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Dubrovnik is located in the South, touching the coast of the Adriatic Sea. The city is famous for its amazing and mind-blowing Old town. Undoubtedly, it's a Pearl of the Adriatic with a charming ancient history and modern coastal life.
The city got famous and became one of the most visited after the shooting of the famous TV series “Game of Thrones”.
Whether you're into history or looking for the perfect escape to picturesque landscapes and beaches, it has everything you're looking for for the perfect holiday.
If you’re looking for the 14 famous Game of Thrones locations in Dubrovnik. Check out our blog.
How to reach Dubrovnik:
Check out some other options on how to reach Dubrovnik:
By Air:
The Dubrovnik Airport has many international and local flights. On our way back to Germany, we took a flight from Dubrovnik airport which is located around 20 km away from the city center.
There's also a direct shuttle bus from the airport to the city center and you can also take an Uber or taxi for reaching to the city center.
By Car:
Dubrovnik is well-connected with major Croatian cities and neighboring countries with excellent highways. The views on the Adriatic Highway are truely breathtaking. You can also rent a car and drive to Dubrovnik.
By Sea:
If you want to enjoy the picturesque cruise, you can also take a ferry ride that connects Dubrovnik with other Croatian coastal cities, such as Split and Hvar, and also Italian cities. But you have to be mindful that these ferries might not be working during winter.
By Bus:
There are different local bus operators who have their bus services from different cities from the neighboring countries to Dubrovnik and other cities within Croatia.
The main bus station in Dubrovnik is located just a short distance from the Old Town. During our trip, we were coming from Zagreb, so we took the bus to Dubrovnik.
If we tell you our experience of traveling to Dubrovnik from Zagreb, it wasn't very comfortable or pleasing. It was a long bus journey of almost 9 hours and they even charged us an extra 3-4 euros for each bag that we kept in the trunk. Definitely, we won't be doing it again and wouldn't recommend it either.
Some interesting things happened during our journey from Zagreb to Dubrovnik. We traveled along the coast and crossed a small patch of Bosnia where we faced a border check. The official came onto the bus when we entered and exited the country, and stamped our passports.
Are you also planning to explore other cities in Croatia ? Zagreb must be on your list. Check out our blog and find out Things to do in Zagreb, Croatia
Best time to visit Dubrovnik:
There's no bad time to visit Dubrovnik - it all depends on your choice of what you want to experience.
June - August: These are the typical high-season tourist months where you can enjoy the beaches but everything is so crowded and the prices of everything are sky-rocketed. The old town is jam-packed with the tourists.
What we heard from the locals is that especially in summer the old town becomes so crowded that you can hardly breathe or walk. Sometimes, they even close the gate of the city to avoid the flood of people. Due to climatic changes, the city is becoming hot in summer.
April, May, September, and October: These are a bit better months, in terms of tourists and you can get the chance to enjoy the activities. You can also enjoy swimming as the weather is quite good.
November-March: It's the off-season, but you can still enjoy the beauty of the city. During the Christmas break, we decided to visit Dubrovnik. Even though we didn't swim or enjoy the beaches, the Old Town still had tourists, and they celebrated a lovely Christmas.
The weather was around 14 degrees Celsius and the city was less crowded, which is ideal for exploring.
Our Suggestion: In our opinion, May and September are the perfect months but If you want to visit the city in summer, we would highly suggest reaching the old town early in the morning before it gets too crowded.
How many days are needed to explore Dubrovnik:
The answer is concealed on various factors such as your budget and what to want to explore.
For us, Dubrovnik isn't only an old town but it's more than that. so definitely, one or two days aren't enough. You must also experience the surrounding areas, & Island - so we would suggest you plan for 3-4 days.
Where to stay in Dubrovnik:
One of the biggest mistakes made by most tourists is that they book their accommodation in the old town which is something a big hassle in terms of carrying the baggage on the stairs. Now, the city government is also becoming strict on dragging a suitcase on the cobblestone street of the town.
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We suggest you book a hotel or apartment near to old town or even a short bus ride.
In our case, we booked an Airbnb on a short bus ride from the Dubrovnik Old Town. The host was super nice. He was waiting for us on the corner of the street to guide us on the way to the apartment as we got late due to the delay in the bus journey.
Our apartment was just a 1-minute walk from the bus stop that takes us directly to the old town within 10 minutes.
Pro-tip: Don’t forget to change your currency because they might only accept Croatian kuna on the bus. Moreover, Uber is also quite cheap in the city as well.
