Larnach Castle & Gardens
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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from $45.00
All you need to step foot in the door.
Full view
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Top ways to experience Larnach Castle & Gardens
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Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
6 within 5 kms
Attractions
60 within 10 kms
See what travellers are saying
- Wmidk0022 contributionsA real quality treatA real treat. We were able go at our pace not funneled through. Well laid out and organised. Restoration done to a very hi standard. You feel welcomed not just an income. No loads of do not touch signs. Souvenirs special to castle and not generic. Reasonably priced. Gardens loverlyVisited March 2023Written 19 March 2023
- PeterN1999Tauranga, New Zealand89 contributionsFabulous historic castle with a sad story.What a beautiful place, spectacular gardens and views. The castle is amazing, it is mind boggling how it was even built at the time. Huge history and an amazing amount of work has been done in restoring it to some of it's original beauty. The amount of stairs were a bit of a challenge but worthwhile. The cafe in the ballroom was ok, very disorganized and quite slow to produce food. Also very cold on a sunny day.Visited March 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 21 April 2023
- Bronwyn VAuckland, New Zealand5 contributionsGhosts are alive and kicking!Incredible escape. Stunning setting. Food extraordinaire. Yes, ghosts are here. Met them before we joined the presentation afternoon tea to find out more. The nuns in the photos shared VERY same Nuns seen walking through the property!Visited May 2022Written 29 April 2023
- Amanda CGold Coast, Australia1,674 contributionsLovely stop on the peninsula in DunedinWho knew New Zealand had a castle? And one built by an Aussie! Enjoyed an interesting day trip to Dunedin to see the Castle, lovingly restored over the past decades. A interesting glimpse into the past and recreated beautifully. Also would be a lovely place to stay or picnic when visiting Dunedin. Incredibly windy and cold outside during our visit but the soup of the day warmed us nicely.Visited July 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 28 July 2023
- mdh969Canberra, Australia615 contributionsCastle visitWe did the castle tour and garden tour. It was $45.00 per person. If you have trouble walking, there is a car park further up from the first one you come across. The grounds were very well kept and the walk through the castle was great. We went back for dinner in the castle later that day. It was $85.00 per person and it was a four course meal. Everyone got the same meal. It was OK, but the third course was venison, which was not to everyone’s taste. If we had our time again, we would not have had the dinner and just done the garden and castle tour.Visited October 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 30 October 2023
- GV14218Saint Paul, Minnesota33 contributionsHistoric house and gardens well worth a visitNicely restored and well-maintained 19th century house/castle. Self-guided tour meant we went through at our own pace. Gardens were equally good, well worth walking through. We had dessert and espresso at the cafe; quality and prices were good. Highly recommended for an hour or half day visit.Visited November 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 10 November 2023
- Holdy's HolidaysAustralia58 contributionsDefinitely worth the visitWe visited the castle for not only the tour but high tea. The castle and Gardens were simply amazing. Such a beautiful place and well worth the visit. On arrival to the tea rooms (for high tea) one of the staff brushed my wife off when we asked about our high tea then proceeded to help others. We felt a little unwelcome. Eventially when served, the high tea was amazing and the rest of the staff were great.Visited November 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 24 November 2023
- Alison SMudgee, Australia11 contributionsA family visit to the castleStayed in the stables with my family and explored the castle at our leisure. Dinner in the castle dining room. An amazing experience. We loved the castle the accomodation was comfortable and fun and the food delicious. The staff were friendly informative and accomodating.Visited December 2023Travelled with familyWritten 16 December 2023
- Julie6 contributionsA peaceful overnight experienceWe had a very comfortable stay in the stables, warm rooms with plenty of shared showers etc for all. We loved our Trust the Chef 4 course meal in the music room at the castle, which was very good value with the pre dinner drink included too. Breakfast was delicious and cooked perfectly. We loved having access to the castle and gardens over the 2 days, so nothing was rushed. The staff were all very friendly, helpful and accommodating. A Must Do when visiting Dunedin!Visited December 2023Travelled with familyWritten 18 December 2023
- Patricia050875Singapore, Singapore574 contributionsA tour down memory laneI am glad that we started the tour at 9am sharp. There was barely anyone there until around 9.30am. We followed the sequence of the tour according to the guide. Started with the basement one then go all the way up two more level then to the roof top. I think at level 3, there is this dressing room where there was a mannequin hanging horizontally on the ceiling which my family felt quite uncomfortable watching it. Upon checking later on with the friend staying at Dunedin then we understood the story behind the mannequin. Overall a pleasant experience to tour the castle and the garden. We spent 2.5 hours touring including taking our lunch there.Visited December 2023Travelled with familyWritten 5 January 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.5
3,035 reviews
Excellent
1,641
Very good
968
Average
308
Poor
83
Terrible
35
Wayne B
Morrinsville, New Zealand166 contributions
If you do nothing else in dunedin , then you need to visit larnach castle. Great history and views of the harbour. Nice cafe and friendly staff. Best part of this was going to the top of the castle and the views
Written 8 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SurreyDoodie
Capel, UK22 contributions
Beautiful place. Stunning views. Great history. Friendly hosts. Comfortable accommodation. Delicious dinner. Great coffee!
