The Wandering Adventurer

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Dubrovnik is one of the most beautiful cities in the world — the Pearl of the Adriatic. Its perfectly preserved medieval Old Town, encircled by massive limestone walls above a glittering blue sea, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most extraordinary urban landscapes in Europe. Whether you know it as the backdrop for Game of Thrones or simply as one of Croatia’s greatest treasures, a day in Dubrovnik will stay with you forever.

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🚢 Port Overview: Getting from Gruž to Old Town

Cruise ships dock at Gruž Harbour, about 3 km west of the Old Town. Getting there is straightforward: taxis cost €10–15 and take about 10 minutes; local buses 1A and 1B run directly from the port to the Pile Gate (Old Town entrance) for just €2. Most organised shore excursions include transport from the pier.

💡 Insider Tip: Dubrovnik Old Town is one of the most heavily visited places in Europe relative to its size. In peak summer, the Stradun (main street) can feel impossibly crowded between 10am and 4pm. Arrive early, head to the City Walls first, and retreat to the Old Town’s back alleys and staircases — which are far quieter than the main drag — during the midday rush.

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1. 🏰 Dubrovnik City Walls Walking Tour

⏱ Time needed: 2–3 hours  |  💵 Cost: €35 entry; guided tours from ~$45  |  📍 Distance: Old Town — 3 km from port

Walking Dubrovnik’s City Walls is the essential Dubrovnik experience — a 2-km circuit around the top of the medieval fortifications that encircle the entire Old Town, with extraordinary views in every direction: the red-roofed limestone buildings of the Old Town below, the Adriatic glittering to one side, and the mountains of the Dalmatian hinterland rising behind the city. The walls date from the 13th century and reach up to 25 metres high and 6 metres thick. The circuit takes 1.5–2 hours at a comfortable pace and the views are simply magnificent.

💡 Insider Tip: Do the walls in the morning before it gets hot — there is almost no shade on the circuit and summer temperatures on the walls can exceed 40°C by midday. Bring water, wear a hat, and wear comfortable non-slip shoes. The walls open at 8am and entry tickets sell out online — book in advance.

🎟 Book a Dubrovnik City Walls Tour via Viator

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2. 🐉 Game of Thrones Tour

⏱ Time needed: 2–2.5 hours  |  💵 Cost: ~$30–50 per person  |  📍 Distance: Old Town — 3 km from port

Dubrovnik served as the primary filming location for King’s Landing in Game of Thrones, and the city is absolutely riddled with recognisable locations. The Fort Lovrijenac (the Red Keep), the Jesuit Staircase (the Walk of Shame), Minčeta Tower (the House of the Undying), and dozens of alleyways, squares, and gates all featured in the series. A guided Game of Thrones tour brings the Old Town to life with scenes, production stories, and photo opportunities at every location. Even non-fans find it a brilliant way to explore the city’s history and architecture.

💡 Insider Tip: Fort Lovrijenac (the Red Keep) requires a separate entry ticket but the views from its battlements over the Old Town and sea are among the best in Dubrovnik. The Game of Thrones experience is best with a guide who knows both the filming history and the real Ragusan Republic history of each location.

🎟 Book a Game of Thrones Tour via Viator | Klook

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3. 🛶 Sea Kayaking Around the City Walls

⏱ Time needed: 2.5–3.5 hours  |  💵 Cost: ~$50–70 per person  |  📍 Distance: Departs from Old Town beaches

Sea kayaking around the base of Dubrovnik’s City Walls is one of the most extraordinary perspectives on any city in the world. Paddling through the crystal-clear Adriatic water with the massive limestone walls towering above you, sea caves accessible only by kayak, and the Old Town’s harbour entrance just a paddle away — it’s an entirely different way to experience one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. Most tours include a snorkelling stop and end with a swim at Banje Beach.

💡 Insider Tip: Go in the morning when the sea is calmest and the light on the walls is best. No kayaking experience is needed — the guides provide full instruction. Waterproof your phone or bring a waterproof case — the photo opportunities from the water are extraordinary.

