Larnach Castle & Gardens
Larnach Castle & Gardens, Dunedin: Hours, Address, Larnach Castle & Gardens Reviews: 4.5/5
Larnach Castle & Gardens
Larnach Castle & Gardens
4.5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Discover New Zealand’s only Castle, built 1871 by William Larnach, merchant baron and politician, for his beloved first wife Eliza. It took more than 200 workmen three years to build the Castle shell and master European craftsmen spent a further 12 years embellishing the interior. Larnach spared no expense on his dream home, which features the finest materials from around the world.The Castle is still privately owned and cared for by the Barker family who purchased it as their home in 1967. Decades have been spent on the Castle's restoration, with the family having restored empty buildings from ruin and assembled a large collection of original New Zealand period furniture and antiques. Open to the public throughout, this conservation project has been funded through admission fees. The family has always been committed to opening their home and sharing this significant period of Dunedin and New Zealand's history.Scandalous and tragic stories, spectacular tower views and a Garden of International Significance complete this enjoyable award-winning experience. Boutique Lodge accommodation is available in the Castle gardens. Weddings, Balls, Conferences and Celebrations are held in the beautiful 3000 square foot Ballroom. High Tea is also now served daily in the Ballroom at 3pm
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Improve this listingAdmission tickets
from NZ$37.00
All you need to step foot in the door.
Full view
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Learn moreTop ways to experience Larnach Castle & Gardens
The area
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
7 within 5 kms

Ballroom Cafe at Larnach Castle
109
22 m$$ - $$$ • Quick Bites • Cafe • Vegetarian Friendly

Two Fat Stags By The Bay Restaurant
20
2.4 km$$ - $$$ • Gastropub

1908 Restaurant
614
3.1 km$$ - $$$ • International • European • New Zealand

Penguin Cafe
210
3 km$$ - $$$ • Quick Bites • Cafe • New Zealand

Portobello Hotel & Bistro
226
3.1 km$$ - $$$ • Bar • Seafood • Pub

Glenfalloch Garden Cafe and Restaurant
289
3.5 km$$ - $$$ • International • European • Contemporary

Ric's Fish and Chips
97
3.1 km$ • Seafood • Fast food • New Zealand
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54 within 10 kms

