THINGS TO DO IN THE PEARL OF THE ADRIATIC: DUBROVNIK

Known as the “Pearl of the Adriatic,” Dubrovnik is one of Croatia’s most iconic destinations and it’s easy to see why. Surrounded by impressive medieval walls and overlooking the crystal-clear Adriatic Sea, its UNESCO-listed Old Town feels like stepping back in time.

I spent a few days exploring Dubrovnik, walking its famous city walls, discovering hidden cliff bars, enjoying its beaches and viewpoints and even using it as a base for a day trip to neighboring Bosnia & Herzegovina.

In this guide, I’m sharing the best things to do in Dubrovnik, where to eat and drink, beaches worth visiting, prices, useful tips and everything I wish I knew before my trip – to help you plan your own visit.

How to Get to Dubrovnik

• By plane: Dubrovnik Airport is around 25-30 minutes from the Old Town. You can reach the city by airport shuttle, taxi or Uber. (Uber took me around 30 euros)
• By ferry: During the warmer months, Dubrovnik has ferry connections with several Croatian islands and coastal cities, including Split and Korčula.
• By bus: Dubrovnik is also well connected by bus with other destinations in Croatia and neighboring countries.

My route: I travelled Split → Korčula → Dubrovnik entirely without a car. You can find all the transportation details, ferry prices and my complete itinerary in my Dalmatian Coast Travel Guide. Click here.

How many days in Dubrovnik?

I recommend spending at least 2-3 full days in Dubrovnik. This gives you enough time to explore the Old Town and City Walls, enjoy the beaches and cliff bars, take the cable car for sunset and experience the city without rushing.

If you have extra time, Dubrovnik is also a great base for day trips to Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro or nearby islands.

Where I Stayed in Dubrovnik

I stayed at Studio Square, right inside Dubrovnik Old Town. Accommodation inside the Old Town is generally more expensive, and you can definitely find cheaper options if you stay farther away.

However, this was one of the things I was really happy I paid extra for. Being able to step outside and immediately be in the middle of Dubrovnik Old Town was incredibly convenient. I could explore early in the morning, return to my room whenever I wanted and go out again in the evening without worrying about transportation.

What to See in Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik’s Old Town is relatively compact and very walkable, but there is plenty to see.

My main highlights were:

• Dubrovnik Old Town: Get lost in the magic of Old town!
• City Walls : If you only pay for one major attraction in Dubrovnik, I would make it the City Walls. The walls stretch for approximately 2 km around the Old Town and offer some of the best views of Dubrovnik’s orange rooftops, historic buildings and the Adriatic Sea.Wear comfortable shoes and, during summer, try to avoid the hottest hours of the day because much of the walk is exposed to the sun – I went at 08:00 am.
• Fort Lovrijenac: Just outside the western walls of Dubrovnik Old Town you’ll find Fort Lovrijenac, an impressive fortress built on a rocky cliff overlooking the sea. Even if you’re not particularly interested in fortresses, the views back towards Dubrovnik’s walls and Old Town are worth it. Game of Thrones fans may also recognize several locations around Dubrovnik, as the city famously doubled as King’s Landing in the series.
• Rector’s Palace (€15) – A Gothic-Renaissance palace, once the seat of the Rector of the Republic of Ragusa. Today it houses the Cultural History Museum. (Included in the Dubrovnik Pass)
• Dubrovnik Cathedral: (free entry) – An impressive Baroque cathedral in the heart of the Old Town, known for its beautiful interior and treasury!
• Dubrovnik Cable Car: For one of the best panoramic views over Dubrovnik, take the Cable Car to Mount Srđ. I paid €30 for a round-trip ticket and I had booked it in advance from this site. From the top, you get an incredible view over the Old Town, Lokrum Island and the Adriatic. Angel’s tip: Go around sunset if you can.
• Buža Bar and Bard (Mala Buza) bar: Loved both of them! Dubrovnik’s unique places for a drink or a jump in the Adriatic sea, located on the rocks outside the Old Town walls. You literally pass through a small opening in the city walls and suddenly find yourself sitting on the cliffs overlooking the Adriatic.

Angel’s tip: Entrance for the walls is 40 euros but same is the Dubrovnik Pass. So you can buy the 24-hour Dubrovnik Pass for €40 if you plan to visit several attractions and museums during the same day. My tip is to plan your included attractions together (Walls with Rector’s palace and Fort Lovrijenac) so you can make the most of the 24-hour validity.

