Dubrovnik, Croatia is best known for its starring role as the city of King’s Landing in HBO’s Game of Thrones. Its medieval buildings and scenic cliffside backdrop make it a must-see spot when visiting Croatia. Read on for a detailed Dubrovnik travel guide with the best things to see in 24 hours!
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General information on Dubrovnik
- Population: 42,615 people
- Language: Croatian
- Currency: Croatian Kuna ($1 USD = 6.45 HRK)
- Founded: 7th century AD
How to get to Dubrovnik
The Dubrovnik Airport (DBV) has daily flights to other Croatian cities like Split and Zagreb. From the rest of Europe, it’s easy to catch a flight to Dubrovnik with both mainline and budget carriers. Recently, United Airlines has also launched a nonstop flight from Newark (EWR) to Dubrovnik, giving Americans a simple travel option to the city.
Dubrovnik is connected to other major cities in Croatia by bus, although the journey could take several hours due to the border crossing with Bosnia & Herzegovina. The main bus station is about 2 miles (3.3 km) north of Old Town. Other than by bus, you can also reach Dubrovnik by ferry from several other coastal cities.
Driving times from:
- Kotor, Montenegro: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Split: 3 hours 15 minutes
Things to do in Dubrovnik
Old Town
Dubrovnik’s Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a stunning example of a medieval fortified city. You can find many different museums, palaces, and churches dating back hundreds of years.
Places to check out in Old Town:
- Pile Gate: Main entrance to Old Town
- Fort Bokar: 15th-century fortress
- Sponza Palace: Palace that houses historical documents
- Rector’s Palace: Gothic & Renaissance architecture
- Crkva sv. Ignacij: Catholic church with an iconic staircase
- Dubrovnik Cathedral: 18th-century Baroque cathedral
- Old Port (Stara Luka): Good views of Old Town
- Dubrovnik city beach: Rocky section with access to water
- Gundulićeva Poljana: Square with seasonal markets
Walls of Dubrovnik
If you’re going to pay for one activity during your stay in Dubrovnik, it should be the Old Town City Walls.
With a ticket, you’re able to walk around the entire perimeter of Dubrovnik’s defensive stone walls. You’ll pass towers, forts, and bastions along the way, learning about the city’s long history with numbered information spots. This is also one of the best places to get good views around the entire city.
Tickets are a bit expensive but definitely worth it! They cost 200 kn ($31 USD) per adult and 50 kn ($7.75 USD) for children under 18.
Buy Walls of Dubrovnik tickets here
Check out some more 24-hour European city itineraries!
Amsterdam, NetherlandsFrankfurt, Germany
Paris, France
Reykjavik, Iceland
Dubrovnik Cable Car
Another good way to get sweeping views of Dubrovnik is by taking the Dubrovnik Cable Car up Srđ Hill. The cable car station can be found just outside of Old Town. During your 4 minute ride up, you get 360° views of the surrounding city, sea, and islands. At the top, there’s a restaurant and a double-decker viewing area.
Round-trip tickets cost 170 kn ($26 USD) per adult and 60 kn ($9.30 USD) per child. You can also opt to purchase one-way tickets or hike up the Mount Srđ Hiking Trail for free.
Buy Dubrovnik Cable Car tickets here
Game of Thrones tour
Many of Game of Thrones’ iconic locations were filmed in Dubrovnik. For fans of the show, taking a guided walking tour is a no-brainer.
Most tours start from within the Old Town and will take you to several locations that might be hard to find or access on your own. Even if you’re not a fan of Game of Thrones, walking tours are always something I’d recommend doing in a new city — you get a feel for the layout and can come back to explore the places that interest you the most later.
Some notable filming locations in Dubrovnik:
- Minčeta Fortress: Qarth’s House of the Undying
- Fort Lovrijenac: The Red Keep
- The Rupe Ethnographic Museum: Littlefinger’s brothel
Day trips from Dubrovnik
Lokrum Island
Lokrum is an island 0.4 mi (600 m) off the coast of Dubrovnik. It’s known for its Botanical Gardens, Benedictine Monastery, and luscious vegetation (you can also spot wild peacocks!).
To get to Lokrum, simply take one of the ferries that leave from the Old Port every half hour. Otherwise, it’s also possible to get to the island by kayak or private boat tour. Because the island is uninhabited, nobody is allowed to stay overnight — making it the perfect day trip from Dubrovnik.
Croatian island-hopping tour
Croatia has over 1,200 islands and islets on its Adriatic coast. Although it is possible to visit the most popular islands on your own, I’d recommend taking an island-hopping tour if you want the most bang for your buck. Tours leave from several different cities in Croatia, including Dubrovnik and Split.
Kotor, Montenegro
Kotor is one of the most beautiful old cities you’ll find in the Balkans.
The views from the top of the Kotor Fortress alone should be enough to persuade anyone to take a day trip to Montenegro (not to mention all the other fun activities!). There are several tour companies that provide transportation to Kotor, but you can also drive yourself as a cheaper option.
Book a tour in Dubrovnik
Thanks for reading this Dubrovnik travel guide! The next (and final) post in my Balkans travel series will be a full Balkans road trip itinerary.
xoxo Niki
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