Dubrovnik is a popular tourist destination along the Dalmation Coast of Croatia. I recently spent my birthday in Dubrovnik whilst touring around the Balkans. It was definitely one of my favourite stops! I’d highly recommend visiting the city for 5-7 days or even longer if you want to take it slow, soak in the sun or fit in some day trips too. Here are some ideas of things to do whilst you’re there!
1. Explore Dubrovnik Old Town
Dubrovnik has perhaps one of the best preserved old town of any European city, this is due to the fact that it avoided wars for around 700 years. Over the centuries, different empires and rulers took over the city at various points but often relatively peacefully with no damage to the city. That was up until the 1990s when the Croatia declared independence from Yugolsavia. Sadly the city was attacked but many of the historic monuments and buildings were protected after the initial attack. The city is laid out in a grid system with the main street, Stradun, running through the centre and narrower passageways sprawling out from there. It’s fairly easy to explore without getting too lost!
2. Take a free Walking Tour
I love a free walking tour! It’s one of the best ways to get your bearings in a new city, learn about the culture and history and get tips for what else to do whilst you’re there. I always try to start my trip with a tour. Free walking tours are a fantastic option, whilst they aren’t completely free (you should tip the guide at the end), they are a very affordable option. We found our guide through Free Dubrovnik Tours.
3. Look out for Game of Thrones Filming Locations
In recent years, Dubrovnik might be better know as King’s Landing. Numerous films and TV shows have used the city as a set but Game of Thrones is definitely the most famous. Even if you’re not a fan, it’s impossible to ignore the impact the series has had on the city, there are now dozens of Game of Thrones souvenir shops around the old town!
You can even take a Game of Thrones Walking Tour and have a guide show you the exact locations of some of the most iconic scenes. You might even get to hear some behind the scenes stories – lots of tour guides also work as extras on film sets in the winter when there aren’t so many tourists around.
4. Walk along the City Walls
Dubrovnik’s city walls circle the old town. Originally built to defend the city, they are now a popular tourist attraction, offering fantastic views over the city, harbour and Adriatic Sea. Beware, walking the wall is not cheap! It currently costs 250 KN (approximately £28 or €33) but you can purchase a Dubrovnik Card for the same price and also get free access to 10 museums and galleries and discounts on transport and restaurants.
Whilst it does seem pricey, the walls are definitely worth doing – as long as you opt for the Dubrovnik Card and make the most of the other activities too! If you’re visiting in the summer, I would recommend starting early in the morning or late afternoon to avoid the heat of the midday sun as there isn’t much shade up on the walls. Just make sure you leave enough time to do the full circuit, it took us around 1-1.5 hours but it could take longer if its busy.
5. Pick up a Dubrovnik Card
If you’re planning on walking along the city walls, definitely buy yourself a Dubrovnik card first! A one day pass is literally the same price as entry to the walls but also includes free entry to several museums as well as the city walls.
For a slightly higher price, you can get a three-day pass or seven-day pass. These only allow you to enter the walls once though so make sure you make the most of it once you’re up there and do the full lap! Once you’ve picked up your card you can enjoy free entry to museums like the Rector’s Palace (6), the Maritime Museum (7) and Natural History Museum. The cards also provide discounts in some shops and restaurants and 20% off the boat to the island of Lokrum (8).
6. Visit Rector’s Palace
The Rector’s Palace is an unmissable building, just off the main street, Stradun. The building dates back to the 14th century but has been renovated several times over the years due to damages from earthquakes, so it has a mix of architectural styles. Inside, it’s just as stunning with a large staircase sweeping through an open courtyard.
The palace houses several exhibits. You can find lots of displays of centuries-old decor, furniture and paintings. When we visited in 2022 there were two temporary exhibits on too. One was a photography exhibit on the war in the 1990s. The other was an exhibit on the history of tourism in the area. I loved seeing all the retro travel posters and adverts – I definitely left feeling inspired!
You can find up to date information on the current exhibitions here.
