Lauraspassport Table of Contents
Introduction
You may already know this walled city from the Game of Thrones series. Indeed, a large part of the serie was filmed there.
Apart from this little anecdote, Dubrovnik is worth a visit even if you are not a fan of the serie. It is a very charming and photogenic city, on the Adriatic Sea. Dubronvik is also nicknamed “the Pearl of the Adriatic“. It is nestled at the southern end of Croatia, between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro.
Dubrovnik is first and foremost a fortified city. Its ramparts, incredibly well-preserved, are classified as World Heritage by UNESCO. Dating from the 13th century, they have seen many wars and battles. But nothing, to this day, has managed to make them fall.
Practical information
- Croatia joined the EU in 2013, but still uses its own currency, the kuna.
- 2 or 3 days are enough to visit its various attractions.
- It is an expensive city.
- Very touristy, avoid the high season.
7 things to do in Dubrovnik
Here are 7 ideas of things to do in Dubrovnik for your Dubrovnik city break.
1 | Visit the historical center
You can’t miss its historical center during your Dubrovnik city break! Very easy to spot, it is located inside the city walls. By taking the Pile Gate, you will discover the main avenue, and on both sides of the main avenue, small tiny streets with a crazy charm!
You can also go through the Plocé Gate, where you have a beautiful view on the port, the only non-fortified part of the city.
The main avenue of the city is called the Stradun, which is a wide shopping street, and which concentrates near it the majority of the monuments of the city.
At the very end of the Stradun, you end at the Loggia square, a beautiful tourist esplanade. Here you can admire, among other things, the Church of Saint Blaise dating from the XVIIIᵉ century, the Rector’s Palace or the Sponza Palace. This pretty square features religious buildings that count in the history of Dubrovnik.
The old port is also situated at the end of the Stradum. It is an unmissable stop. All day long, fishing boats and pleasure boats leave and return.
2 | Visit the city walls of Dubrovnik
The most important sight is probably the imposing Dubrovnik city wall dating from the 8th century. This wall is about 2 kilometers long and completely surrounds the historic old town, making it the best preserved medieval fortification in Europe, perhaps even one of the most famous walls in the world.
A unique experience is the tour of the wall, during which you can enjoy a magnificent view of Dubrovnik’s fantastic old town, the surrounding landscape and the deep blue sea from countless view points.
This tour lasts approximately 2 hours and costs 36 euros per person. Click here to book this tour.
3 | Visit the Game of Thrones filming locations
If you’re a big fan of the serie, you can even take part in organized tours to see all the filming locations, complete with photos. Click here to book. 😉
4 | Sunny getaway on the island of Lokrum
On a nice day, it can be nice to spend the day on the island of Lokrum. It’s only 10 minutes by boat from the old port of Dubrovnik. On the island, there is no cars, nice gardens, peacocks and rabbits everywhere. Here all the details of the ferry.
5 | Kayaking on the Adriatic
Many organizations offer tickets for kayaking trips on the Adriatic. This magical trip on a sunny sea or at sunset offers magical views of Dubrovnik. Click here to book this excursion.
6 | Take the cable car and Mount Srd
This trip will please all lovers of unusual landscapes and exceptional panoramas. This cable car will take you to the Srd mountain at 405 m above sea level. From there, you will have a magnificent panorama on the whole region, from the mountains of Bosnia-Herzegovina to the Adriatic. At the top, the Imperial Fort offers a museum about the Balkan War, including the siege of Dubrovnik in 1991-1992.
7 | Chillin on Dubrovnik’s beaches
Dubrovnik’s breathtakingly beautiful beaches are a real highlight of Croatia and are among the best in the country. Both in the old town and in the surrounding area, the selection of dream beaches is unique. Make sure to spent at least an afternoon at one’s of Dubrovnik beaches during your city break. Here is a selection of 3 interesting beaches in Dubrovnik.
Sveti Jakov
Sveti Jakov beach is absolutely unique in Dubrovnik. It has already been chosen by several magazines as one of the most beautiful beaches in Croatia. It is a dreamy beach surrounded by spectacular rocks and offering a magnificent view of the city of Dubrovnik. While swimming in the crystal clear sea, you will enjoy the fantastic turquoise colors and the superior quality of the water. You can go down to the beach by steps, from where you have a beautiful view of the beach and the clear blue sea. We spent a beautiful afternoon at this beach.
Downstairs, there is a cozy beach bar and a nice restaurant (beware of excessive prices). Umbrellas and deckchairs can also be rented at the beach. We paid 9 euros for an umbrella.
It takes about 25-min walk from the old town to get to the beach.
Banje beach
This beach is located right next to the historic old town. While swimming in the clear sea, you can enjoy an incredibly beautiful landscape with a view of the city walls, the old port and the island of Lokrum. The sea here is turquoise blue and offers a spectacular contrast to the red roofs of the city center. The beach of Banje is a pebble beach. There is hardly any shade, but sunbeds and umbrellas can be rented on site for a fee.
Betina Cave Beach
A real insider tip among the hidden beaches of Dubrovnik is Betina Cave Beach. This gem of a beach is located a little north of the old town and can only be reached by sea, i.e. by kayak or boat. See the kayak tour described above.
We didn’t do all the activities mentioned above, but this is to give you an idea of 7 things to do in Dubrovnik.
My accommodation in Dubrovnik | Apartments Katarina sea view
This is a very nice studio with sea view and a good location. It is located outside the city center, but it is close to a bus stop. It takes about 10 minutes by bus to reach the city center. There are restaurants and supermarkets nearby.
My travel tip in Dubrovnik
Restaurant – Barba 🍔
Located in the old town, Barba is a modern restaurant, where seafood meets street food. I tried the fried octopus burger, which was excellent!
Bar – Buza Bar 🍸
Buza Bar is one of the most popular bars in Dubrovnik’s old town, and for a good reason. The place is somewhat hidden. Visitors comes for the stunning view of the Adriatic, especially at sunset, and for the chance to jump off the cliff into the cool, crystal clear water. On the other hand, note that the drinks are quite expensive.
In summary, my feeling of the city:
The pluses of the city 👍
- A charming and interesting walled city.
Minuses 👎
- Very touristy, avoid high season.
- Overpriced.
I hope this article – Dubrovnik city break | 7 things to do has inspired you for your next trip. Do you have any questions? Don’t hesitate to ask me in comments.
Discover also my 10 days Itinerary through the Balkans, my article about Bosnia and my article about my trip to Montenegro.
