Travel guide · Croatia
Dubrovnik travel guide
A walled Adriatic city of limestone streets, sea forts and island swims
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Zysko serhii, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Dubrovnik's Old Town is a car-free, limestone-paved city inside almost 2 kilometres of medieval walls, jutting into the Adriatic at the southern tip of Croatia. Once the capital of the independent Republic of Ragusa, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose Stradun, palaces, monasteries and forts were rebuilt after the 1667 earthquake and restored again after the 1991–92 siege. Beyond the walls, a cable car climbs Mount Srđ, boats cross to the island of Lokrum in about 15 minutes, and the Lapad and Babin Kuk peninsulas hold most beach hotels. Summer cruise-ship days fill the Old Town, so timing your visits to the walls and the Stradun matters. Plan 4 days for a first visit; the best months are May–June and September–October.
Key facts
- Country
- Croatia
- Best time to visit
- May–June and September–October
- Ideal stay
- 4 days
- Main airports
- DBV
- Mid-range daily budget
- $170–$300 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- City walls, Stradun, Republic of Ragusa and Lokrum
Why visit Dubrovnik
- Walking the full circuit of the city walls gives continuous views over terracotta roofs, forts and the open sea.
- The Old Town is compact and car-free: palaces, monasteries, churches and museums are all within ten minutes of each other.
- You can swim straight off the rocks below the walls, at Banje Beach or on Lokrum island, a short boat ride from the Old Port.
- Day trips reach Montenegro's Bay of Kotor, Mostar's Old Bridge, the Elaphiti Islands and the oyster beds of Ston.
- Fans of Game of Thrones recognise the Jesuit Staircase, Fort Lovrijenac and the Stradun as filming locations.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 17 things to do.
Historic site · Old Town (Stari Grad)
City Walls of Dubrovnik
The walls run for about 2 kilometres around the Old Town, up to 25 metres high, with towers, bastions and the round Minčeta Tower at the highest point.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Views
- History
- Photo spot
- Kids
- Active
Street · Old Town (Stari Grad)
Stradun
The Old Town's main street runs about 300 metres from the Pile Gate to the Luža square and the Bell Tower, its limestone paving polished smooth by centuries of footsteps.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Architecture
- After dark
- Photo spot
Castle · Pile
Fort Lovrijenac
Built on a 37-metre rock outside the western walls, this fortress guarded the city against attack from the sea and land.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- History
- Photo spot
Palace · Old Town (Stari Grad)
Rector's Palace
The seat of the Republic of Ragusa's government combines a Gothic and Renaissance loggia with an arcaded atrium used for summer concerts.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
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Viewpoint · Ploče
Mount Srđ and the cable car
The cable car climbs to the 412-metre summit of Mount Srđ in a few minutes, giving a bird's-eye view of the walled city, Lokrum and the Elaphiti Islands.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- Kids
- Couples
- History
- Photo spot
Island · Lokrum
Lokrum Island
A wooded nature reserve about 600 metres off the Old Town, reached by boat from the Old Port in roughly 15 minutes.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Nature
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Couples
Where to stay
Old Town (Stari Grad) is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 6 areas.
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples and culture
Old Town (Stari Grad)
Car-free lanes inside the walls, stone steps, churches and terraces on the Stradun
$$$$ · Best for couples, luxury and beach
Ploče
Hillside hotels east of the walls with Old Town views and Banje Beach below
$$$ · Best for first-timers and solo travellers
Pile
The western gate, city bus hub and Fort Lovrijenac on its rock
$$ · Best for families, beach and budget
Lapad
Green peninsula with a pedestrian promenade, family hotels and a sandy-pebble bay
What to eat
- Black risotto — Risotto coloured jet-black with cuttlefish or squid ink and cooked with the seafood itself, garlic, wine and olive oil.
- Peka — Lamb, veal or octopus slow-cooked with potatoes under a domed iron lid covered in embers.
- Grilled fish with blitva — Whole Adriatic fish, such as sea bream or sea bass, grilled over wood and served with blitva, Swiss chard and potatoes boiled and dressed with olive oil and garlic.
- Ston oysters — European flat oysters farmed in the clean waters of Mali Ston Bay, about an hour north of Dubrovnik, eaten raw with lemon or lightly fried.
- Šporki makaruli — Dubrovnik's 'dirty macaroni': pasta tossed with a rich beef ragù cooked slowly with spices, a traditional dish for feast days.
- Zelena menestra — A hearty Dubrovnik stew of cabbage and other greens cooked with smoked meats and sausage, eaten in the colder months.
When to go
The best months to visit Dubrovnik are May, June, September and October, when it is warm enough to swim but the walls are not baking hot. July and August are the hottest, busiest and most expensive months; winter is quiet and mild but wet, and many seasonal businesses close.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March–May | Mild sunshine, blossom and relatively few crowds; the sea warms enough for swimming only by late May. |
| Summer | June–August | Hot and dry with a warm sea and the summer festival, but heavy cruise-ship crowds and the highest prices. |
| Autumn | September–November | A warm sea in September and October with thinning crowds; rain increases sharply in November. |
| Winter | December–February | Mild but wet, with Advent events and the Feast of St Blaise; many restaurants and boat services pause. |
Getting there and around
Dubrovnik Airport is at Čilipi, about 20 km south-east of the Old Town. An airport shuttle bus timed to flights runs to the Pile Gate and the main bus station in Gruž in about 30–40 minutes, and taxis take about 25–30 minutes.
The Old Town is entirely car-free and best explored on foot. Libertas city buses link the Pile Gate with Ploče, Lapad, Babin Kuk and the Gruž port, and boats connect the Old Port with Lokrum and Cavtat.
Plan your days
Two days covers the walls, the Old Town's main sights, the cable car and Lokrum. Four days leaves time for a beach day, the Elaphiti Islands or Cavtat, and a longer trip to Kotor or Mostar.
Practical information
- Currency
- EUR
- Language
- Croatian
- Plugs
- Type C and F sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is safe to drink, and public fountains in the Old Town, including Onofrio's Fountain, provide drinking water.
- Emergency number
- 112 (European emergency number)
- Tipping
- Tipping is appreciated rather than expected.
Dubrovnik has low levels of street crime, but heat exhaustion on the walls, slippery polished limestone and steep rocks by the sea cause more problems for visitors. Wear water shoes on rocky beaches because of sea urchins, and keep valuables close in crowded lanes.
Flights to Dubrovnik
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Dubrovnik?
Two days covers the walls, the Old Town's main sights, the cable car and Lokrum. Four days leaves time for a beach day, the Elaphiti Islands or Cavtat, and a longer trip to Kotor or Mostar. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Dubrovnik?
The best months to visit Dubrovnik are May, June, September and October, when it is warm enough to swim but the walls are not baking hot. July and August are the hottest, busiest and most expensive months; winter is quiet and mild but wet, and many seasonal businesses close.
+What is Dubrovnik known for?
City walls, Stradun, Republic of Ragusa, Lokrum, Game of Thrones locations, Adriatic swimming, Black risotto and Dubrovnik Summer Festival. Walking the full circuit of the city walls gives continuous views over terracotta roofs, forts and the open sea.
+Is Dubrovnik expensive?
Dubrovnik is expensive for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $170–$300 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Dubrovnik?
Not for the city, where parking is scarce and expensive. A car is useful for Ston and Pelješac, Konavle or a self-drive trip to Montenegro, though buses and tours cover most day trips.