DUBROVNIK IN 24 HOURS

If you’re reading this, you’re most likely headed on a quick trip to Dubrovnik, Croatia. The second you enter the Old Town it’s as if you’ve entered the medieval times. Since city walls surround the Old Town, you can enter the Dubrovnik Old Town from two main gates. As you can imagine, this makes the old town such a unique place to explore.

While the Old Town is pretty small, there’s actually a lot of things to do in Dubrovnik. Since a lot of people travel to Dubrovnik by cruise ship, I put together a 24 hour guide to Dubrovnik. Ideally you’ll spend about three days in Dubrovnik however, if you plan it right, you can see a lot in a day.

If you’re looking for some of the best things to do in Dubrovnik then I’ve linked an article to Must See Spots in Dubrovnik.

And don’t forget to pin this for later :)

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As one of the most popular destinations in Croatia, Dubrovnik is well connected. Located in Southern Croatia near Montenegro and Bosnia, it’s easy to travel from these countries as well as popular Croatian cities. Most people travel to Dubrovnik on a cruise through the Adriatic Sea. If you’re not traveling to Dubrovnik on a cruise, you’ll likely reach town by ferry or bus. Split, Croatia and Kotor, Montenegro are two of the most popular places to visit from Dubrovnik. As such, buses between Split, Kotor, and Dubrovnik are frequent. You can also take a ferry from Dubrovnik to Split and vice versa. The ferry takes about 4 hours and stops at a few isalnds along the way but they don’t run year round.

I always suggest traveling Europe in the shoulder season. Summers tend to be busy making the the Spring and Fall perfect for exploring. This is especially true in Dubrovnik! As a hot spot in Europe, Dubrovnik tends to flood with tourists. I’ve visited twice during the shoulder season and it’s busy but not overly crowded. Moreover, the Dubrovnik weather is excellent, warm enough for exploring and enjoying the Sea. With that said, these seasons can also be rainy but I’ve been lucky both times!

Personally, I love staying in the Old Town of Dubrovnik! I love being able to wake up early and walk around the Old Town before it’s flooded with tourists. With that said, staying in the Old Town is generally pricier. Another thing to be mindful of is that cars aren’t permitted in the Old Town. So you’ll have to roll your luggage through the cobblestone in Old Town to reach your hotel in Dubrovnik. There are also a ton of stairs in Old Town so if you have trouble walking up stairs I recommend staying outside the Old Town.

Dubrovnik hotels we’ve stayed at & recommend:

• Guesthouse Rustico
• Studio Apartments Sonatina

Both of our stays were clean and in a great location! For more on my experience at Guesthouse Rustico click here.

You can purchase a 1, 3, or 7 day pass for your trip to Dubrovnik. I recommend purchasing the Dubrovnik Card depending on your plan while in town. If you’re walking the walls and visiting a handful of museums, you’ll get your money worth. It costs 200 Kuna for an adult to walk the walls of Dubrovnik and the card isn’t much more. The card also includes a few discounts in town. If you’re in Dubrovnik for awhile, the 3 & 7 day passes include public transportation. I recommend going to the website I’ve linked and adding up how much you want to see. From there, you can see if it’s worth it.

Pricing: Purchase the Dubrovnik Card online since it’s much cheaper than purchasing in person. The card costs 225, 270, and 315 kuna for a 1, 3, or 7 day pass respectively online.

Walking the walls of Dubrovnik is the number one thing to do in town! If you only have time for one activity in Dubrovnik, make it the walls. The walls have an incredible vantage point with views overlooking town as well as the sea. It’s a little pricey but it’s worth it. The walls encompass the Dubrovnik Old Town and were built in the 15th and 16th century to protect the city.

Wake up early on your first morning walk to walls of Dubrovnik. The walls generally open at 8 am and I recommend getting there at 8 am sharp! The tours start rolling in around 8:30 so an 8 am start time will give you a little jump start. To enter the walls, you’ll walk up a steep flight of stairs near Pile Gate. From there, the path is relatively flat but there are a few staircases throughout. It takes roughly two hours to walk the walls; factoring in plenty of time for photos.

