Dunedin Travel Guide

Introduction

283km (175 miles) S of Queenstown; 366km (227 miles) S of Christchurch; 220km (136 miles) N of Invercargill

Dunedin is a southern gem -- sometimes gray, bleak, and freezing in winter, but a gem nevertheless. I love the place for its dramatic scenery, its fine historic buildings and most of all, for the immediacy of its funky university life, which lends an alternative air to what is inherently a strongly Scottish Presbyterian base.

With a population of about 123,000 (one fifth of them university students), Dunedin is New Zealand's fourth-largest city and the second largest in the South Island. The city itself is vital, and you'll quickly notice that the streets are filled with young people. It's the main business center for Otago province, and nearby Otago Peninsula is home to several internationally recognized reserves, where some of the world's rarest wildlife can be viewed year-round in their natural habitats.

The splendor of many of its grand city buildings reflects...