Travel Dates: September 2024
Things to do in Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik Walls – A visit to Dubrovnik isn’t complete without walking the iconic City Walls. To save time, I highly recommend purchasing your tickets online. We bought ours the morning of our visit, so you don’t have to worry about tickets running out.
There are three entrances to the Walls, and we entered through Pile Gate. While online research indicated that Pile Gate can get crowded, we arrived shortly after 11am and encountered no line. Pile Gate is conveniently located just inside Old Town, on the left side across from Onofrio’s Large Fountain. At the gate, your ticket will be scanned, and you’ll begin your ascent up a series of stairs to reach the top of the Walls.
The loop is counterclockwise and you will be asked to turn around if you go in the wrong direction. Your first view from Pile Gate is Fort Lovrijenac. Along the path, you’ll find a few small restaurants where you can buy a drink and take a break. It can be windy and very sunny on the Walls, and shade is limited.
As you walk, you’ll pass the other two entrances (near St. John Fortress and Ploče Gate), with ticket scanners at each location. Make sure you don’t accidentally exit or you won’t be able to return! We finished the entire walk in a little under 2 hours.
Fort Lovrijenac – Using the same tickets as the Dubrovnik Walls, we visited Fort Lovrijenac and spent ~20 minutes here as it’s pretty small. The primary view from the fort is of Old Town and the Walls. Our favorite scenic spot is actually right outside the entrance of the fort (the view that’s used in Google, promotional materials, postcards, etc.). Another beautiful overlook that is along the way to Fort Lovrijenac is if you follow Google Maps to Art studio GROTTA.
Viewpoints in Dubrovnik – Throughout Dubrovnik, there are many scenic viewpoints of Old Town and the Adriatic Sea. Here are the ones we visited:
- Bosanka viewpoint – This is our favorite view of Dubrovnik, and is best reached by car. It is a narrow one lane road up the mountain so make sure not to speed and be mindful of oncoming traffic.
- Dubrovnik Observation Point – Just a 3 minute drive or 20 minute walk from Bosanka viewpoint, this is where the cable car is. You can purchase tickets to the cable car right outside of the Old Town, or if you want to save money, you can hike up via Mount Srđ Hiking Trail.
- We also did “Dubrovnik Scenic Lookout,” “Sightseeing point,” and “Viewpoint on Dubrovnik.” These are the actual names you would put in Google Maps, and you’ll see they’re all on the same road and within 1 minute drive from each other. The views are mediocre. Instead I would recommend you drive down Frana Supila road, and across from where Sveti Jakov is on Google Maps, the views are nicer there.
Lokrum Island – If you have an extra day in Dubrovnik, I recommend visiting Lokrum Island. The waters here tend to be calmer than those at the mainland beaches, and since the island is spacious, it feels less crowded (though don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of people who visit Lokrum).
Ferry tickets cost €27 per person round trip, with departures every 30 minutes. The last boat back to Old Town leaves Lokrum at 7pm. Tickets are sold across from Poklisar Restaurant, next to the tour booths. Look for the sign indicating Lokrum Island, and the ferry docks at Porat Dubrovnik on the left. During the busy season, it’s a good idea to start queuing for the ferry ahead of time, as the lines can get long. The ride is just 10 minutes and pretty smooth. Make sure to keep your ticket for the return journey, as it will be scanned before boarding.
Once you arrive, I suggest taking the left path along the shoreline. You’ll find small trails leading down to the water, perfect for relaxing on the flat boulders. Ladders are anchored into the rocks, providing easy access to the sea.
On Lokrum, you’ll find free public restrooms and a few restaurants (you can use Google Maps for directions). There’s also a small, free Game of Thrones exhibit featuring a replica of the Iron Throne inside the Benedictine Monastery of St. Mary. If you venture to the southeast side of the island, you’ll find a nude beach, while the southwest side offers beach chair rentals. There’s also a lot of peacocks roaming freely throughout the island! When returning to Old Town, it’s best to start waiting on line early as the line can get very long.
Beaches in Dubrovnik – Enjoying the clear, beautiful waters of Adriatic Sea is a must for visitors to Croatia.
- Bellevue Beach – We visited Bellevue Beach because one of our hotels, Hotel Lero, is close by. To get to this secluded beach, walk towards Rixos Premium Dubrovnik Hotel. Right before the hotel, there is a road on the left that leads downwards (follow signs for Bellevue Beach Access). Eventually, there will be a slight fork–continue to the left for Bellevue Beach, otherwise, if you take the stairs on the right, it will lead to Plaża (a small coastal area behind Rixos hotel with large flat boulders where you can sun tan or swim in the water). Plaża is less crowded, but there is no shade. Bellevue Beach is larger and the water seems calmer since it’s an alcove, and thus our favorite beach.