Written 8 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LR M
Sydney, Australia12 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
Didn't go in after the longish drive, $45 each seemed a ludicrous entry fee. We did have a good review from friends but they are locals. The drive there was good though!
Written 4 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BigMerk
Glasgow, UK2,303 contributions
Feb 2024 • Solo
I visited here as part of a Cruise ship tour. It’s about 20 minutes driving from Dunedin and stands in impressive grounds with fantastic views out onto the sea. It’s not huge (like an ancient castle) but it’s much larger than a big house. We were met at the entrance by one of the tour guides who proceeded to guide us around various parts of the house explaining the background and the story of its original owners. All very interesting.
Written 4 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AndyAquila
Lyme Regis, UK599 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
This is a way out of the city centre but well worth the drive. The castle is very interesting, and the story behind it even more so. There are lovely grounds, although it was not a good day to see them when we visited. We had a cream tea as well and that was served in the ballroom and was very good.
Note to UK readers - the cream provided for cream teas is seemingly never clotted cream in New Zealand and often (as in this case we think) straight out of a can!
Note to UK readers - the cream provided for cream teas is seemingly never clotted cream in New Zealand and often (as in this case we think) straight out of a can!
Written 4 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
M8T
Warwickshire, England52 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
Excellent trip to see the house/castle and gardens at Larnach Castle also the learn the history of the family. Well worth a visit.
Staff were all very friendly and helpful.
Staff were all very friendly and helpful.
Written 29 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
907JLeMay
Anchorage, AK169 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
We enjoyed afternoon tea in the ballroom. The tea was scrumptious, and the service was excellent. We wandered through the various gardens and delighted in the glorious views.
Written 29 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
joday013
Western Australia, Australia180 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
Visited the castle and gardens with the wife. We were lucky that is wasn't to busy, so didn't have to fight the cruise crowd. The staff were great with getting us in ahead of a tour bus. The castle is great and the gardens are kept immaculate. Well worth the trip. Just check to see how many cruise ships are in the harbour.
The cafe did a great coffee and scone.
The cafe did a great coffee and scone.
Written 28 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bootsieban
Sidmouth, UK39 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
The castle and gardens are very interesting and there are some great views.
Unfortunately we chose to go on a day when a cruise ship was in Dunedin and when we arrived at 9.45 there were already 5 tour buses there.
Looking around the castle was not at all peaceful as every room was crowded.
The cafe should get a mention as the home made venison pie was delicious.
Unfortunately we chose to go on a day when a cruise ship was in Dunedin and when we arrived at 9.45 there were already 5 tour buses there.
Looking around the castle was not at all peaceful as every room was crowded.
The cafe should get a mention as the home made venison pie was delicious.
Written 25 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John Kelly
8 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
My wife and I are on holiday from UK and decided to visit Larnach Castle today whilst in the area. The garden was fine but the visit to the house was shambolic. It was rammed with far too many people, exacerbated by two large conducted tour parties. Other people were scurrying to and fro trying to get either ahead of the tour groups or behind them and any attempt to follow the guide sheet was impossible.
We gave up and there were several rooms we never got to see. It was too fraught and we gave up and left.
They urgently need timed ticketing arrangements.
We gave up and there were several rooms we never got to see. It was too fraught and we gave up and left.
They urgently need timed ticketing arrangements.
Written 20 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
alvin
Auckland, New Zealand3 contributions
I'm visiting Dunedin for a week. I'm staying near the octagon and am on a bit of a budget so I'm preferring not to taxi. Are there any buses or affordable travel options that go from Dunedin city to Larnach Castle?
Ben_melb
Melbourne, Australia17 contributions
Is this more of an older person activity?
Allison D
12 contributions
It depends on whether you enjoy exploring fantastic old buildings like the castle, and walking in lovely gardens. I'm in my 50s and loved our most recent experience, a high tea and garden tour, but I first visited Larnach Castle as a child, and have been there many times now. I probably enjoyed different things at different ages and stages of my life, but I've always enjoyed visiting. There are always people of all ages there!
TAHITI HAKKA NOMAD
5 contributions
Euh, 43 chambres ? C'est une erreur sans doute car il est bien petit, ce château.
Linda C
Moorpark, CA1,068 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 Australia33 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, Australia375 contributions
Hello, Was the morning tea included in the tour price?
Best wishes, Gabriel
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Claim your listingLARNACH CASTLE & GARDENS: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Larnach Castle & Gardens
- Larnach Castle & Gardens admission prices can vary. Entrance tickets currently cost $45.89, while a popular guided tour starts around $51.26 per person.
- According to Tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience Larnach Castle & Gardens:
- Skip the Line: Larnach Castle & Gardens Admission Ticket (From $45.89)
- Dunedin Shore Excursion - Sightseeing, Larnach Castle, Chinese Garden & Museum (From $188.66)
- Shore Excursion: Dunedin City, Otago Peninsula, Castle Gardens & Olveston Tour (From $260.04)
- Dunedin City, Wildlife and Larnach Castle (From $265.15)
- Mainland Peninsula Tour (From $264.13)
- Hotels near Larnach Castle & Gardens:
- (0.01 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
- (5.97 km) Carey's Bay Historic Hotel
- (9.78 km) No.7 Balmac