My Kind of Place: Dunedin, New Zealand

David Whitley

Why Dunedin?

One of the most southerly cities on Earth, Dunedin’s original inspiration hailed from much farther north. Its name comes from the Scottish Gaelic translation of Edinburgh, and its original settlers were from Scotland. A 19th-century gold rush saw it become New Zealand’s boom city, and much of its look comes from that time. Gorgeous Victorian-era buildings dot the city, with many of them given a new lease of life as cafes, organic food shops and small creative businesses.

The surrounding nature is what lures most people to Dunedin – the nearby Otago Peninsula offers arguably the best bird and marine life-spotting in the country – but the city has enough personality in its own right to be worth more than the perfunctory day or two that many visitors allocate to it.

Being a major university city helps – a big student population keeps parochiality at bay. And there’s a sense of emerging energy that lifts Dunedin beyond a heritage-drenched curiosity.

A comfortable bed

Fletcher Lodge (www.fletcherlodge.co.nz; 0064 3 477 5552) is about as luxurious as B&Bs get. It's the former private home of a wealthy industrialist; now, antique furniture, tapestries and suits of armour in the corridors give it tons of personality. Doubles from NZ$335 (Dh973).

The 315 Euro (www.eurodunedin.co.nz; 0064 3 477 9929), in the heart of George Street, is an excellent motel option. Clean, bright and contemporarily designed studios with kitchenettes cost from $150 (Dh436).

The real treat is on the Otago Peninsula, though. The Camp Estate (www.larnachcastle.co.nz; 0064 3 476 1616), within the Larnach Castle grounds, offers surprisingly "now" design with art-deco flourishes and tremendous hilltop harbour views. Doubles from $420 (Dh1,220).

Find your feet

Dunedin’s centre is the Octagon – a bizarre hybrid of handsome Victorian buildings, head-scratchingly hideous modern ones, cultural hubs and restaurants. Start there, and head along the shopping strip of George Street, which has its fair share of interesting architecture too.

You'll eventually arrive at the Otago Museum (www.otagomuseum.govt.nz; 0064 3 474 7474) – a big grab-bag of topics, of which the sections on natural history, Maori and history of regional settlement give the most local insight.

Swing back down towards the Railway Station – Dunedin's most spectacular building, with a gorgeous blend of volcanic basalt and the ultra-white Oamaru limestone. It's next to the Toitu Otago Settlers Museum (www.toituosm.com; 0064 3 477 5052), which makes great use of interactive touchscreens and video to tell the stories of the early Scottish settlers, the gold-rush boom years and the later history as a major university city.

Meet the locals

Rugby union is New Zealand's national sport, and the farther south you go, the more fervent the fans get. The Forsyth Barr Stadium gets rowdily animated when the local club, the Highlanders (www.thehighlanders.co.nz), play at home.

Book a table

Two Chefs (www.twochefsbistro.com; 0064 3 477 7293) has a buzzy European bistro feel, but food of a higher rank. Local produce meets international flavours in dishes such as the miso-brushed venison loin and venison steamed bun ($37 [Dh108]).

Nova (0064 3 479 0808) is attached to the main art gallery, and its menu globetrots somewhat, with a focus on South Island ingredients. The South American gumbo, for $15.90 (Dh46), is tremendous.

Shopper’s paradise

George Street is the main shopping strip, but it gets more indie and less high street-esque the farther away you head from the Octagon. From number 300 onwards, expect interesting home-grown boutiques to poke your nose into.

Dunedin is also an excellent place to get outdoor gear – perfect for New Zealand’s multitude of hiking, biking and kayaking adventures. Torpedo 7 (70 Stuart Street) has a huge range, covering everything from Merino-wool base layers to specialist climbing footwear.

What to avoid

Baldwin Street holds the Guinness World Record for being the steepest street in the world – trudging up it is seen as an obligatory masochistic rite. Sadly, photos from the top won’t convey nearly how hard you worked to get there.

Don’t miss

Dunedin's great strength is its access to wildlife and nature. Monarch (www.wildlife.co.nz; 0064 3 477 4276) runs a full-day package, including a bird-and-sea-lion-spotting cruise along Otago Harbour, the chance to see albatrosses nesting at the Royal Albatross Centre (www.albatross.org.nz; 0064 3 478 0499) and the ultra-cute yellow-eyed penguins at Penguin Place (www.penguinplace.co.nz). The package costs $240 (Dh697).

Getting there

At least one stop is needed in a major Australian or New Zealand city on the way. Flying via Brisbane from Abu Dhabi with Etihad (www.etihad.com; 02 599 0000), code-sharing with Virgin Australia, is the most hassle-free option available. Returns cost from Dh8,195, including taxes.

weekend@thenational.ae

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