Things to do in Dubrovnik Old Town:
Dubrovnik is known for its distinctive Old Town with massive stone walls completed in the 16th century. Its well-preserved buildings range from baroque St. Blaise Church to Renaissance Sponza Palace and Gothic Rector’s Palace and the Stradun is lined with shops and restaurants. Let's find out the must things to visit in Dubrovnik Old Town.
1. How to enter Dubrovnik Old Town:
You can enter the Old Town from different entrances but we entered the city from its Iconic Pile gate which is the main entrance from the west to the city. The gate is connected by a wooden and stone bridge.
The Bokar fortress is also located here for the protection of the city. Apart from this, you can also enter from other East side Gates to the city called Ploca Gate.
Apart from this, you can also enter from other East side Gates to the city called Ploca Gate.
2. Exploring the narrow cobblestone streets:
As we stepped into the old town, we walked on the most famous street of Dubrovnik called Stradun. It has local shops and delicious restaurants.
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As we visited during the Christmas season. the old town was cheered up with Christmas songs and the street was lit up with lights, music, and small traditional stalls.
There are different narrow streets connected to the street which takes to other streets from Stradun.
As we visited during the Christmas season. the old town was cheered up with Christmas songs and the street was lit up with lights, music, and small traditional stalls. There are different narrow streets connected to the street which takes to other streets from Stradun.
As we visited during the Christmas season. the old town was cheered up with Christmas songs and the street was lit up with lights, music, and small traditional stalls. There are different narrow streets connected to the street which takes to other streets from Stradun.
The streets on the left side have different restaurants and narrow stairs that take into the upper part of the town where we were totally lost in the beauty of these narrow stairs which are well connected with other streets.
The street on the right side takes into the maze of other connected streets.
On the main street of Stradun, the two main historical churches of St. Saviours and Franciscan Monastery are located.
When we reached the old town, it was Christmas Eve. The city was decorated with chandeliers and small stalls.
There were many Christmas parties and concerts happening in the town and the people were properly dressed up to enjoy a glimpse of the eve.
3. Onofrio's Fountain:
The large Onofrio fountain is at the entrance of the city. The Onofrio was the main source of water for the locals until the 19th century.
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The old city is surrounded by a City wall. You have to climb up the city wall from the left side of the city entrance. The ticket costs to Dubrovnik’s city walls and Lovrijenac Fort € 35 and it also includes the entrance to Lovrijenac Fort.
Especially during the summer season, it's recommended to buy the ticket in advance online. Check out their Online ticket.
It’s highly recommended to come early in the morning to enjoy the view of the distinctive old city with fewer crowds and to capture beautiful pictures of the Old Town and the Adriatic.
It almost takes 2 hours to complete the round of the city wall and there are 3 exit points.
Check the city view from one of the tallest towers called Minceta Tower in the city wall walk. Don’t forget to keep the entrance ticket with you because security normally checks it at different exit points.
4. Sponza Palace:
At the end of the Stradun, you can see the beautiful Sponza Palace.
Nowadays, many activities are taking place in summer for the entertainment of the locals and tourists. You can also see the famous Orlando’s column.
5. Old Port of Dubrovnik:
You can also find the gate near the Rector's Palace that leads to the Old Port of Dubrovnik. Ferries to Lokrum Island typically depart from this harbor, along with some sightseeing boats. However, the ferries do not operate out of season.
As we were there in Dubrovnik during the winter, so we did not get the chance to enjoy the ferry ride but we enjoyed sitting near the coast in perfect sun and got some Vitamin D. You can also check the schedule of the ferries here.
6. Rector's Palace:
Next to the gate to the old port, the Rector’s palace is situated. It’s one of the most elegant baroque-style palaces and becomes more famous after a few scenes have been shot here of Game of Thrones.
7. St Blaise's Church:
Near Rector’s Place, you can find the iconic St Blaise’s Church. The church has amazing baroque architecture and a beautiful staircase which makes it one of the most famous wedding churches in Dubrovnik.
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8. Spanish Stairs & St. Ignatius Church:
In the south of the city, the famous Baroque staircase (where the scene from Game of Thrones "The Walk of Shame" has been shot) takes to the St. Ignatius Church.
From the famous staircase, you can see the beautiful view of the surroundings. Moreover, The St. Ignatius Church has the oldest bell in the city.