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90
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Public Transportation Systems
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
2,898 reviews
Excellent
1,564
Very good
930
Average
296
Poor
76
Terrible
32
Marina
Newcastle, Australia27 contributions
My husband and I booked the high tea experience and the garden and castle tour. The castle is beautiful and it has so much history. The garden looked beautiful even during winter. Afterward, we had a lovely high tea in the castle ballroom. Highly recommend this experience if you are in Dunedin.
Written 16 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Arlene W
Tauranga, New Zealand4 contributions
Couples
All of it was stunning, well done to the Barker family for wonderful upkeep. The ballroom Cafe is a must for refreshments too!
Written 13 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Scott M
Rockhampton, Australia7 contributions
Really interesting place to visit - full of history and amazing architecture. The audio tour addition was well worth it - highly recommended to get the most out of your visit.
Written 1 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Black Cat
25 contributions
Couples
Such a lovely place with a great history to it. Really enjoyed the visit and the views. Best on a good weather day.
Written 31 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Linda L
4 contributions
A lovely high tea in the castle ballroom. A must-do inclusion in your Dunedin Itinerary. Full credit to the Barker family for their restoration of this important landmark. We visited in winter but would love to return and see the gardens in their spring glory.
Written 19 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Angela
5 contributions
Couples
The high tea was amazing and we loved touring the castle and hearing about the Barker family’s personal restoration efforts. Truly amazing and beautiful story.
Written 15 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Kinc0ra
Sydney, Australia40 contributions
Our guide, Rob, from Monach tours was a local -born and bred in the areas near Larnach Castle and so could regale us with tale of his childhood, show us where he grew up, got married and raised his family all in the district. He was able to tell us all about Willaim Larnach and so by the time we arrived at the castle, we were ready to explore a little and understand more of what we were seeing. The grounds were mostly resting for winter but still beautiful and full of bird song as we walked around the paths . It was a fascinating look into what old money and vision could do. It's wonderful that the current owners are committed to restoring the grounds as well as the castle itself. It's a real treasure!
Written 12 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Cushlab
Auckland Central, New Zealand65 contributions
Solo
Sadly I didn’t have enough time to fully explore the gardens so intend returning. It’s unbelievable what a family has achieved in reviving this stunning property. It’s important to explore both the castle and the gardens.
Written 27 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
GiJo48
Tokyo6 contributions
Couples
Overpriced.
Nice to look at but not for $40pp.
Cafe is very average with staff who don't care (or potentially understand their job?)
We had one guy come to our table (of 2 adults) 3 times with a kids meal and soup... we kept telling him it wasn't for us until the last time he just pit it on the table and said "here's your food".
Wouldn't recommend. Waste of money.
Nice to look at but not for $40pp.
Cafe is very average with staff who don't care (or potentially understand their job?)
We had one guy come to our table (of 2 adults) 3 times with a kids meal and soup... we kept telling him it wasn't for us until the last time he just pit it on the table and said "here's your food".
Wouldn't recommend. Waste of money.
Written 5 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Larnach
Hi GiJo48
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review.
I apologize your visit was not what you expected. I would like to point out our entry fee is $37.00 per person, we are a privately owned restoration project, our staff are paid not volunteers (some people think we operate like the National trust in the UK).
I am sorry you had such a disorganized cafe experience, I agree its is not acceptable, like a lot of cafe's at the moment we experiencing staff shortages, especially experienced staff. However this is no excuse for receiving the wrong food, I will follow up with our Cafe team.
Kind regards
Deborah
Written 6 June 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Margaret M
13 contributions
Couples
The collection of furnishings, the restored ornate ceilings, timber staircase, tiled floors and artworks are fascinating.
Written 2 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
TAHITI HAKKA NOMAD
5 contributions
Euh, 43 chambres ? C'est une erreur sans doute car il est bien petit, ce château.
Linda C
Moorpark, CA1,054 contributions
Did you rent a car at the Port Chalmers Cruise Terminal, and from which company? Did you buy the castle tickets ahead of time? Thank you for your help! Linda
John William D
West Australia32 contributions
No we were on a tour from the cruise ship.
sunshine16037
Durban, South Africa2 contributions
Hi. Is the cafe open on Christmas Day . I see I cannot book for high tea as the online booking does not allow. we will be there on Christmas Day 2017.
larnach2017
Dunedin, New Zealand
Hi Sunshine1
Thank you for your inquiry, yes our Cafe is open from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm on Christmas day. Its potentially going to be very busy so we have decided not serve High tea's that day. We will have Christmas themed options on the menu available through out the day. We wont be taking bookings but generally there is no problem getting a table.
Kind regards
Deborah Price
Michelle R
Pakenham, Australia6 contributions
Hi I know this is probably an impossible question to answer but I was wondering how much time should I allow to visit the Castle and have a look at the Gardens, we only have 2 nights in Dunedin. TIA
FrenchTraveller2013
Paris, France37 contributions
45 minutes for the castle and the sane for the gardens would be ok but in my opinion nothing in Dunedin is better than this castle. Our best experience was to stay the night and have diner there.
rmsydney
Sydney, Australia86 contributions
Hi, we will have a cruise ship stop in Dunedin on 3 January . I would love to visit the Larnach Castle and Gardens, preferably on our own , not organised tour . please, suggest what is the best way from the port to castle ? Is the public transport or we need to take taxi? rental car ?
Many thanks, Rosalia
Cheryl Burton
Kaiapoi, New Zealand73 contributions
Taxi would be the best bet
Gabriel11
Perth, Australia373 contributions
Hello, Was the morning tea included in the tour price?
Best wishes, Gabriel
Frequently Asked Questions about Larnach Castle & Gardens
- Larnach Castle & Gardens is open:
- Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Larnach Castle & Gardens admission prices can vary. Entrance tickets currently cost $37.47, while a popular guided tour starts around $8.29 per person. See all 16 Larnach Castle & Gardens tickets and tours on Tripadvisor
- Larnach Castle & Gardens can be crowded, so we recommend booking e-tickets ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund. See all 16 Larnach Castle & Gardens tickets and tours on Tripadvisor
- According to Tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience Larnach Castle & Gardens:
- Skip the Line: Larnach Castle & Gardens Admission Ticket (From $37.47)
- Dunedin and Otago Peninsula Wildlife Tour with Optional Larnach Castle Visit (From $248.10)
- Castle to Cruise Tour (From $141.77)
- Full-Day Dunedin Tour with Larnach Castle & Gardens, Speight's Brewery (From $171.38)
- Dunedin Shore Excursion - Sightseeing, Larnach Castle, Chinese Garden & Museum (From $140.22)
- Hotels near Larnach Castle & Gardens:
- (0.09 km) Larnach Castle Lodge
- (0.07 km) Larnach Castle Stables
- (0.71 km) Camp Estate at Larnach Castle
- (2.33 km) Hereweka Garden Retreat
- (3.12 km) Portobello Motel Cottages
- Restaurants near Larnach Castle & Gardens:
- (0.02 km) Ballroom Cafe at Larnach Castle
- (3.45 km) Glenfalloch Garden Cafe and Restaurant
- (3.12 km) 1908 Restaurant
- (9.78 km) No.7 Balmac
- (9.69 km) Etrusco at the Savoy