7. Explore the Maritime Museum
The Maritime Museum is of course located right by the harbour in Dubrovnik, just off the city walls. The museum houses a collection of models of historical ships and artefacts found from ship wrecks. There are lots of maps throughout the museum and displays showcasing Dubrovnik’s role in trade throughout the centuries. Whilst the city wasn’t known for producing any particular material or trade itself it served as an important port between two large empires and also a gateway between inland communities and the Mediterranean and Adriatic.
If you’re interested in history and discovering the city’s past, the Maritime Museum is a great place to visit. As a bonus, it is also included on the Dubrovnik Card!
8. Take a boat trip to Lokrum Island
There are several islands scattered along the Dalmation coast line, Lokrum is the closest to Dubrovnik. The island itself is now a nature reserve and home to several very tame peacocks. There is plenty to explore on the island and you could easily spend a few hours or even a full day there.
You will find a monastery built in the 1600s, guarded by peacock, now hosting a Game of Thrones exhibit. Up a steep path known as the “Path of Paradise” you will find the ruins of Fort Royal built by Napoleon’s troops .The island is also home to a mini version of the Dead Sea – a small, salty lake which allows swimmers to float more easily.
You can easily reach Lokrum by taking a boat from Dubrovnik harbour. This leaves every hour or every half an hour in the peak summer season during the day – make sure you double check what time the last ferry leaves! A return ticket is 150 KN (approximately £17 or €20) but you can get 20% off with a Dubrovnik Card during the peak season. If you travel before the 30th April, tickets are 50% off, even without a Dubrovnik Card.
9. Try a Burek
Bureks are pastry snacks that originate from Turkey but are now popular throughout the Balkans. You can find them in spirals or long, thin shapes, all with delicious flakey pastry stuffed with a variety of fillings. There are both meat and vegetarian fillings such as spinach and cheese. If you fancy a quick bite in the Old Town – pick up a burek from Holy Burek.
10. Admire the Cathedral and Churches
Dubrovnik has traditionally been a Catholic city, because of this there are several highly decorated churches throughout the old town. The most interesting one to me was the Church of St. Ignatius. It’s a magnificent church at the top of the Jesuit Steps. It stood out to me because it had an unusual cave display on the right hand side by the door. I’m not really sure why and I still can’t find any more information on it which makes it even more mysterious!
11. Visit Cavtat
Cavtat is a small town around 30 minutes along the coast from Dubrovnik on the Rat peninsula. It has a small old town with several bars and restaurants overlooking its harbour. There is also a lovely promenade that loops around the peninsula leading from the car park to the harbour. From this path you’ll find lots of small areas of rock, concrete or pebble beach jutting into the sea, where you can sunbathe or watch the sunset.
If you’ve picked up a Dubrovnik card, then you can tick off another of the museums whilst in Cavtat. The House of Vlaho Bukovac is a museum set in the home of a Croatian painter who lived in the late 1800s to early 1900s. You don’t need to have head of Vlaho Bukovac to appreciate his extensively decorated home. The museum showcases some of his paintings, the murals he painted throughout the house and reconstructions of what the rooms may have looked like when he lived there over 100 years ago.
12. Take the cable cars up to Srd
For 110KN (approximately £12 or €15)you can take a cable car up to the mountain overlooking Dubrovnik. From here you can take in the stunning views over the bay, eat at the Panorama restaurant or go on a buggy safari. The Dubrovnik Homeland War Museum is also situated at the top, just by the cable cars.
Alongside the cable car, there is a serpentine hiking trail along the side of the hill. We chose to take the cable car up and hike down, taking in even more views! The walk down took us around an hour with plenty of stops for photos. I imagine it would take much longer to walk up and wouldn’t recommend trying this on a hot sunny day!
13. Explore Lovrijenac Fort
Fort Lovrijenac is situated just outside of the old town, looking over the west harbour. It’s possibly 1,000 years old! The area surrounding the fort, around the west harbour and the walk up to it offer great views too, even if you don’t choose to go inside.
14. Try out an ancient challenge and find true love!
Inside the old town, just by the Pile Gate entrance and the Franciscan Monastery, you may spot a stone carved into the shape of an owl, jutting out from the wall. Locals say that if you can stand with both feet on the owl and take your jacket off and put it on again without falling off, then you will find true love in the city of Dubrovnik. Perhaps this local tradition has been perpetuated by the shape of the heart marked on the wall above the owl. In reality, this is just a dark smear left by hundreds of people wiping their arms against the wall in an attempt at stripping off whilst simultaneously balancing!
