Photo: Bracodbk · CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Dubrovnik
Walk the walls of a stone city above the Adriatic.
A walled stone city on the southern Adriatic: walk its walls above orange roofs and the sea, wander the marble Stradun and its churches, ride or climb up Mount Srđ for the view, and take a boat to Lokrum. Beautiful and dear, and crowded at midday in summer when cruise ships are in. Kotor in Montenegro and Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina are popular trips from here by bus or tour (check, and take your passport).
Places to see
- City wallsSight · A walk of about 2 km all the way round the old town on top of its walls, past towers and…≈ A$70
The StradunWalk · The old town's main street, about 300 metres of limestone polished smooth by feet,…Free
Rector's PalaceMuseum · A Gothic-Renaissance palace with a carved arcade and a courtyard used for summer concerts.≈ A$26
Lokrum islandPark · A wooded island 15 minutes by boat from the old harbour: pine and olive paths, peacocks,…
When to go
- Jan12° / 6°Often wetQuiet
- Feb13° / 6°Often wetQuiet
- Mar15° / 8°Some rainQuiet
- Apr18° / 11°Some rainBusy
- May22° / 15°Some rainBusy
- Jun26° / 19°Mostly dryVery busy
- Jul29° / 22°Mostly dryVery busy
- Aug29° / 22°Mostly dryVery busy
- Sep
Staying and getting around
Good areas to stay
Pile. Just outside the west gate, by Fort Lovrijenac and the main bus stop; rooms up steep lanes, five minutes from the walls.
Ploče. East of the walls: Banje beach, the cable car up Mount Srđ and views back over the old town; rooms on steep streets.
Gruž and Lapad. The bus station, ferry port and a peninsula of beaches and pine walks, 10–15 minutes by bus from Pile; the cheapest beds and hostels.
Flying in
Dubrovnik Airport (DBV): Airport shuttle bus to Pile Gate and the bus station, about 35 min, ≈ A$18. Times follow the flights (check).
Flewaway's estimate for the usual budget way into Dubrovnik; check times and fares before you fly.
By bus
The train doesn't reach Dubrovnik: take it to Split railway station, then the bus. Buses from Split take about 4–5 h along the coast and cross a short strip of Bosnia and Herzegovina at Neum: keep your passport handy (check). Flying into Dubrovnik is common.
Getting around
Mostly on foot. A single ticket is ≈ A$4. The old town is car-free and full of steps. City buses (about €2–2.50) link Pile Gate, Gruž (bus station and ferry port) and Lapad. The Dubrovnik Pass bundles the walls, museums and buses: compare it with the walls alone (check).
