Quick Top 5 Guide to things to do in Dubrovnik

The spectacular city of Dubrovnik - nicknamed the Pearl of the Adriatic Sea and established in the oh-not-so-distant seventh century, is home to a sea port of azure-blue waters, happy friendly locals and Croatian wine not to be missed. Since Dubrovnik juts into the sea and is surrounded by thick medieval walls, it provides the perfect haven of traffic-less and cobblestoned Old Town to satisfy the history buff while pristine beaches and clear waters thrill the sun seeker. Oh and did I mention that it’s the location for filming the King’s Landing scenes in Game of Thrones? (here's a link to a self-guided tour so you can check out the spots yourself).

While you're visiting this part of Croatia, we recommend the necessary things to do in Dubrovnik to get the most out of your visit plus some restaurant and bar recommendations for the foodie and socialite!

Top 5 Things to Do: 

1. Drink Croatia’s wines - They are DELICIOUS:

• Croatian wines are named strictly according to their regions, like in France, of which there are about 300 - mainly white varieties produced in the interior and red harvested from the coastal regions. 
• Keep an eye out for the following on restaurant menus or when you're stocking up to bring home: 
  1. The vineyards of the Konavle region (SW of Dubrovnik) produce gorgeous Merlots, Cabernet Sauvignons and the famous Plavec varieties, as well as Kadarun, a light and fruity rosé. 
  2. Krk Island's region of Vrbnik produce Zlahtina
  3. Cabernet from Porec
  4. Sauvignon, Merlot and Terrano from Buzet
  5. Malmsy from Dubrovnik
  6. Posip and Grg from Korcula
  7. Vugava from Vis

2. Head to the beach:

• Sveti Jakov Beach - For a less crowded option, since it’s a bit more difficult to get to (think a half-hour bus ride from town and 150 steps to climb down!), but with full shower and bathroom facilities, it’s worth the trek. Head down the coast past the Villa Dubrovnik and you'll find yourself on a 20-minute walk along quiet, tree-lined Vlaha Bukovca. Buses Nos.5 and 8 run most of the way from north of the Old Town to the part shingle, part pebble beach. A picnic is always fun but you won't go hungry or thirsty as you'll find a bar and restaurant by the beach for refreshments.
• Banje Beach - a short walk from Ploce Gate is a pebble beach with clear, azure waters. Lay here all day on the sunbeds and stay to party into the night with the beachside bars, keeping an eye out for nearby celebrities who like to stay in the area. Note that this is a beach linked to many hotels so it’s a definite upscale tourist destination as opposed to a local’s.
• Lapad Beach (west of which is naturist beach) - the peninsula that stretches out into the Adriatic Sea holds so much surface area of beach potential with a calm, stretch of water in the bay within. With beachside coffee bars and restaurants, you can spend a day soaking up the sun and atmosphere or take a local kayak out along the coast (see below for companies renting them out).  

3. Get off the land and into the water -  When the city gets crowded with cruise ship dumps (see more on that below), you'll want to escape the mass of people and hit the water:

• Kayaking - head out to explore all the hidden coves and secret bays Dubrovnik has to offer. You won't get closer than on a kayak.
  • For organised tours with the kayak rental, Adriatic Kayak Tours will not only take you out on the water but arrange your route to a village lunch, wine and cheese tasting or other activities.
  • For the more independent traveller, the following tour groups rent out kayaks, give you some tips on where to go and send you on your adventurous way!
  • Companies such as Adventurecavtat and Outdoor Croatia are great also but require a more experienced and qualified kayaker and rescuer.
• Half or full day boat trip - Boat rentals are available during the peak season (April to November) for couples or friends looking to spend the day on the water, no experience or driving licence required.
  • Adventure Dubrovnik offers various rental options according to your needs (including kayaks), letting you decide how you'd like to spend your day on the water.
  • Gari Transfer boat rentals offer half- and full-day boat rentals with plenty time to explore the Elaphiti Islands, find a spot to stop for lunch, relax in the sunshine and then experience the sun setting over the water (a must while you're in Dubrovnik).
• The island of Lokrum, now a Nature Preserve, is an easy, 15-minute boat ride away for even more sunbathing, swimming and escaping the city noise (note the shore is rocky). There's a small salt-water lake that's perfect for kids and a naturist beach to the east beyond the jetty. You'll also find a Benedictine Monastery which was founded in the 11th century with beautiful botanical gardens. The French built a fort in 1806 on the top of the island which you can walk to and drink in the views - bring a camera! 

