A travel guide to planning and enjoying your trip to Dubrovnik, Croatia including places to eat, visit, and relax.
Dreaming about Dubrovnik, Croatia
Dubrovnik is a city full of magic and energy. The streets are bustling with people after 9AM and busy long after the sun goes down. I had the opportunity to start my grand European adventure in Croatia and I had no idea what to expect, but boy was I blown away. Out of month+ of travel this summer, Croatia is at the top of my list!
The following is helpful advice for planning and enjoying your visit to Dubrovnik, Croatia.
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I used AirBnB to book my apartment near Banje Beach about a five minute walk from the gate to the Old Town.
It was fairly easy to find a great and affordable place, but I recommend booking at least 2-3 months ahead of time. Personally, the Old Town was my favorite place to explore in Dubrovnik, so I wanted to be as close as possible, but the neighboring area of Lapad is much cheaper for shelter and amenities if you are interested in exploring that area as well.
The location I chose was also across the street from Banje Beach. This was great because we did not have to travel far to swim. Banje Beach is also a Beach Club and Restaurant, so you can rent an umbrella and lawn chairs for the whole day (no need to book ahead of time if you arrive before 2PM).
The beaches in most of Croatia are rocky, so I recommend bringing water shoes or shoes that are easy to slip on and off so you can walk to the waters edge with them before diving into the clear blue Adriatic Sea.
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Try to plan your trip before the summer rush. Dubrovnik is a tourist heavy vacation destination, so it can be very busy in the peak of the summer months. Be warned. Also make sure to book a rental spot with WiFi if you need it and a washer to do your laundry. Also ask ahead of time about stairs if they will be a difficulty.
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The Old Town is a walking city, so be prepared to hike many stairs and explore by foot (i. e. bring walking shoes).
The only time you will need a car is to visit the neighboring areas like Lapad and transportation to/from the airport (no Uber/Lyft when I was there in 2017).
Another cool way to transport is the catamaran/ferry. It can be accessed at Dubrovnik's main port Gruz. This ferry can take you island hopping around Croatia and in my opinion is the best way to see it all.
We took this boat from Dubrovnik to Split and saw all the other beautiful areas we hope to visit someday (Havr, Korchula, and Brac). No need to rent a car here.
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Make sure to exchange your money. Croatia uses Kuna and some places may take euros. There is a bank on the Main Street onece you ate in the Old Town. Ask a business to direct you to it if it is difficult to find. When inside the bank there is a kiosk to your right and it has a list of different services, click the "exchange" button and the kiosk will spit out a ticket number. Take a seat and the bank teller will call your number soon. This was the easier eat place to exchange money.
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If you do not want to eat at a restaurant every night choose a rental that has a kitchen. This will save you money and there are tons of markets, butcher shops, fish vendors, and oil shops to grab fresh goods at. Also, the water from most taps are good to drink.
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Rise and shine and explore Old Town early in the morning (while tourists and locals are asleep). Walk inside the gates of the city and wander around the cobblestone, picturesque streets. You may fear getting lost, as I did, but continue to walk and you'll find your way. And you never know, you may stumble upon some pretty great sights.Shane and I always have a difficult time deciding where to eat, especially in the Old Town where there dozens of restaurants and cafes on every block. So we learned to "follow our noses." The sweet smell of the Mlinar Bakery caught our attention. We fell in love with the sour cherry strudel and the spinach wheel, but you can't go wrong with any of these fresh baked treats! After grabbing a treat or two walk the walls of the Old Town right when the entrance opens (near the West Gate at the beginning of the street Stradun). The tour around the walls can get busy and also hot later in the day, so getting there early is key. Make sure to go all the way around (about 2 km) and climb up to the tippy-top (the back corner) to get the best panoramic views of the city and sea.
Another great morning activity is sipping cappuccinos and people watching. The restaurants on the mains streets and basically everywhere in the Old Town are very pricey. If you walk outside of the walls and towards Lapad you will find more affordable prices.
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After sipping (as slow as possible like the Croatians do) and having a great morning conversation, check out Gundulićeva Poljana or Gundulić Square for a daily morning market.
These are the main squares in the Old Town and you will most likely stumble upon them. In the shadows of the Dubrovnik Cathedral you can find fresh fruits and veggies, dried figs, olive oils, homemade wine and fruit brnady, and candied nuts and fruit.
Croatia is known for its lavender and olives, so you may see a lot of these products as well. This is a great place to grab a bunch of goodies to take home and create a tasty fresh meal.
Gundulićeva is also a scenic spot to stop for an afternoon coffee and a venue for evening concerts in warm weather.
Like I said, Dubrovnik can be expensive, but Croatia as a whole is not. The most famous street in the Old Town is Stradun street. It is the main street and it is the priciest street in the country that offers a wide range of cafe bars, restaurants, and souvenir shops. If you go around the corner to get coffee it may be cheaper.
If you are over the crowds and busyness you can grab a taxi or take a 10 minute bus ride (Number 6) from the city center to Lapad area, which is a less busy area with beaches. It is a great escape for locals. You can enjoy a relaxing afternoon on the beach and have lunch in a restaurant along the promenade, which has pretty affordable eats compared to Old Town. On the small port in the Old Town there are kiosks with activities you can book. Instead of booking an activity we took the ferry boat out to Lokrum (the island you can see from the coast), which has swimming, hiking (wear appropriate shoes), ruins, and some pretty sweet views.
It also is home to the Game of Thrones Museum, which in my opinion was a little weak, but they did have a throne that you can take a picture in.
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Here's my favorite part and a hidden gem in the Old Town. Shane and I were wandering around the alley ways trying to find a spot to eat dinner. We saw a sign for a restaurant we wanted to eat at, but could not find the place. We walked back and forth down the same alleyways at least five times. When we were about to give up I heard something, then I smelled something...I saw an opening in the wall that looked like a cave with no door.
Shane exclaimed, "Kendall, no" like I was trespassing private property or something. I walked through the threshold of this opening and turned around to Shane and said, "you gotta see this!" He followed me through the door and when he saw what I saw his mouth dropped. An open cliffside bar with music and nothing blocking the ocean view. Snag a table and order a drink while soaking in the view. Enjoy the sunset sipping at Buza Cafe. On a different sunset night take the cable car ride to SrD Hill which shows an aerial view of the city and the Adriatic sea.
There might be long line, but it is worth the wait (the line moves pretty fast) because view is breathtaking. You can also reach the final point by taxi if lines too long. Sunset is the best time to go, but it may be busy.
There is also a restaurant, museum, hiking paths, and dune-buggy riding at the top.
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If you have late night sugar cravings (like me) go grab the best crepes at Dolce Vita. I am a big gelato fan, but did not enjoy any that they had to offer in the Old Town (they taste too sweet like frosting). Save the calories for the baked treats which are open late as well!
Lastly, end the night at Club Revlin. This club has been known to enjoy the company of Game of Thrones characters when they are filming in the area. Another fun place to end the night is Troubador which has delicious drinks (mangos mojitos) and live music.
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All of the restaurants are great in Old Town, you can find cheaper places thick in the alleyways
Public transportation is very efficient and costs about 2 euros
Famous public beaches are usually crowded, but just walk around the corner to find some great spots with no crowds
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