An unusual Mediterranean gem
‘Pearl of the Adriatic’, Dubrovnik city breaks genuinely live up to the hype. A beautiful walled city rising out of the sea, its fabled architecture never ceases to amaze. The Old Town is a parade of Venetian townhouses, Gothic bell-towers and churches with crumbling stucco facades, and the city is surrounded by imposing defensive walls that protected this former republic for centuries, lapped by the Adriatic waves.
No visit would be complete without tackling the famous city walls. A giant ring of defensive ramparts, the walking trail provides a fantastic introduction to Dubrovnik and a way to get your bearings, with sublime views of the terracotta roofs of the Old Town and the cobalt-blue Adriatic at every turn. Beyond this, city breaks to Dubrovnik include Game of Thrones sightseeing tours, exceptional swimming and seafood, Michelin-starred gastronomy, lively cult bars and a gorgeous mountainous backdrop.
City breaks to Dubrovnik also offer the perfect opportunity for island hopping. The unspoilt island of Lokrum, lush with pines, palms and cypress trees, sits in the Adriatic less than a kilometre from the Old Town. And the Elafiti islands offer an array of outstandingly beautiful undeveloped beaches, which many consider to be among best in the region.
All resorts in Dubrovnik
Three tips for a top trip
Tour on foot
Dubrovnik’s Old Town is pedestrianised, and everything you need is located there or in the nearby harbour area of Gruz, only a short walk away.
Drink local
Dubrovnik is located near the wine-producing islands of Korcula and Peljesac. A cluster of wine bars provide the best examples from the region, and most restaurants will stock local wines.
Hunt out galleries
The back alleys of Dubrovnik are home to some interesting galleries. The Red History museum gives a fascinating insight into Croatia’s past, while The War Photo Museum offers people a glimpse into it's history.
Best attractions to see in Dubrovnik
Lokrum island
Lokrum is an essential day trip. A (reputedly) haunted island with 18th-century botanical gardens and peacocks, it makes for a unique and memorable day out.
Walk the city walls
Towering proudly over the Adriatic, these stone fortifications are Dubrovnik’s most unmissable attraction. It’s a great way to get your bearings as you admire the Old Town from above.
Franciscan Monastery
Gothic cloisters adorn the Franciscan Monastery, a Romanesque building stuffed with valuable works of art. Don’t miss its quaint apothecary garden, a beautiful refuge from the midday heat.
Your Dubrovnik questions, answered
Dubrovnik plays the part of King’s Landing in the immensely popular Game of Thrones. Throne-heads can visit dozens of filming locations on a themed walking tour.
Dubrovnik enjoys a Mediterranean climate and offers plenty of sun and blue skies in summer. The weather grows cooler in autumn but remains fairly temperate.
For nature and touring the cultural sights, you'll be best going in May, June, September or October. Spring is pleasantly warm and you'll have a chance to see the best of Croatia's wildflowers, while in autumn you can look for changing leaf colours and ripe fruit. If you're focused on the beach, the water is warm enough to swim comfortably in spring and autumn and it'll be less crowded. July and August are peak periods for tourism, with temperatures climbing to 30ºC or so. You'll definitely find more water sports in play and summer festivals of music and dance.
Dubrovnik has a wealth of history – it was once an independent republic called Ragusa. These days, it’s a hotspot for city breaks, and Game of Thrones and Star Wars sightseeing.
Banje is a public family beach close to Ploce Gate, where you'll play water sports and have a great view of Dubrovnik's Old Town. In Babin Kuk, there's a big beach at Copacabana with shallow waters for kids, and a little further south is the large bay of Lapad. Drive south for 10 minutes and you'll find one of the Dubrovnik Riviera's best beaches at Mlini. It's quiet, scenic and unusually sandy for this coast. Another 20-minute drive south past Cavtat you'll reach Pasjaca beach in Konavle, which in 2019 was voted Europe's most beautiful beach.
Dubrovnik Old Town has some great family activities, such as riding the cable car up to the top of the mountain. Unique to this city is the chance to kayak around its massive fortification walls and to paddle across to the nearby island. Lapad has family-friendly beaches at Cava and Uvala Bay, where you can hire inflatables. Boat trips are a favourite activity for kids and they'll have fun snorkelling around the rocky coves of the Dalmatian coast. There are also many offshore islands to visit, including Lokrum with its Napoleonic fort and 'Dead Sea' salt lake.
This depends entirely on what you want to do there. For foodies and film fans, the Old Town is your best bet. Not only is there a youth film festival in October but also a Good Food festival where you can sample the best Dubrovnik has to offer. Fans will also want to take a Game of Thrones tour to visit the locations of the popular TV series. Within easy reach of the Old Town, you'll find great beaches at Babin Kuk and Lapad Bay while, if you want traditional fishing ports, you should head for Mlini or Slano.
No, not if you're staying at a beach resort like Lapad or Babin Kuk. These are both on the outskirts of Dubrovnik Old Town and it's easy to get a taxi or bus to the centre when you've had enough sunbathing. The Old Town itself is entirely pedestrianised and the best things to do here are on foot. If you opt for a fishing village like Slano or Cavtat, you might need a car to see more of the surrounding area. If you choose the Dubrovnik Riviera, then a car is advisable to make the most of the scenery.
The best things to do for a short stay in Dubrovnik are to walk the city walls and take the cable car up to Srd mountaintop for the scenic city view. Fans will also enjoy the Game of Thrones Tour, which includes the historic Rector's Palace. You can visit the market or the beach and go kayaking along the city walls at sunset for a different perspective. Also worth a day out is a ferry across to Lokrum, where you'll find a botanical garden and nature reserve as well as a salt lake and a fort.