Baroque Dubrovnik Cathedral displays a polyptych (multi-panel painting) by renowned Venetian artist Titian as well as more than 200 gold and silver reliquaries from the 11th–18th centuries.
9. Best Open-air Bar in Dubrovnik - Buza Beach:
It’s highly recommended to roam around the narrow streets and stairs of the old town and lost in the beauty of the city. We have also been to the Buza bar. It’s an open-air bar with a beautiful view of the sea. You can also do cliff diving but obviously depending on the weather.
Other Things to do in near Dubrovik Old Town:
1. Revelin Fort:
Outside of the Ploca gate, Revelin Fort is situated. The purpose of the fort was to provide additional security to the city from the east side.
We would highly suggest you take a walk from outside of the Pile Gate to Ploca Gate, We were totally amazed at the outer boundaries of the wall and the incredible bridges you can see from outside of the old town.
2. Fort Lovrijenac:
Outside of the old town, you can see the famous Fort Lovrijenac. From the city wall top, you can also enjoy the mesmerizing view of the fort and the sea.
The fort is located on the shore of the sea. You can also climb up the Fortress and enjoy the view of the old town. The cannons installed on the fort well explain the historical defense of the city.
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3. Hike to the top of Mount Srd & Cable Car Ride:
If you want to enjoy the beautiful view of Dubrovnik and Adriatic, you need to hike up to the top of Mount Srd. There's also a cable car which takes to the top. the cable car starting point is located next to Ploca Gate. There's also a Panorama restaurant on the very top and a war museum.
4. Visit the local beaches:
There are many beaches which are famous among locals and tourists and you should visit during your stay in Dubrovnik.
a. Banje Beach:
Banje Beach is located on a short walk from Old Town and one of the most famous beaches which offers breathtaking views of the city walls and the island of Lokrum.
b. Lapad Beach:
Lapad beach has a long a long promenade lined with cafes, and restaurants, with a mix of pebbles and sand.
c. Copacabana Beach:
This beach is famous for water sports activities like jet skiing and kayaking. If you want to experience some water sports then it's a must-visit beach.
d. Dance Beach:
Dance Beach is located near Gradac Park and the water here is perfect for swimming and snorkeling.
Best Restaurants in Dubrovnik, Old Town:
During our stay, we have tried a few of the restaurants from the old town. One of them is Pasta Lab, they have a variety of Pasta and Pizzas. The other one is Burger Tiger. They are also open till late.
We would highly recommend trying their burgers with their unique fries. Café Bar Orlando is also highly recommended. We had their amazing Pizza.
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Other recommendations for your visit to Dubrovnik:
Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik:
Due to the Christmas holidays, the local restaurant outside the old town was not open. To enjoy the evening coffee, we went to Hilton that’s just outside of the old town.
Rixos Dubrovnik:
To enjoy the amazing view of the sea, we would also suggest Rixos Dubrovnik. The hotel has an amazing view pool and lobby.
Day Trips from Dubrovnik:
a. Lokrum Island:
The Lokrum Island is a lush green oasis famous for its botanical gardens and peacocks. The Island is around 15 minutes away with a ferry ride. The Island is a perfect spot for hiking, swimming, and serene nature.
b. Elafiti Islands:
You can also visit Elafiti Islands, including Koločep, Lopud, and Šipan, which are easily accessible by ferry from Dubrovnik. The Island has beautiful beaches, villages, and hiking.
c. Cavtat:
Cavtat is a picturesque town located about 15 kilometers south of Dubrovnik. Cavtat is popular among the tourist with many hotels. The seafront has shops and restaurants and there are several beaches.
d. Montenegro:
You can also visit the beautiful bay of Montenegro including the medieval towns of Kotor and Perast. You can also book a tour with different companies who take you on a day trip to Kotor and Perast from Dubrovnik.
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e. Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina:
The Famous Old bridge of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mostar is located around 2.5 hours drive away from Dubrovnik where you can enjoy the blend of Ottoman and European architecture.
f. Mljet National Park:
You can also visit Mljet National Park which is famous for two saltwater lakes, lush forests, and the ancient Benedictine monastery on St. Mary’s Island.
g. Korčula Island:
Korčula is also famous for its medieval architecture and beautiful coastline. You can take a ferry from Dubrovnik to Korčula.
Ending Note:
Coming from Zagreb, we initially had the impression that Croatia is a relatively affordable country. However, we found that Dubrovnik is significantly more expensive. Be prepared for higher prices, especially in tourist areas.
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