Beaches in Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik may be famous for its history, but you can easily combine sightseeing with some beach time. My favorite:

1. Pasjača Beach: Another spectacular beach in the Dubrovnik region is Pasjača Beach, located farther outside the city 40 minutes drive from Old town+15 minutes walk down a cliffside path. No facilities or umbrellas. Angel’ tip: I booked a car for only 1 day and one reason was this beach. I had rented online from this rental car super close to old town to avoid distances.
2. Banje Beach: One of the easiest beaches to reach from the Old Town and offers beautiful views towards Dubrovnik’s walls. Because of its location, it can get quite busy during summer! Free to enter as it has space to sit but there is also a beach bar and restaurant that you can relax all day!
3. Sveti Jakov Beach: If you want another option away from the immediate Old Town area, Sveti Jakov Beach is a beautiful choice with views back towards Dubrovnik. 20 minutes walk from old town with a beach bar and sunbeds.
4. Coral Beach Club: On my last day in Dubrovnik, I decided to spend the day at Coral Beach Club. It is around 10-15 minutes by taxi from the Old Town fyi. I absolutely loved the setting, the music and the food!!  If you want to treat yourself to a relaxing beach-club day after several days of sightseeing, it’s a lovely option – just expect higher prices.
5. Visit Cavtat: If you have some extra time, you can also visit Cavtat, a small coastal town south of Dubrovnik that you can swim too. I visited Cavtat for a walk and really enjoyed the more relaxed atmosphere compared with busy Dubrovnik. It can be a nice addition if you have several days in the area and there are buses and boats easily connected with Dubrovnik.

Where to Eat & Drink in Dubrovnik

• Restaurants: Proto • Posat • Port 22 • Trattoria Carmen • Public Old Town Croatian Bistro
• Pizza: Ciao-la Cucina Italiana • Pizzeria Castro • Oliva
• Ice Cream: Peppino’s • Moritz
• Drinks: Cele • La Bodega

Angel’s tip: Dubrovnik’s Old Town is quite expensive for food and drinks, so expect higher prices, especially in the most touristy spots.

Game of Thrones in Dubrovnik

If you’re a Game of Thrones fan, Dubrovnik is a must! The city was one of the main filming locations for King’s Landing, and many iconic scenes were filmed around the Old Town.

📍 Lovrijenac Fortress – Used as the Red Keep in several scenes.
📍 Jesuit Stairs – Famous from Cersei’s “Walk of Shame.”
📍 Pile Gate – Featured in several King’s Landing scenes.
📍 City Walls – Used extensively throughout the series.
📍 West Harbour – Appears as Blackwater Bay.

Angel’s tip: You can easily visit these locations independently while exploring the Old Town, but there are also organized Game of Thrones walking tours (online in Get Your guide or there) if you want to see the exact filming spots and compare them with scenes from the series.

Do You Need a Car in Dubrovnik?

I personally didn’t need a car for most of my stay. I stayed inside the Old Town, explored almost everything on foot and used organized tours for day trips. You can also easily reach nearby islands, such as Lokrum, by boat. If, however, you want to explore more of the coastline, nearby towns and beaches independently, renting a car can definitely be useful.

I rented one for just one day for around €45 to drive along the coast and visit Pasjača Beach, Cavtat town and I combined it with a stop at Coral Beach Club. Coral is outside the Old Town and normally requires a taxi anyway, so having the car that day was convenient.

Angel’s tip: You don’t need a car just for Dubrovnik, especially if you stay in or near the Old Town, but it’s worth renting one for a day or two if you want more freedom to explore outside the city.

Getting from Dubrovnik Old Town to the Airport

At the end of the trip, I took an Uber(taxi) from Dubrovnik Old Town to Dubrovnik Airport. I paid approximately €27.

My flight back to Athens took around 1.5 hours, making Dubrovnik a very convenient place to finish the trip. 

My Thoughts on Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik was definitely the most touristy and one of the most expensive stops of my trip, but it’s also a place I think you should see at least once!!  The medieval Old Town is stunning, the City Walls are a must and the views from Mount Srđ are beautiful.

What I particularly liked was that Dubrovnik wasn’t only about sightseeing. I could combine history with beaches, a beach-club day, nearby coastal towns and even a completely different country.

For me, it was the perfect place to finish my Split → Korčula → Dubrovnik itinerary along the Dalmatian Coast.

THINGS I WISH I KNEW BEFORE VISITING CROATIA

• You don’t necessarily need a car. For an itinerary like mine, ferries, buses and organized tours work really well.
• The Italian influence is strong, especially in the architecture and food — pizza, pasta and gelato are everywhere. And the ice cream is excellent!
• Croatia is expensive, particularly in touristy areas like Dubrovnik.
• Carry some cash. Cards are widely accepted, but there are still places where cash is useful or necessary.
• Stay in the Old Towns if your budget allows. It costs more, but for me the convenience and atmosphere were 100% worth it.
• Book popular ferries in advance during summer. I booked my Split–Korčula ferry around two weeks before travelling.
• Pack comfortable shoes – you’ll walk a lot, often on old stone streets.

The Dalmatian Coast is perfect if you love historic towns, islands, crystal-clear water and travelling by boat. What I loved about this itinerary was the variety: Roman history in Split, island life in Korčula, medieval Dubrovnik, Adriatic boat trips and even a day trip to Bosnia & Herzegovina!

Croatia was more expensive than I expected and, personally, the food wasn’t a highlight, but the scenery, beautiful Old Towns and easy island connections made the trip absolutely worth it.

For a first visit, Split → Korčula → Dubrovnik is a beautiful and easy route — no rental car needed!

BONUS: DAY TRIP TO BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA 

One of my favourite things about staying in Dubrovnik was how easy it was to add another country to the trip.

Click here to read more about my daytrip to Bosnia and Herzegovina. I have a separate article on the blog.

Click here to book your daytrip too to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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@: explorewith.angel

Angel

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