15. Eat at a rooftop restaurant
When we were planning our trip to Dubrovnik, three different people (including our AirBnB host) recommended Lady Pi-Pi to us so we definitely had to give it a try! Lady Pi-Pi is a restaurant on the edge of the city, just by the North wall. The tables are laid out across a terrace with stunning views across the old town. The menu offers fairly traditional food from the area, including lots of fish dishes.
16. Discover Dubrovnik’s Natural History
Dubrovnik’s Natural History Museums sprawls across several floors of an old, tall building. It’s certainly interesting but the collection is tiny compared to the likes of London’s Natural History Museum! The museum is very child-friendly and mostly focuses on marine life in the Adriatic and Mediterranean sea.
The taxidermy collection includes a few sharks and a turtle – which I had no idea could be found in the Mediterranean! The museum is definitely worth a visit if you’re interested in animals or have a Dubrovnik card (which will grant you free entry). It’s also a great place to escape the crowds, even on a Saturday it was fairly quiet on our visit.
17. Enjoy a Gelato
Dubrovnik has dozens of ice cream and gelato shops scattered around the narrow streets of old town. I wish I could say I’d tried them all but there’s only so many ice creams you can reasonably eat in five days! My favourite was Peppino’s, which had a couple of shops in the city and often a queue outside, which I would say is a sign of good gelato!
18. Visit the MOMAD
The Museum of Modern Art in Dubrovnik is another museum included on the Dubrovnik Card. Its a short walk outside of the old town and the building itself is just as spectacular as the art if houses. The building was originally designed as a lavish home of a wealthy merchant. It was finished in 1939 but unfortunately due to World War II, the original owner never actually moved in.
The museum has a varied collection of paintings, photography and sculptures. You don’t need to be super into art to enjoy the museum as there is plenty on offer, plus if you have a Dubrovnik Card, its free anyway! As with many of the museums, the MOMAD was very quiet when we visited so it might also be a chance to escape the crowds and the heat for an hour or so!
19. Eat at a Michelin star restaurant
If you fancy splashing out and trying some fancy food during your trip, then where better to go than Dubrovnik’s own Michelin star restaurant!? Restaurant 360 is tucked away inside the city walls but opens out on to a stunning terrace with views over the harbour.
20. Take a day trip to Bosnia or Montenegro
If you fancy ticking off another country on your trip to Dubrovnik, why not take a day trip to either Bosnia and Herzegovina or Montenegro – or even both! There are several tour operators that offer excursions to Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina or Kotor in Montenegro, both well worth a visit.
If you want to save some money, you could also look into taking a coach, rather than going on an organised tour. If you’re travelling with a small group, you may also want to consider hiring a car, although beware you may need to pay extra for insurance if you plan to cross borders. You also technically need an international driving permit to drive in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, however no one looked at ours at any border crossings or when collecting the car. The permits are only £5.50 though and can be bought there and then at certain Post Offices in the UK so it might be worth picking one up before you travel if you are going to drive.
21. Sit on the Iron Throne
If you’re a Game of Thrones fan, this is a photo opportunity you don’t want to miss! Ever wondered what it would feel like to rule Westeros? Try out the iron throne yourself at the Game of Thrones exhibit on the Island of Lokrum (8).
The exhibit sits in the islands’ monastery and also features behind the scenes interviews with the cast and crew. You can take a boat to Lokrum from the main harbour in Dubrovnik every hour.
22. Watch the daily pigeon feeding
Okay, I’m ending on a rogue option here but hear me out! Everyday at 12 noon the city’s pigeons are fed in the same spot, just by the Old Town Market. Whilst this may sound like something to avoid it really is quite a spectacle! We stumbled upon it accidentally the first time. The church bells rang out for noon and the pigeons began to swoop in unison. They would flap around in the air then land on the umbrellas and shades of the cafes in the square, waiting for a man for stroll out with a bag of feed just for them.
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