The Wandering Adventurer

Dubrovnik is one of the most beautiful cities in the world – a perfectly preserved medieval walled city perched on the Adriatic coast, its honey-coloured limestone streets and terracotta rooftops tumbling down to a sea of impossible blue. It is no surprise that it has become one of Europe’s most visited destinations, and that fame is entirely deserved. Whether you know it as King’s Landing from Game of Thrones or simply as one of Croatia’s crown jewels, Dubrovnik rewards every hour you give it.

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This guide covers the top things to do in Dubrovnik – from the iconic City Walls to island day trips – with Viator booking links and practical information for every stop.

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🏰 1. Walk the City Walls

🕐 Time needed: 1.5–2.5 hours | 💶 Cost: €35 adults; tickets must be purchased in advance online | 🚌 Getting there: No tram; bus routes 1A/1B/3 stop at Pile Gate | 📍 Main entrance: Pile Gate, Ulica kralja Petra Krešimira IV, Dubrovnik 20000

Walking the 2km circuit of Dubrovnik’s medieval City Walls is the single greatest experience the city offers – an elevated promenade above the rooftops of the Old Town, with the Adriatic glittering to one side and the terracotta maze of the city below you on the other. The walls date largely from the 14th and 15th centuries and are extraordinarily well preserved, reaching up to 25 metres in height and 6 metres in width in places. The views – over the old harbour, Fort Lovrijenac, the offshore island of Lokrum, and the open sea – are breathtaking at any time of day, but particularly spectacular in the golden hour before sunset.

💡 Insider Tip: Walk the walls as early in the morning as possible – ideally at opening time. By mid-morning in summer the walls become extremely crowded and hot, with no shade and temperatures that regularly exceed 35°C. Buy tickets online in advance as they frequently sell out on the gate, and your admission includes a same-day return visit.

🎟 Book the City Walls Early Morning/Sunset Walking Tour via Viator

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🏛️ 2. Explore the Old Town (Stari Grad)

🕐 Time needed: 2–4 hours | 💶 Cost: Free to wander; tip-based walking tour from $4 | 🚌 Getting there: Bus 1A/1B/3 to Pile Gate | 📍 Main street: Stradun (Placa), Dubrovnik Old Town 20000

The Old Town of Dubrovnik is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of extraordinary completeness and beauty – a pedestrianised labyrinth of marble streets, Baroque churches, Renaissance palaces, hidden squares, and café terraces that has been continuously inhabited since the 7th century. The main artery is the Stradun – a wide, polished limestone promenade running from Pile Gate to the old harbour – but the real magic is in the side streets and the small churches and courtyards that reveal themselves around every corner. Key highlights include the Rector’s Palace, the Dominican Monastery, the Cathedral of the Assumption, and the Onofrio Fountains.

💡 Insider Tip: The Old Town is at its most magical in the early morning (before 9am) and in the evening (after 7pm) when the day-tripper crowds have gone. The tip-based Discover the Old Town Walking Tour (4,834 reviews) is Dubrovnik’s most popular introduction — pay what you feel it’s worth at the end.

🎟 Book the Discover the Old Town Walking Tour via Viator

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🚡 3. Mount Srđ Cable Car

🕐 Time needed: 1–2 hours | 💶 Cost: €27 return; book online to avoid queues | 🚌 Getting there: Cable car station is a 10-min walk from Pile Gate | 📍 Address: Petra Krešimira IV 1, Dubrovnik 20000

The cable car to the summit of Mount Srđ (405m) delivers one of the most spectacular views in the entire Adriatic – a bird’s-eye panorama of the Old Town, the City Walls, the harbour, the Elaphiti islands, and the coastline stretching away in both directions. The ascent takes just four minutes. The hilltop is also home to the Napoleonic-era Fort Imperial, now a museum dedicated to the 1991–92 Siege of Dubrovnik.

💡 Insider Tip: The sunset view from Mount Srđ is extraordinary – time your ascent for about 45 minutes before sunset, when the Old Town below turns gold. On clear days you can see the mountains of Bosnia and Montenegro to the east.

🎟 Book the Mount Srđ Cable Car & Old Town Tour via Viator

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🏝️ 4. Lokrum Island

🕐 Time needed: 3–5 hours | 💶 Cost: Ferry from €5 each way; island entry €30 (includes botanical garden, monastery, GoT museum) | 🚌 Getting there: Ferry departs from the Old Harbour every 30 mins in season | 📍 Departure point: Old Harbour (Stara Luka), Dubrovnik Old Town

Just 10 minutes by ferry from the Old Harbour, the uninhabited island of Lokrum is Dubrovnik’s green escape – dense Mediterranean forest, rocky coves, peacocks wandering freely through the ruins of a Benedictine monastery, and some of the clearest swimming water in the area. There are no permanent residents and no vehicles. The saltwater lake (the “Dead Sea”, or Mrtvo More), the Fort Royal hilltop fortress, and the Iron Throne replica from Game of Thrones are the main landmarks.

