Ultimate Dubrovnik Travel Guide for first-time visitors

Dubrovnik is a magnificent historic city in Croatia, and this Dubrovnik travel guide is a must-read if you’re visiting for the first time!

I’ve been traveling with my husband around Europe and Asia for the last couple of years. After ages on my bucket list, I finally made it to Dubrovnik! I did hours of research before jumping into the car and driving to this medieval city.

We spent two days exploring the city, and I collected all the best tips and recommendations in this article.

Keep reading this Dubrovnik travel guide to start planning your trip.

Dubrovnik Travel Guide: Basic Info & Tips

– Currency: Euro

Croatia joins the Euro on 1 January 2023. This is good news for European travelers! Things are getting easier since you don’t have to exchange the currency anymore. If you’ve been to Croatia before and you have some Kuna, you can exchange it at any local bank in Croatia without any fee.

– Tap water is drinkable

No need to buy bottled water. The tap water in Dubrovnik is safe to drink. While walking in the old town, you can refill your water bottle from the fountains.

– Wake up early to beat the crowds

Dubrovnik is quite touristy, especially in the summer. After the success of Game of Thrones, the city has been flooded with tourists from all over the world. So set up that alarm early in the morning if you want to beat the crowds!

– The most expensive city in Croatia

I’ve been traveling to a few cities in Croatia and Dubrovnik is the most expensive city in this country. So, it’s not the perfect destination for budget travelers, but don’t worry, I’ve got some tips for you. You can still enjoy Dubrovnik without breaking your wallet. Keep reading!

– Language: Croatian

The official language is Croatian. But many people in shops or restaurants can speak English.

– Bring your water shoes

If going to the beach in Croatia is in your plan, you better pack those water shoes. There is no sandy beach in Croatia, it’s all pebble beaches everywhere.

Best time to visit Dubrovnik

July and August are the high season in Dubrovnik, which means the city would be flooded with tourists. As much as I love visiting in summer, I’m not comfortable with too many crowds. So if you’re like me, I would avoid visiting during these months.

If you still want to enjoy the beach, then May to June and September to October are the better options to visit. You can still go kayaking and hiking, and visiting museums will be more enjoyable.

If you’re a budget traveler who doesn’t care about going to the beach in Dubrovnik, you should visit in March. The weather might be cooler but the crowd is less and accommodation price is lower.

I visited with my husband in March and couldn’t be happier with our decision. We got lucky with the weather and could enjoy a coffee under the sun. My husband even got sunburn on his face!

Avoid November because it’s the rainiest month in Dubrovnik. And I would not go in January since it’s the coldest month.

How to get to Dubrovnik

– By Plane

Dubrovnik airport is the third busiest airport in Croatia. You can find connections to this airport from any major city in Europe. From the airport, you can either take a shuttle bus or a taxi. The shuttle bus leaves the airport every 30 minutes and it costs €7.5 one way.

– By Bus

You can reach Dubrovnik from around Europe by Flix Bus.

– By Car

We drove to Dubrovnik from Austria because we wanted to be more flexible. Gasoline in Croatia is much cheaper than in Austria or Italy, but we weren’t happy with the highway fee.

In Croatia, you have to pay a toll fee for every trip and it’s not cheap. The downside of coming by car is the parking lot. As with most of the big cities in Europe, it’s not easy to find a parking lot in Dubrovnik.

How to get around in Dubrovnik

If you’re traveling by car, leave your car in your hotel and take the bus to the old town. A parking lot would be a problem if you insist to drive to the old town. The shuttle bus system in Dubrovnik is convenient and we were happy with it. We paid €2 for 10 minute’s ride to the old town.

The other way to go around in Dubrovnik is by taxi. You can download the Bolt app to order a taxi. This app works like Uber, so no more fear of getting scammed by a taxi driver.

Bear in mind that no car is allowed inside the old town, so you would have to walk. There are some stairs going up and down the old town but it’s not unbearable.

Where to stay in Dubrovnik

There are plenty of accommodation options in Dubrovnik. You can book a room with booking.com or AirBnB. I prefer to book an apartment because it has kitchen facilities. It’s always good to have the option to cook on your own.

If you don’t bring a car, then you can opt to stay close to the old town, but it’s more costly. To save on budget, find a room or apartment in Lapad. The prices are lower but it’s only 10 minute’s drive to the old town.

Tips: if you drive a car to Dubrovnik, filter the rooms or hotels with a parking lot. If not, you’ll have difficulties finding one.

Here are a few budget apartments that I recommend in Dubrovnik:

– Ivan Apartment. It has a free public parking lot and only 10 minutes by bus to the old town.

– Summer Romance Apartment. A small apartment with a cute design. It has a private parking lot and is close to the marina.

Where to eat in Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik is the most expensive city in Croatia, so don’t be surprised when you go to restaurants. Even coffee here costs double than in other Croatian cities. If the high price is not your issue, there are plenty of charming restaurants in the old town.