Booking:

• Self guided: You can purchase your ticket at the entry for 250 Kuna. This cost also includes entry to the Lovrijenac Fort.
• Tour: City Walls Walking Tour (entry fee to walls NOT included!)
• Tour: Combo Tour – City Walls + Old Town (entry fee to walls NOT included!)

Fort Lovrijenac is a quick walk from the Old Town. The Fort is quite impressive, as it’s built on a 37 meter high sheer rock dating back to the 10th century. Additionally, Fort Lovrijenac offers an incredible view of Dubrovnik. This is a relatively busy spot so I recommend viewing the fort right after walking the walls. I would set aside 30-45 minutes to walk to and view Fort Lovrijenac.

Pricing: Fort Lovrijenac is included in the price for the walls. If you aren’t walking the walls, the entrance fee is 50 Kuna.

While there’s a lot to do in Dubrovnik, wandering the Old Town is arguably the best! There are two gates to enter the Old Town which are Pile and Ploce Gate. The Stradun is the largest street in Old Town connecting Pile Gate to the waterfront. There are also a handful of churches and monasteries in Old Town worth visiting. A few of the most popular are Francisian Monastery, Church of Saint Blaise, and Saint Ignatius. Most importantly, wander the streets, get lost in town, and soak in the views.

Grab a bite to eat in Old Town before continuing on. If you’re looking for budget friendly option, avoid the waterfront. There are a few inexpensive restaurants within the alleys of Old Town.

In the afternoon, I recommend either kayaking or doing the Dubrovnik Cable Car. If you plan on kayaking, you can either rent a kayak or go on a tour. In my opinion, it’s the best way to check out the coastline! Most routes kayak past the Old Town walls, Banje Beach, a cave, and Lokrum Island. If you’re interested in visiting a few Dubrovnik beaches, kayaking is a great way to see some of the best beaches! It’s an easy kayak on your own but, if you’re inexperienced, go with a tour. The kayak tours are approximately 3 hours as you’ll make a few stops along the way. You can chose between a morning, afternoon, or sunset kayak tour. We chose to rent a kayak for 3 hours and were able to make stops and go at our own pace. Seeing Dubrovnik from the water is absolutely spectacular!

Tour Information:

• Kayak Rental: 30 USD (3 hours)
• Sunset Kayak Tour: $43 USD per person (2.5-3 hours)
• Kayak & Snorkeling Tour: $38 USD per person (2.5 hours)
• Kayak Lokrum Island: $43 USD per person (3 hours)

As I mentioned, choose between kayaking or doing the Dubrovnik Cable Car in the afternoon. Mount Srd offers one of the best views of the Old Town and Lokrum Island. There are a few ways to reach Mount Srd. One of the most popular ways is the Cable Car. The Cable Car was actually built in 1969 in order for visitors to have a great view of Dubrovnik. You’ll find the entrance to the cable car outside of Old Town.

Pricing: The pricing for the Cable Car round trip is 170 Kuna for an adult. A one way ticket costs 90 Kuna.

My favorite way to enjoy the views of Mount Srd is by hiking. As an avid hiker, I found this route to be spectacular! There are a handful of switch backs making the route a challenge. However, once you reach the tree line, the views are worth the challenge.

You can make a quick stop at the top for photos before heading back to town. If you’re not pressed for time, you can also grab a bite to eat from the restaurant at top to enjoy the view.

If you’re looking for a mellow spot offering an incredible view for sunset, head to the Buza Bar. The Buza Bar Dubrovnik is a literal hole in the wall situated on the edge of a cliff! In other words, its prime location overlooks the Adriatic Sea. Buza Bar actually has two locations Buza Bar I and Buza Bar II. While there is plenty of seating, I recommend getting there early to snag a good spot. Since summers are busy in Dubrovnik, seating at the Buza Bar might be limited. Regardless, grab a drink and enjoy the view!

Pricing: My husband and I each had one drink which was 100 Kuna total (approximately 14 USD).

While this is a jam packed itinerary, it’s worth it! I hope this itinerary allows you to make the most out of a quick stop in Dubrovnik. Furthermore, I hope you love Dubrovnik as much as I do.

Safe Travels,

Sarah :)

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