How to Spend A Day in Dubrovnik, Croatia

Visitors and travel writers over the years aptly dubbed Duvrovnik, Croatia, as the “Pearl of the Adriatic.” We were here during a cruise stop and fell in love with it. Like Greece’s Santorini, it was one of those places, we would have gladly welcomed an extra few days or even a ship delay. Here is how to spend a day in Dubrovnik and make the the most of your time there.

History of Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik has a rich history. Its beginnings trace back to the 7th century when it served as a refuge for people fleeing barbarians. It was a major player in maritime trading for many years.

The city flourished as an independent republic known as Republic of Ragusa in the 15^th century after being part of the Byzantine empire and under Venetian rule. It became part of the Austro-Hungarian empire in the early 1800s and part of Croatia after World War I.

An earthquake in 1667 killed about 5,000 people and destroyed much of the city. Most of the Baroque buildings around the city was part of the vast reconstruction. Even after the Serbs attacked it in the early 1990s and it had to be renovated again, most of these beautiful buildings still stand proudly today.

Defensive stone walls and fortresses, built between the 14^th and 15^th centuries, surrounded the Old Town area. This enclosure has kept the Old Town area well preserved and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. We really liked that it was a pedestrian zone which makes it so much easier to walk around especially with kids.

Game of Thrones Tour

We are big fans of the super popular HBO TV show, Game of Thrones. The show frequently used Dubrovnik for its shooting locations.

It is the inspiration and a stand-in for one of the show’s most prominent fictional city, King’s Landing. Dubrovnik has become so entwined with the show that there are many tour operators offering Game of Thrones guided tours.

Of course, we couldn’t pass up going on this two-hour tour despite only being here for a day. The show is too risqué for kids but the tour was actually family-friendly.

Most of the tours doubled as a history and cultural tour along with showing some of the filming location sites. My kids actually enjoyed our walking tour around Old Town Dubrovnik despite barely knowing anything about the show.

West Harbor

We started our tour at the West Harbor right outside the city walls and the rounded Fort Bokar facing the sea. It was easy to see why this medieval city was used as film location. You can almost imagine this was how the locals relaxed by the sea centuries ago.

We admired these kayakers braving the Adriatic Sea’s waves. This was a popular area for kayak tours. There were even some excursions that went to nearby islands. We’ll have to try these out next time for sure.

St. Lawrence Fortress

One of our first stops was the St. Lawrence Fortress or Fort Lovrijenac which was located across the city walls. It was perched on a 121 ft (37 m) high sea cliff.

They built the fort to protect the western part of the city from land and sea invaders. Therefore, this 14th-century structure was also known as “Dubrovnik’s Gibraltar.”

There were a lot of steep stairs to get to the fortress. This tour isn’t for anyone with mobility issues.

As we walked up the stairs, we welcomed the chance to rest and admire the views of the Old Town. Did I mention it was also very hot and humid during our visit?

The fort had three terraces with very thick walls and was always ready to defend the city with its large cannons. Over the years, it has also served as a military base, meeting and hospitality place.

The Dubrovnik Summer Festival theater uses the upper courtyard and terraces for its stage productions especially Shakespeare’s Hamlet. You can see the open air seats here. Can you imagine the ambience and breeze sitting here while watching a show?

The top area of the fort really offered the best views of the Old Town and its surrounding areas. We stayed here for awhile taking in the panorama and took too many pictures from different angles. Dubrovnik was a really picturesque city with remarkable architecture but this view was just breathtaking.

Walking the Old Town

I am a big fan of European old towns. Dubrovnik was one of the most charming ones we’ve visited.

The Old City is where most visitors gather and sightsee. So, it gets very crowded, especially during the summer when several cruise ships were in port.

There were three entrances into the old city. Like many of the cruise ship passengers who got dropped off at the nearby area, we entered through the main entrance, the Pile City Gate. It almost felt magical as we crossed the moat and stone bridge between the arches.

The Old City is an enclosed, pedestrianized area and best seen on foot. Its widest and main street is Stradun which was about 984 ft (300 m) long that greeted us as soon we passed the walls. It was paved with limestone and surrounded by well-preserved buildings.