🎟 Book a Sea Kayaking Tour via Viator

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4. ⛵ Elaphiti Islands Boat Tour

⏱ Time needed: Full day (6–8 hours)  |  💵 Cost: ~$65–90 per person including lunch  |  📍 Distance: Departs Gruž or Old Town harbour

The Elaphiti Islands — an archipelago of small, largely undeveloped islands northwest of Dubrovnik — offer some of the most beautiful sailing, swimming, and island-hopping in the Adriatic. The three inhabited islands of Koločep, Lopud, and Šipan have hidden beaches, medieval churches, Renaissance summer villas, and a tranquil pace of life completely removed from the crowds of Dubrovnik Old Town. A full-day boat tour typically visits two or three islands with time to swim, explore, and enjoy a seafood lunch in a local konoba (tavern).

💡 Insider Tip: Lopud’s Sunj Beach — a long, sandy bay on the south side of the island, accessible only on foot (20 min walk) or by golf cart — is one of the finest beaches on the entire Dalmatian coast. If your Elaphiti tour stops at Lopud, make the walk to Sunj a priority.

🎟 Book an Elaphiti Islands Boat Tour via Viator | Klook

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5. 🛿 Cable Car & Mount Srđ Panoramic Views

⏱ Time needed: 1.5–2.5 hours  |  💵 Cost: €20 cable car return; guided tours from ~$30  |  📍 Distance: Cable car station at the Buža Gate, Old Town

The Dubrovnik cable car ascends 405 metres to the summit of Mount Srđ in under 4 minutes, delivering one of the most spectacular panoramic views in the Mediterranean — the entire Old Town spread below, the City Walls encircling it, the Adriatic stretching to the horizon, and the Elaphiti Islands scattered across the sea. The War Museum at the top documents the siege of Dubrovnik during the 1991–95 Croatian War of Independence — a sobering and important part of understanding modern Dubrovnik.

💡 Insider Tip: The cable car queue at the base can be very long in peak summer. Go early morning or in the late afternoon. The restaurant at the top has the best view of any restaurant in Dubrovnik — a cold beer or glass of local wine with that panorama is one of the great simple pleasures of the Adriatic.

🎟 Book a Mt Srđ Cable Car Tour via Viator

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💚 Going It Alone: Independent Explorer Tips

Dubrovnik Old Town is very manageable independently. Take bus 1A or 1B from Gruž port to the Pile Gate (€2). Enter the Old Town through the Pile Gate, walk the Stradun (the main limestone-paved street), explore the side streets and staircases, visit the Rector’s Palace and Dominican Monastery, and climb the City Walls (buy tickets at the wall entrance). The Lokrum island ferry (every 30 minutes from Old Town harbour, €15 return) is a lovely escape from the crowds for swimming and exploring the botanical garden and ruined Benedictine monastery.

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🍽️ What to Eat & Drink Ashore in Dubrovnik

• Grilled fish — fresh Adriatic fish — sea bass (brancin), sea bream (orada), and dentex — grilled simply with olive oil and lemon. The freshest and best fish restaurants are in the Old Town back alleys, away from the Stradun.
• Black risotto (crni rižot) — Dalmatian cuttlefish ink risotto, deeply savoury and rich. One of the signature dishes of Croatian coastal cuisine.
• Peka — meat or octopus slow-cooked under a bell-shaped lid (peka) buried in embers for hours. Requires advance ordering but produces extraordinary results.
• Prošek — Dalmatia’s traditional sweet dessert wine. Served with local cheese after a meal — one of Croatia’s great food traditions.
• Rakija — Croatian fruit brandy, served as a digestivo after meals. Herb-infused travarica is the local speciality.

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💡 Practical Tips for Dubrovnik

• Go early. Dubrovnik Old Town becomes extremely crowded by 10am in summer. The City Walls walk and the cable car are best in the early morning.
• Heat is extreme. The City Walls offer almost no shade. Carry water, wear sunscreen and a hat, and do the walls as early as possible.
• Comfortable shoes. Dubrovnik is built on limestone — the streets and steps are beautiful but very slippery, especially when wet.
• Avoid overpriced Stradun restaurants. The restaurants on the main Stradun are expensive and mediocre. The best food is in the back streets — look for restaurants with handwritten menus and local clientele.
• Lokrum island is an excellent escape from the crowds and well worth the €15 return ferry fare.

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This post contains affiliate links to Viator and Klook. The Wandering Adventurer may earn a small commission if you book through our links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting independent travel content!