3 days in Dubrovnik

Day by day

1. Day 1: City Walls of Dubrovnik and Stradun

   City Walls of Dubrovnik, Stradun and Rector's Palace, then Buža cliff bars in the evening.

   1. Morning

      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.

   2. Late morning

      Stradun

      Walk it before 9am or after 9pm to see it without cruise-day crowds; the stone is slippery after rain.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Black risotto

      Konobas (taverns) in the Old Town lanes, Lapad and Gruž; almost every seafood menu has it.

   4. Afternoon

      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.

   5. Evening

      Buža cliff bars

      Arrive well before sunset to get a ledge seat, and pay attention to the steep, uneven rocks.

2. Day 2: Fort Lovrijenac and Gradac Park

   Fort Lovrijenac, Gradac Park and Sea kayaking around the walls, then Old Town lanes in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Fort Lovrijenac

      Keep your City Walls ticket: it includes entry to Lovrijenac, so you can visit on the same day.

   2. Late morning

      Gradac Park

      A pine-shaded park on the cliffs just west of the Pile Gate, with benches looking across a small bay to Fort Lovrijenac and the western walls.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Peka

      Konobas outside the walls and in the countryside of Konavle; ask your restaurant a day ahead.

   4. Afternoon

      Sea kayaking around the walls

      Book a morning trip in summer, when the sea is calmer and the heat less intense.

   5. Evening

      Old Town lanes

      Wine bars and cocktail terraces around Bunićeva Poljana square and the lanes off the Stradun.

3. Day 3: Mount Srđ and the cable car and Lokrum Island

   Mount Srđ and the cable car, Lokrum Island and Franciscan Monastery and old pharmacy, then Fort Revelin in the evening.

   1. Morning

      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.

   2. Late morning

      Lokrum Island

      Bring a picnic and water shoes; the rocks are the main swimming spots and island café prices are high.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Grilled fish with blitva

      Seafood restaurants around the Old Port, Lapad and Cavtat; ask for the weight and price before ordering.

   4. Afternoon

      Franciscan Monastery and old pharmacy

      Just inside the Pile Gate, the Franciscan monastery has a Romanesque cloister with double columns and a pharmacy that has been dispensing medicines since 1317, one of the oldest still operating in Europe.

   5. Evening

      Fort Revelin

      Culture Club Revelin, a nightclub inside the vaulted Revelin fortress by the Ploče Gate, is the city's best-known club.

Before you go

If it rains

• Swap in Cathedral of the Assumption (Old Town (Stari Grad)): The cathedral itself is free; the treasury has a small fee and is worth it for the reliquaries.
• Swap in Dominican Monastery (Old Town (Stari Grad)): It is usually much quieter than the Franciscan monastery at the other end of the Stradun.
• Swap in War Photo Limited (Old Town (Stari Grad)): Allow time to read the captions; the photographs are powerful and not suitable for young children.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Old Town (Stari Grad) keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Ploče ($$$$) suits couples, luxury and beach. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 14–17 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.1 hours in December to 15.3 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Dubrovnik
• 2 days in Dubrovnik
• 4 days in Dubrovnik
• 5 days in Dubrovnik
• 7 days in Dubrovnik

Questions travellers ask