Many cafes, galleries, stores and gift shops lined Stradun as it connected the two main gates of Ploce and Pile. I really loved that the restaurant and storefront names were on lamp shades. I could have spent hours just exploring the stores here.

One of the first things we saw upon entering was the large Onofrio Fountain. This was a popular meeting place and also featured in a Star Wars film. Since it was a very hot summer day, it was also a great spot for some refreshing water.

Wandering the Old Town streets

Our tour took us through some alleys to get to some filming location sites. After our tour, we also wandered around and got lost on the maze of narrow streets to get away from the crowds. We found stairways that led to unique stores and charming homes.

Somehow, we always find ourselves drawn to churches. After the earthquake destroyed the original one, the city rebuilt the Dubrovnik Cathedral or the Cathedral of Annunciation of St. Mary in the early 1700s.

It is a Roman-Baroque style with a dome and three naves. Its treasury is rich with many treasures, paintings and relics including some from Dubrovnik’s patron saint, St. Blasius.

Don’t miss the nearby Rector’s Palace and its beautiful architecture. This was once the home of the rector (think mayor).

In addition to being a seat of power, it also had a prison. This palace now houses a cultural history museum with period furniture between the 15^th and 19^th centuries. Its atrium hosts concerts due to its acoustic capabilities.

These Jesuit stairs may look just like any regular steps. But, if you’re a Game of Thrones fan, this was the site of the infamous Walk of Shame.

A nearby bar even had a cocktail with the same name. It was a popular stop and you can tell who the TV fans were right away.

Our tour ended at a small store selling various Game of Thrones merchandise. Though, the biggest draw was the chance to sit on the coveted Iron Throne. This is a highlight for any Game of Thrones fan.

Eating in the Old Town and the Old Port

There were many restaurants around the Old town. We wanted to get away from the main crowds and found an alley with some restaurants.

The fresh seafood was a big part of our memorable and delicious meal. Prices were also quite reasonable for being such a touristy area.

We spent the rest of our day walking around the Old Town and wandered into the Old Port or City Harbour. There were many small boats docked here and where water taxis took visitors to nearby islands. It’s a peaceful area that shouldn’t be missed.

Things to do in Dubrovnik Next Time

While we packed quite a bit of sightseeing during our day in Dubrovnik, this was definitely a city we would return to in a heartbeat. Therefore, we’ll probably try to avoid the summertime due to heat and crowds. But, these activities will be what we will be doing and what you can do if you’re here for a longer period.

Walk the Walls

The ancient city walls that surrounded Dubrovnik are (2,121 yards) 1,940 m long. Visitors can walk all around the old town area using the walls.

It usually takes a couple of hours to encircle it. It’s a wonderful way to get a different perspective of the sea and city and see its red roofs and narrow alleys.

The walls were one of the few structures that survived the 1667 earthquake. It’s a major testament to its solid construction. Walking the walls can be done independently or through many guided tours offered. Tickets are sold near the Pile gate.

While walking the wall, go to Old Town’s highest point, the round Minceta Fortress. The city walls are open everyday except Christmas Day.

Ride the cable car

It was hard to miss the cable cars making their way to the mountaintop from the Old Town area. We debated about riding it but opted to spend more time roaming the streets and shops instead. It takes three minutes for each cable car carrying about 30 people to Mount Srd for surely some fantastic panoramic views.

Visit the outer islands

One of the most popular day trips is to visit one or a few of the islands near Dubrovnik. This would be at the top of my wish list on the return trip. Lokrum, Lopud, Mijet, Korcula and Sipan each offers something unique and within an hour boat or ferry ride.

Lokrum islet is easily accessible from the Old Harbour via regular taxi-boats. While it may only be a 15-minute ride, Lokrum is an oasis full of various trees and rocky shores plus a botanical garden.

There’s also an abandoned 11^th century Benedictine monastery and a villa here. The island’s only residents are the peacocks roaming around.

*Check out these tours while visiting Dubrovnik!

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