Often described as the “pearl of the Adriatic”, Dubrovnik is the perfect city break for everyone, mixing history with natural beauty and turquoise beaches. Whether you’re looking for romance, adventure, family fun or culture, Dubrovnik’s got something for everyone.
After a visit to this beautiful city I couldn’t help sharing some of my favorite things to see & do in Dubrovnik. Here’s my list, hope it helps!
THE ANCIENT WALLS OF OLD TOWN
In Dubrovnik you can actually walk atop the giant castle walls that surround and protect the Old Town. They are 22 meters tall and 2 km long, and the view from the top is just amazing. Allow yourself at least two hours to walk the walls and visit the Lovrijenac Fort, outside the Pile Gate. The best time to do the walk is early in the morning or just before sunset, when the temperature isn’t too bad and you can have the wall almost to yourself. Getting up on to the wall will cost you 100 Kuna, but it’s well worth the cost.
Fun Fact: Lovrijenac Fortress represents Reed Keep – the castel of young and evil King Joffrey. This amazing fortress is in fact a part of many battle scenes in Dubrovnik Game of Thrones episodes.
STRADUN
The main street, the Stradun, divides the city into two halves and extends over 200 meters. Once a marsh that separated the Roman and Slavic halves of the city, the Stradun is now paved with stones polished by years of pedestrian traffic. Strolling on the streets of Stradun (or Placa – the main street in the Old City) is just lovely, and a myriad of small narrow streets provides a wide range of shops, cafés and restaurants awaiting for you to explore.
BANJE BEACH
After this really long walk it’s time to hit the beach! The most beautiful is definitely Banje, a tiny little beach just next to the Old Town. This popular pebble beach is very busy in the summer time, crowded with tourists from town and nearby hotels as well as locals.
The beach is equipped with a shower area, a changing area and sun beds and parasols for rent. Other than the sun, it is possible to enjoy water sports, such as jet ski, kayak tours, water tube other similar activities. As the day nears its end, this beach turns into the most desired place for an elite night out.
LOKRUM
For something easy, take a ferry to the relaxing island of Lokrum, home to a monastery, gorgeous gardens, a beautiful fort and beaches. The interesting feature of this island, besides the beaches and flora, is that is inhabited only by…peacock! Well, not only peacock, there are also a lot of cutie-cute rabbits. But I mean seriously, there are peacocks everywhere. Peacocks and a lot of tourists trying to take a photo of them when they have their tail open!
Another little secret of Lokrum is that you can swim in the Dead Sea — or in a miniature version of it at least. Lokrum is home to an idyllic little salt-filled lake linked to the open sea, which is a must for first-time visitors.
DUBROVNIK BY NIGHT
Luckily, Dubrovnik has also an exciting nightlife. The streets are filled with the young and the old and most seem to enjoy taking an evening stroll while admiring all of Old Town’s beauty. There are tons of bars and restaurant with a romantic and warm atmosphere, but my personal favorites are Kopud restaurant, a little gem in the old town, and Buza bar, literally constructed on cliffs.
