Okay, I’ll admit it—I was embarrassingly old before I realised there was a castle in New Zealand. Having been born in England, I always associated castles with places like the UK or France, but little old Dunedin has one too! Larnach Castle is New Zealand’s only castle, built by entrepreneur and politician William Larnach for his wife.

If you’re into history and culture, you’ll be happy to know you can visit the castle, as both the building and its grounds are open to the public every day.  The surrounding gardens are gorgeous and have been recognised as one of New Zealand’s five internationally significant gardens and the first in the South Island to earn that title (although I have no idea why as the South Island has some of the most beautiful outdoor spaces in the country!). Then, in 2018, Heritage New Zealand designated Larnach Castle as a New Zealand Landmark, marking its cultural and historical significance.

Note: I won’t lie to you, it gets busy here. Way busier than I expected! It’s one of the top things to do in Dunedin, so if you’re not a fan of crowds, I’d suggest arriving early in the morning, later in the afternoon, or just visiting the gardens to soak up the beauty without the 100s of people.