23 Amazing Things to Do in Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik, Croatia has always been one fo the best places to visit in Croatia, a so-called “pearl of the Adriatic”. With the massive fame of “Game of Thrones” tv-show, the town became a major touristic hotspot for the fans of the iconic series. The city became so popular there were even ideas to limit the number of visitors in the walled Dubrovnik Old Town, well-known from the tv as the set of King’s Landing.

But while “Game of Thrones” locations are big Dubrovnik attractions, there are many more things to do in Dubrovnik. And if you plan your trip to Dubrovnik carefully, you will be able to enjoy the city without (relatively) too much of a crowd around.

I’ve been twice to Dubrovnik and loved it. It’s easy to see why so many people fell for the city and why each year there are more and more tourists visiting Dubrovnik during their Balkan travels. While most of the people spend only one day in Dubrovnik, I recommend staying there a bit longer to see more than just the old town, to do a solid Dubrovnik sightseeing and to get to know the city properly. Dubrovnik also makes a perfect base for day trips so if you would like to see more of the area you should consider making Dubrovnik your base.

If you arrive in Dubrovnik from the southern side (the airport, Montenegro or Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina) be sure to sit on the left side of the bus/car. You will be greeted with the stunning view of Dubrovnik Old Town from above, the one that will make your jaw drop for sure. But that’s only one of the many things to see in Dubrovnik. Beautiful palaces, charming streets, numerous viewpoints, and impressive fortifications – that’s only a foretaste of what to do in Dubrovnik!

I put together this Dubrovnik guide with a list of top things to do in Dubrovnik as well as some travel tips. Hopefully, this article will make your trip to this Adriatic gem smoother.

Best time to visit Dubrovnik

When it comes to the best time to visit Dubrovnik I would avoid the summer season. Not only it’s boiling hot, the Old Town will also be overcrowded, making it impossible to focus on the most important attractions in Dubrovnik.

If you can be flexible with your Balkan itinerary check when the cruise ships arrive in Dubrovnik and avoid these days.

In most of the cases, it’s enough to be in the Old Town early in the morning / late in the afternoon to enjoy fairly empty Dubrovnik sights. You can also escape to the backstreets as most of the groups stick to the main sights anyway.

There is also plenty of Dubrovnik activities outside of the Old Town Walls.

But I would definitely recommend visiting Dubrovnik outside of the tourist season. My last visit there was at the end of March, the weather was perfect, a bit over 20C so not too hot for sightseeing and the city was blissfully empty (in Dubrovnik standards, that’s it).

Dubrovnik currency

When planning a trip to Croatia you need a local currency – starting from 1st January 2023 it’s Euro (before it was kunas, HRK).

There are plenty of ATMs around so if you don’t mind withdrawing money, you should be fine. You can easily pay by card with numerous places too. But it’s worth to have some cash with you, even if for a local bus ticket or for buying a bottle of water.

Dubrovnik, and especially its Old Town, is an expensive place. So prepare yourself for spending a bit more than you might expect.

How to get to Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik has numerous connections with other cities in Croatia, neighboring countries as well as other destinations in Europe. If you fly to/from Dubrovnik try to get a window seat as the views are breathtaking!

There is no railway line to Dubrovnik so if you plan to arrive overland your only options are buses or ferries. The bus station is located next to the ferry terminal in Dubrovnik suburb. From there you can catch the frequent bus no 1A, B or C that will take you all the way to the Dubrovnik Old Town.

If you arrive in Dubrovnik by plane, the local airport is located some half an hour ride away from the city, close to the border with Montenegro.

There are minibusses after each arrival and before each departure, I used Platanus Travel and the schedule was up on the website two days in advance (which made me a bit nervous not knowing if I will make it back to the airport easily). The one-way ticket is 9€, return 12€. The bus stops near the Old Town and at the main bus terminal.

There are also taxis and private transfers available at Dubrovnik airport. I definitely recommend a pre-booked private transfer if you travel with more luggage or want to get directly to your accommodation. Click here to check and book the private transfer from Dubrovnik airport to the city.

How to get around Dubrovnik

If you stay inside or near the old town walls you can quickly get around everywhere on foot. But there is nothing to worry about if you are a bit further as there is a relatively well developed public bus network in Dubrovnik. One way ticket costs around 1,60€ if bought in the kiosk or 2€ when you buy it from the driver. Remember to validate your ticket when you board the bus!

Best Things to do in Dubrovnik, Croatia

Now that you know the most important practical info, it’s time to talk about best things to do in Dubrovnik.

But before that, I have one more tip for you – if you would like to visit some of the most important Dubrovnik points of interest consider getting a Dubrovnik card. There are 1, 3, and 7-days card. The cheapest one costs 35€ (30€ if you buy online) – even if you visit only two main attractions – Old Town Walls and Rector’s Palace + you use the public transport you already save the money during your Dubrovnik city break. You can get more info and buy the card here. You can also purchase it at Dubrovnik tourist information next to the bus stop near Pile gate.