💡 Insider Tip: The eastern side of the island has some of the best swimming near Dubrovnik – calm, clear, and far quieter than anything on the mainland. The Betina Cave and St Jacob’s Beach boat tour (100 reviews) combines Lokrum with two additional swimming stops in a single half-day trip.

🎟 Book the Lokrum Island, Betina Cave & Beach Boat Tour via Viator

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⛵ 5. Elaphiti Islands Boat Trip

🕐 Time needed: Full day (8–10 hours) | 💶 Cost: From $95 (incl. lunch) | 🚌 Getting there: Departs from Old Harbour or Gruž Harbour | 📍 Departure point: Obala Stjepana Radića 14, Dubrovnik 20000

The Elaphiti Islands – Koločep, Lopud, and Šipan – are a chain of small, largely car-free islands lying just northwest of Dubrovnik, each with its own character and outstanding beaches. A full-day boat trip through the archipelago is one of the most enjoyable ways to spend a day from Dubrovnik: swimming in secluded coves, exploring quiet villages, eating fresh seafood, and enjoying the sea air far from the crowds of the Old Town.

💡 Insider Tip: Lopud’s Šunj Beach is one of the finest sandy beaches in Croatia – rare on this coast, which is predominantly rocky. The Elaphiti Islands Full-Day Cruise with Lunch (6,633 reviews) is by far the most-booked version of this trip — it includes lunch on board and stops at all three islands.

🎟 Book the Elaphiti Islands Full-Day Cruise with Lunch via Viator

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🎬 6. Game of Thrones Tour

🕐 Time needed: 2–3 hours | 💶 Cost: From $45 | 🚌 Getting there: Tours depart from Pile Gate | 📍 Meeting point: Pile Gate, Dubrovnik Old Town 20000

Dubrovnik served as the primary filming location for King’s Landing in Game of Thrones, and the city wears this identity with great enthusiasm. The Walls, Fort Lovrijenac (the Red Keep), the Dominican Monastery courtyard, the Minčeta Tower, the Stradun, and the old harbour all featured extensively across the series’ eight seasons. A guided GoT tour brings the scenes to life with side-by-side comparisons and behind-the-scenes stories, and is entertaining even for those who’ve never seen the show.

💡 Insider Tip: The Game of Thrones Tour + Lokrum & Iron Throne option (5,313 reviews) is the most-booked GoT experience in Dubrovnik and includes an add-on trip to Lokrum for the real Iron Throne photo. Fort Lovrijenac requires a separate entrance ticket, but the views from its ramparts are exceptional even without the GoT connection.

🎟 Book the Game of Thrones Tour via Viator

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🚤 7. Sea Kayaking Around the Walls

🕐 Time needed: 2.5–3.5 hours | 💶 Cost: From $40 | 🚌 Getting there: Tours depart from below the Old Town walls near the harbour | 📍 Departure point: Od Tabakarije 1, Dubrovnik 20000

Seeing Dubrovnik’s City Walls from sea level – paddling along the base of the ramparts, ducking into sea caves, and floating in the crystal-clear Adriatic with the Old Town rising dramatically above you – is a completely different and equally extraordinary perspective on the city. Sea kayaking tours operate morning and sunset departures, with sunset being the most spectacular: the walls glow amber above you and the sea reflects the dying light.

💡 Insider Tip: The Sea Kayaking Tour of Lokrum Island and Betina Cave (1,464 reviews) combines the wall paddle with a stop at Lokrum and snorkelling at Betina Cave. No kayaking experience is required — guides provide full instruction. Book well in advance in July and August.

🎟 Book the Sea Kayaking Tour of Lokrum Island & Betina Cave via Viator

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🌊 8. Day Trip to Montenegro or Mostar

🕐 Time needed: Full day (10–12 hours) | 💶 Cost: Montenegro from $99; Mostar & Kravice from $85 | 🚌 Getting there: Organised tours depart from Pile Gate, Gruž Port, or hotel pickup | 📍 Departure point: Gruž Port or hotel pickup, Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik’s position at the southern tip of Croatia makes it an ideal base for day trips into neighbouring countries. Montenegro – with its dramatic Bay of Kotor, the walled medieval town of Kotor itself, and the Baroque village of Perast – is just 90 minutes away and one of the most spectacular landscapes in the entire Balkans. Mostar in Bosnia, with its iconic Ottoman Old Bridge (Stari Most) and its poignant recent history, can be combined with a stop at the turquoise Kravice waterfalls on the return journey.

