Dubrovnik is one of the southern-most points in Croatia (flirting with the Montenegro border) and nestled right on the coast of the Adriatic sea. It’s best known for it’s Old Town, which is encircled in massive stone walls and dates back to the 16th century. If you’re a little rusty (or lacking entirely) on your knowledge of the Medieval times, fear not: they also film Game of Thrones here.
Dubrovnik is the most popular destination in all of Croatia, famed for its historic sites, orange roof tops, green shutters and striking views over the Adriatic – it’s one of those special places that actually lives up to the hype!
If I’m truthful, I became totally smitten with Dubrovnik old town, it’s exactly like a fairytale! Lime stone streets, elegant churches, historic squares and an abundance of green shutters and Terrances, while palm-trees, beach coves, harbors and cliffs make up the surrounding scenery – I’m positive you will fall head over heals for this travel destination too!
For a look at my total Croatia Itinerary, check it out here!
Where To Stay
We greatly enjoyed our stay at Grand Villa Argentina in Dubrovnik. It was a little outside of the city walls (about 15 minute walk), but the views were so worth it. We had amazing views of the Adriatic Sea and the city walls themselves. We chose this hotel because they have sea access. There was a beautiful patio with a salt water pool, that looked over the edge of the Adriatic, so whenever you were ready to swim you just dove right in. It was about 20 feet deep, but the Adriatic is so salty you practically float without even trying.
They were also able to do on-site Covid tests for us to get back into the states.
What To Do
- Walk the historic walls: I’m sure you’ve heard about the famous walls and might be wondering what they’re all about?! Well if you want to see the best view in town then this is the place to be! The ‘wall walk’ is an amazing way to take in the 13th Century history and soak up the beauty of Dubrovnik. The wall itself is only 2KM (about 1.25 miles) long and there’s a one way system in place to admire the epic 360 views of the magnificent town and coastline, which will definitely stop you in your tracks more than once! There are three entrances leading up to the wall: Pile Gate, Ploce Gate and St John Fort. Just be the first to arrive (around 8.30am) or wait until the late afternoon (around 5pm) to avoid shuffling behind crowds and cruise ship arrivals and to avoid the heat! There is no shade up there!
- Wander the old town: There’s just something special about the smooth limestone walkway of Strudun – the Main Street of Dubrovnik’s old town, whether you’re visiting for a few hours or a few days, I can guarantee you’ll be walking up and down here many many times! Yes the old town can be busy and extremely hot in summer, but it’s not that difficult to slip away from the bustle and get lost in the narrow cobbled side streets! Warning: there are SO MANY STEPS so do yourself a favor and wear sneakers.
- Free Spirit Walking Tour: If you have read any of my other Croatia travel guides, you know that I have mentioned Free Spirit in every single one. Free walking tours are some of the best ways to get the lay of the land, explore a new city, and hear the history and stories from locals. Our guide Vid (was quite cute), but he was so genuine and had so much love for Dubrovnik. His family has been there for over 100 years, and they even have their own chapel. It is really interesting to learn about the city through his stories and experiences.
- Game of Thrones Tour: Dubrovnik is widely known as “King’s Landing” so a GOT tour was cheesy, but a must. It was super cool to learn about the filming locations, and how the show was filmed here between tourists, and daily life. I personally am not the biggest GOT fan, but I enjoyed it greatly. Some of the filming locations we saw were: Black Water Bay, Little Finger and Sansa’s goodbye spot, the killing of the bastards, Cersei’s walk of shame. Ivan is very knowledgeable and gives you lots of behind the scenes to filming and stories since he was there.
Where To Eat
- Kopun: Per Vid’s recommendation we had dinner at Kopun. We sat in their gorgeous courtyard and enjoyed sweet peppers with sweet potatoes and homemade truffle gnocchi with capon (a type of chicken). The peppers were so flavorful, and paired greatly with the homemade bread. Plus, being Italian you can never go wrong with homemade gnocchi. They were so fluffy and melted in your mouth.
- Lady Pipi: We had dinner high up in the walls at Lady Pipi and enjoyed some prawns and steak. It looked like a garden oasis with grape vines covering the whole courtyard with amazing views looking over the old town. There was about 100 stairs to get up to the restaurant, but the views were worth it!
- Dubrovnik Beer Factory: Looking to cool off with a cold brew? DBF is a great spot to try some local craft beers and cool off in their courtyard.
- Buza bar: There’s nothing quite like watching the sky turn from blue to pink at a cool bar with an epic view and Buza bar is one of those! Follow the yellow sign on the back wall of the old town that reads “cold drinks with the most beautiful view” – who could resist? The sign leads you through a narrow door to the outside cliff and a bar called Buza (Buza meaning ‘hole in the wall’) for one of the best casual sunset experiences in Dubrovnik! If you opt to go during the day and not during sunset, you may get lucky and see some locals cliff diving into the Adriatic.
- Peppino’s: The best gelato in Dubrovnik. So good we went here both nights! I loved the lemon pie gelato.
It is clear why Dubrovnik is the most popular city to visit in all of Croatia. The beauty, culture, and uniqueness makes it a must visit.
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