I also created a map with all the places to visit in Dubrovnik I talk about below. Click here to check it and download for your trip.

Walk the Old Town Walls

I recommend starting your Dubrovnik sightseeing by walking around the Old Town walls. It’s a bit pricey attractions but so worth the money. You can enter the walls right after the Pile Gate – the entrance is on your left side. Before you climb to the wall, you need to purchase the ticket in the ticket office next to the entrance. Even if you have a Dubrovnik Card, you still need to visit the office to get a real ticket. Keep it with you in the safe place; it will be rechecked when you walk the walls. You get the free entrance to Fort Lovrijenac with the ticket too.

The Dubrovnik Walls are almost 2 kilometers long, and you can walk the circuit uninterrupted. There are three entrances: by Inner Pile Gate, by St Lucas Fortress on St. Dominic’s Street and by St. John’s Fortress. You don’t need to go all the way around. You can finish your tour earlier however I really recommend doing the whole circuit as the view from all the sides are spectacular and worth the effort of climbing up the steep stairs every now and then. The visit to the Old Town Walls usually takes around 2 hours. If you are like me, taking lots of Dubrovnik pictures every few steps and stopping way too often to enjoy the view, it might be even longer.

Most of the tour groups do only part of the Walls, they either climb up at the Pile Gate, take few pictures and go down or they walk from the Pile Gate to St. John’s Fortress. You can expect this part to be a bit crowded, but don’t let this discourage you. I think the best views are from the part of the walls more distant from the seaside. You can see there not only turquoise waters of the Adriatic Sea but also red rooftops of Dubrovnik Old Town. It is a truly spectacular view. If you are not too tired with all the walking, be sure to go to the top of Minceta Tower (one of the Game of Thrones locations) for even better views!

You might be interested in taking one of the highly rated tours that cover Dubrovnik Old Town walls. Click on the links below for more details and current prices:

• Dubrovnik’s City Walls and Wars Historic Walking Tour
• Dubrovnik City Walls Sunset Walking Tour
• Dubrovnik: Old Town & City Walls 2 Walk Combo Ticket

Visit Fort Lovrijenac

Located just outside the Old Town, Fort Lovrijenac doesn’t attract too many visitors, which is a bit surprising really. Not only this is yet another Game of Thrones location, but the views from the fort are also among the most beautiful you will see in Dubrovnik. You can admire the Old Town, including the walls, in their full glory.

The fort was built at the very beginning of the 14th century (although some sources say it was there much earlier) on the rock towering high above the sea. There aren’t many things to see inside the fort, but you still should come here (and climb all these damn stairs) for the view. If you buy the ticket for the Old Town Walls, the entrance to Fort Lovrijenac is included in the price.

Walk the main street – Stradun

Stradun is a showcase of Dubrovnik Old Town. The main street connecting Pile and Peskarija gates spreads for some 300 meters and shines like a diamond (literally). Stradun has been a pedestrian zone for over 50 years now and therefore, is lined with numerous cafes and restaurants. You can sit down in one of them, relax and watch life go by.

The majority of the houses along the street was built in the 17th century, after the earthquake that hit Dubrovnik in 1667. They all are in baroque style, with similar height and facades. The best time to admire the beauty of Stradun is early in the morning before the crowds flock into the Dubrovnik Old Town. You can get an excellent view of the street from the Old Town Walls too!

When walking along Stradun don’t miss probably the best ice cream in Dubrovnik! You can find the small ice cream shop shortly after entering the Old Town through the Pile gate, on the right side between Gariste and Zlatariceva streets. Sometimes you need to wait in line a bit, but it’s worth it!

If you are looking for some books in English about the Balkans (including the Balkans War which I’m very much interested in) you can get them in the bookstore further down Stradun, on the left side. I got there a copy of “Madness Visible: A Memoir of War” by Janine di Giovanni (it was probably overpriced, but I haven’t seen it anywhere else).

Get lost in the backstreets

One of my favorite things to do in Dubrovnik is just wandering around and getting lost in the backstreets. The further away from Stradun you go, the fewer people you will see, and you will be able to enjoy Dubrovnik Old Town fully.

The backstreets are incredibly picturesque, with stairs up and down, arcades and charming corners. It might get a bit exhausting to climb up the steep stairs but exploring the hidden corners of the Old Town in Dubrovnik is definitely worth it!

I’m not going to give you locations of some of the most beautiful streets, partly because I was wandering around enchanted and didn’t pay too much attention to where exactly I am. And partly because I want you to discover the place on your own, find your favorite spots and fall in love with them.

If you are a fan of Game of Thrones, you might randomly stumble upon the official souvenir shop, hidden in one of the streets – Boskoviceva – on the way from Stradun to Buze gate and further the cable car station.