- Beach Šulić – A small unshaded beach next to Fort Lovrijenac, the waves are pretty strong here. The water can get deep enough, which is suitable for jumping off a platform.
- Banje Beach – We did a quick stop at Banje Beach and it looked crowded with no shade, although it has a nice backdrop of the Dubrovnik Walls.
Where to eat in Dubrovnik
Gradska Kavana Arsenal – I recommend visiting this place primarily for the stunning views rather than the food. We tried to make a reservation but found they were fully booked a month in advance. They suggested we come in person to check for availability. We arrived at 5:30pm on a Thursday and were seated right away.
We ordered the truffle and mushroom pasta and squid. The pasta was enjoyable, especially if you love a strong truffle flavor—it was creamy but quite rich. The restaurant has two entrances: one in front of St. Blaise’s Church (Crkva sv. Blaise) and the other on the pier side (Porat Dubrovnik). We entered through the side of the church and walked through the restaurant to reach the pier, where the views are breathtaking.
Stara Loza – This is another restaurant we’d recommend more for the view than the food, though the sea bream fillet we ordered was delicious and crispy. The rooftop view from Stara Loza is beautiful, especially at sunset. I recommend making a reservation at least a week in advance to guarantee a rooftop seating. In our opinion, the view from Gradska Kavana Arsenal was better, but Stara Loza was much less crowded and more intimate with only 5 tables on the rooftop (the are other tables one floor below and on the ground level).
Pekara Rusica – This local bakery is a bit on the outskirts of downtown Dubrovnik. It’s budget friendly, and the pastries are warm and delicious, but heavy. We recommend their pizza bread with pepperoni and long flaky bread with steak inside (called a burek).
Holy Burek Pastry – Inside Old Town, we had to wait 7 minutes on line to get a spinach & feta burek. It cost about 3x as much as what we bought at Pekara Rusica. Although it was good and warm, I don’t know if it justifies the higher cost.
Konoba Dubrava – We stumbled upon this place while driving down from Bosanka Viewpoint, and apparently they are known for their grilled octopus dish, which must be ordered 3 hours in advance. So unfortunately, we had to order the seafood salad for two instead, which was still good. It consisted of octopus, anchovy filet, and shrimp. They also gave us a complimentary shot of house-made cherry liquor. While they recommend making reservations, we were able to secure a table at 5:30pm without one, though there was only one available outside.
Barba – They don’t take reservations so be prepared for a wait. This restaurant is known for its fried seafood. Because we didn’t want to wait, we ordered their fried anchovies, which comes with a side of potato, to-go. It was good, but since it was fried food, I think it would have tasted better fresh at the restaurant. By the time we got back to the hotel, it had gotten a bit soggy.
Where to stay in Dubrovnik
Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik – Right next to Old Town and across from Fort Lovrijenac, this Hilton hotel was our best accommodation on the entire Croatia trip, not just because of the convenience but also because of the amenities. As Hilton Diamond members, we had delicious complimentary breakfast, access to the executive lounge where there are snacks, drinks and daily Happy Hour, and an upgrade to a suite with a breathtaking view of Dubrovnik. There is also free water bottles in our rooms, but do note that you will have to pay €30 per day for parking. Unless you use points, the prices are very steep, but the hotel is wonderful.
Hotel Lero – We chose this hotel because it offered free parking and is in downtown Dubrovnik, although a bit far from Old Town. In our booking, we had breakfast buffet included and it was pretty good. We also appreciated the free water bottle, robes and slippers in our room.
Other tips for visiting Croatia
Currency – Since 2023, Croatia started using the euro. Most places take card but some places are still cash only, so you should definitely have a little bit of cash on hand.
Tipping at restaurants – All the restaurants we went to did not ask for tip, although while one or two did mention in their menu that service fee isn’t included, when we paid the bill we weren’t asked for any additional charges.
Outlet – Croatia uses Type F plug, the one with two round pins.
Language – I was surprised by the amount of people speaking English in Croatia, which makes sense as the tourism sector is their most important industry. But we found speaking basic Croatian phrases like “Hvala” (“Thank you”) and “Dobra dan” (“Good day”) are greatly appreciated by the locals.
Driving – Croatia has numerous speed cameras, especially in towns, so it’s important to watch your speed. You’ll typically see warning signs featuring an image of a camera or radar before approaching a speed trap, and Google Maps also highlights many of these locations.
When driving from Dubrovnik to Split, we had to go through a few tolls. Make sure you DO NOT go through the ENC card pass toll. Based on our experience, the first toll booth you encounter will require you to take a ticket, as there are no attendants at these booths. At the second toll, you’ll need to present that ticket to the cashier, who will charge you the ~€5 toll.
Globe Trotter 