💡 Insider Tip: If you can only choose one, Kotor edges it for sheer scenic drama, but Mostar is more culturally layered and historically significant. Both cross an international border, so bring your passport and expect the crossing to add 30–90 minutes depending on the day.

🎟 Book the Montenegro Day Trip via Viator or Book the Mostar & Kravice Waterfalls Day Trip via Viator

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🍽️ What to Eat & Drink in Dubrovnik

• Crni rižot (black risotto) – Risotto cooked in cuttlefish or squid ink, deeply savoury and genuinely black. One of the defining dishes of the Dalmatian coast, found on nearly every Old Town menu.
• Dalmatian pršut & sheep’s cheese – Air-dried ham from the Dalmatian hinterland, cured for months in the bora wind, served thinly sliced alongside local sheep’s cheese from Pag or the Konavle valley. A simple, essential starter.
• Grilled fresh fish – Whole grilled sea bass or bream (braštet) drizzled with olive oil, served with blitva (Swiss chard and potatoes). Best at a konoba (traditional tavern) away from the main Stradun tourist strip.
• Pašticada – Slow-braised beef marinated in wine and prunes, a festive Dalmatian dish traditionally served with gnocchi. Rich, sweet-savoury, and worth seeking out at a proper konoba rather than a quick tourist restaurant.
• Rakija & local wine – Rakija (fruit brandy, often flavoured with herbs or honey) is the traditional welcome drink. For wine, look for Pošip or Malvazija Dubrovačka whites and Plavac Mali reds from the nearby Pelješac peninsula.

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💡 Practical Tips for Dubrovnik

• Best time to visit: May–June and September–October offer warm weather, calm seas, and significantly smaller crowds than the peak July–August period. Midsummer is extremely busy and hot.
• Dubrovnik Card: Available for 1, 3, or 7 days, it includes the City Walls, cable car, city bus travel, and entry to several museums — good value if you plan to do several things.
• Getting around: The Old Town is entirely pedestrianised. City buses (1A/1B/3) run frequently between the bus station, Pile Gate, and Gruž Harbour. Taxis from the airport to the Old Town cost approx. €35–45.
• Crowds management: Up to 8,000 cruise ship passengers can arrive in a single day in peak season. Check cruise arrival schedules online and plan your Wall walk for days with fewer ships — the difference is dramatic.
• Where to stay: Staying inside the Old Town walls is magical but expensive and noisy at night. Lapad Peninsula (bus 6 from Pile Gate) offers better value accommodation with excellent beaches nearby. See our full Dubrovnik hotel guide or Dubrovnik Hotels Compared for specific picks.

🎟️ Browse all Dubrovnik experiences: All Dubrovnik tours and activities on Viator

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Dubrovnik

How many days do you need in Dubrovnik?

Two full days covers the City Walls, Old Town, and Mount Srđ comfortably. Add a third day for Lokrum or the Elaphiti Islands, and a fourth if you want to fit in a Montenegro or Mostar day trip.

Do you need to book City Walls tickets in advance?

Yes — tickets are sold online with a specific admission window and frequently sell out on the day in peak season. Book at least a few days ahead for a summer visit, and go at opening time to beat both the crowds and the heat.

Is Dubrovnik worth visiting despite the crowds?

Yes — the crowding concentrates heavily around the Stradun and the Walls during midday cruise-ship hours. Visiting before 9am or after 7pm, and spending an afternoon on Lokrum or the Elaphiti Islands, solves most of the crowd problem without giving up any of the highlights.

What’s the best day trip from Dubrovnik — Montenegro or Mostar?

Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor wins on scenic drama — it’s often compared to a Norwegian fjord. Mostar is more culturally layered, with the UNESCO-listed Old Bridge and a poignant recent history. Both are excellent; pick Montenegro for scenery, Mostar for history and the Kravice waterfalls stop.

What’s the best way to get from Dubrovnik Airport into the Old Town?

The Airport Shuttle Bus meets every arriving flight and takes about 30 minutes to the Pile Gate bus station for around €10. A taxi or rideshare takes roughly 25 minutes and costs €35–45, and is worth it if you’re arriving late or with a lot of luggage.

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