But if you’re a budget traveler like me, here are a few tips:

– For lunch, many restaurants offer a lunch menu or sometimes called Marenda. Ask for this option for lunch if you still want to enjoy Croatian local food for an affordable price.

– Sandwich Bar Pile. Located right outside the old town entrance on Pile Gate, this sandwich bar is my favorite! For less than €4 you’ll get a big sandwich that will make you full. I bought 1 sandwich and it was enough to share with my husband!

– If you like pizza, you can go to Asterix & Obelix Pizzeria in Lapad. The pizza was good and the price is a bit lower than those in the old town area.

– For more info about where to eat in Dubrovnik, check Frank’s recommendation here.

Things to do and see in Dubrovnik

– Wander The Old Town

I’m a big fan of medieval towns and Dubrovnik was beyond my expectation. Forget Google Maps and wander around the streets in the old town. I promise you won’t get lost.

You might even find interesting things around the corner that Google didn’t tell you. I visited in March and found some streets that were empty! Perfect for taking pictures.

The main entrance to the old town is the Pile Gate entrance. The old town of Dubrovnik is big enough and quite convenient to walk around. We walked around the city for less than 2 hours. But I would easily spend 3 hours if I want to see every corner and enjoy the ancient feeling.

– Walk the City Walls

Everyone recommends taking the City Walls tour. Well, we didn’t do it since we wanted to tour the city on our own, and we were too greedy to pay €25 per person for the city wall tour. (You can’t go up to the city wall without paying the fee).

According to my research on Google, people spend 1 to 3 hours walking the Dubrovnik city walls. I believe the view is amazing from up there and if you’re willing to pay for the tour, it’s going to be worth it.

– Take the Cable Car

It costs €27 per person for a round trip and you’ll get to see the magnificent view of the whole city and the islands around. I have to be honest with you, we didn’t take the cable car. Our idea was to drive with our car to and visit the war history museum, but we canceled this plan because it was cloudy.

With that being said, take a look at the weather before you decide to go up there. It’s a pity if you end up looking at clouds only.

Check the schedule of Dubrovnik Cable Car here.

– Visit the Lovrijenac Fort

Exit the old town from the Pile Gate and find a small path to this fortress. According to history, the locals built this high fortress in just three months. They built it fast to beat the Venetians who were trying to invade the city. Unbelievable, isn’t it?

Enjoy the amazing view from Lovrijenac Fort even if you don’t want to go inside the fort. The entrance fee is €15 per person if you want to enter. We didn’t go in but still could enjoy the magnificent view of Dubrovnik city from outside of the fort.

– Take a ferry to Lokrum Island

Only 10 minutes from Dubrovnik old town, Lokrum island is a great way to escape the crowd. You can catch a ferry from the port in the old town and enjoy walking around its pine forest.

– Sailing and sea kayaking

Rent a kayak and explore the area during summer. You’ll get to see the city walls from a different angle, and find some hidden caves on the rocks! It’s a fun way to enjoy a summer in Dubrovnik.

– Visit museums

If you want to visit a lot of museums in Dubrovnik, you should buy the Dubrovnik Pass. With this pass, you can get free access to 12 museums and attractions in and around the city of Dubrovnik. The daily pass costs €35 and include:

– City Walls
– Cultural History Museum, Rector’s Palace
– Friars Minor Franciscan Monastery Museum
– Maritime Museum
– Ethnographic Museum
– Museum of Modern Art Dubrovnik
– Marin Držić House
– Dubrovnik Natural History Museum
– Dulčić Masle Pulitika Gallery
– Atelier Pulitika Studio
– Archaeological Exhibitions
– Bukovac House
– Konavle County Museum

– Enjoy the sunset at Cliff Bars

Sadly, I didn’t succeed to enjoy the sunset here because I came too early. The cliff bars called Buza bar only open in the late afternoon for 1 reason only: for watching the sunset. They have only bottled beers and drinks, and no toilet. The price is ridiculously high (I did my research on Google), but hey, you pay for the stunning sunset view.

– Dubrovnik Cathedral

You can’t miss this incredible architecture. It’s the main spot in the city, and I couldn’t stop staring at it. The Cathedral is built with Baroque architecture and it’s magnificent. You can enter the church to admire the interior but please be quiet and respect the people who go there to pray.

– Clock Tower

The clock tower in Luža Square was built in 1444 and it’s 31 meters high. It chimes at noon every day. The two bronze figures on the sides of the great bell up there are known as “Baro” and “Maro”.

– Church of St. Blaise

Located in the main area of the city, this church is another baroque church in Dubrovnik. A Venetian architect named Marino Gropelli built it at the beginning of the 1700s.

Payment & Tipping in Dubrovnik

You can pay in most restaurants by card, but some shops or smaller restaurants only accept cash. Tipping is normally about 10% and is not included in the bill. But, some upscale restaurants have the tip included in the bill, so you better check or ask first.

What’s next?

If you’re a fan of Game of Thrones, or just love to visit a small nice medieval town, check out Sibenik. I wrote a complete travel guide to visit Sibenik here!

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