the Speight's Brewery, First Church, Otago University Campus and the gorgeously well-preserved Olveston stately home.

Make room for hearty modern Scottish cuisine, using gamey local ingredients such as wild Otago hare, at Scotia (scotiadunedin.co.nz, $34). Then sleep at the impeccably gorgeous Camp Estate (larnachcastle.co.nz, $379), part of the Larnach Castle grounds on the Otago Peninsula.

TOTAL: $730

The writer was a guest of Tourism New Zealand and Enterprise Dunedin.

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