4. Stroll the old walls of the city - Get a feel for the city early on in your trip by popping up here simply for the views from the top, and at 2km around it takes about an hour to walk. Some parts date back to the tenth century, with most construction taking place in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Big backpacks aren't allowed as some parts of the wall are a tight fit so just come up in comfortable shoes, be aware of the hot sun and simply a camera to capture the spectacular sights. Look out at the (almost) uniform grid plan which was instilled as early as the 1270s and upon rebuilding the city after the 1667 earthquake, when the city was almost entirely destroyed, things were rationalised even further. 

5. Gunduliceva Poljana Market (Gundulićeva poljana) - This food and souvenir market has been open since 1892, inside the old city by the Rector’s Palace and Cathedral. Head here (early!) for fresh fruit, veggies and bring home jars of local specialities like honey, olives and oils (Croatian oil is SO GOOD). My souvenir of choice would be some handmade table linen, reminding me of my trip every time we dined. If you're planning to cook on your trip, keep an eye out for seasonal produce like tomatoes, courgettes, peaches and melons in the summer. And for the more daring, pick up a plastic bottle of Rakija, a locally homemade, and very potent, liquor. 

Some additional tips for your visit:​

• Dubrovnik gets very crowded with cruise ship arrivals especially from May to October so we recommend avoiding the city centre at those morning hours and its packed crowds of wandering tourists - here’s a link to the cruise ship schedule in order to avoid the busiest times. Luckily, the tourists tend to move on in the early afternoon and on even the busiest days, it's much quieter by 3pm. Note that the link is in Croatian showing the 12 months of the year but the schedule itself is in English.
• Keep an eye out for the famous open-air theatre and performances that are an essential part of Dubrovnik's summer evenings.
• Something I never fail to do in a holiday location: grab an icecream to accompany your stroll. You’ll see plenty of ‘slasticarnas’ (ice-cream shops) dotted around Dubrovnik and there’s an excellent one in particular in the square just next to the Poklisar restaurant.
• Looking for something to bring back to friends and family or just to remind you of your trip to Dubrovnik? Head to the steeply inclined Svetog Dominika, heading towards the Ploce Gate and you’ll find the Dubrovacka kuca shop. Find actually local, handmade ceramics and glassware, or locally produced products such as wines, olive oils and sweets. We always leave room in our luggage for gifts to bring home or a useful memento to keep forever.
• Carry cash when you can as while some bars and restaurants accept card, you can be sure to be stuck with the annoying odd one that doesn’t.
• Near the Pile Gate at Stradun’s west end, lies the Franciscan monastery which is home to the oldest working pharmacy in Europe - we’re talking 14th century beginnings here! Note that it's not even THE oldest working pharmacy in the world - there are two older establishments still in working order, with the Santa Maria Novella Pharmacy, originating in the year 1221 in Florence. 

Eating in Dubrovnik is a treat for the senses - and we’re really hoping you like fish and seafood because you won’t run out of those options! Keep an eye out for fresh seashells such as the oysters from nearby Ston, octopus salad, squid ink risotto, and a great pasta called Sporki makuruli (tubular pasta with a goulash sauce) and most definitely make time to visit our favourite eating spots: 
​

Top 5 Restaurants:

1. Nishta - Vegetarian restaurant offering veggie, vegan and gluten-free dishes. Here you’ll find anything from salads to soups, samosas, falafels and veggie burgers which draw their inspiration from worldwide cuisines like Mexican, Chinese and Indian. (Prijeko bb, Dubrovnik)
2. Nautika - This is where you should come for that one exquisite (and expensive) meal in Dubrovnik, located just outside Pile Gate. Freshest of the fresh seafood dishes are created by supremely talented chefs served by professional staff on two panoramic terraces. We recommend going for shellfish from the local islands (ask for a recommendation) and a cream of scampi soup with black truffles. (Brsalje ul. 3, Dubrovnik)
3. Proto - a local favourite in the Old Town (actually related to Nautika), this upscale restaurant in business since 1886 has the perfect outdoor terrace for partaking in excellent dining with attentive service. Of course the fish is recommended but meat and vegetarian dishes are also an option, such as the stuffed baked eggplant smothered in melty cheese. (Široka ul. 1, Dubrovnik)
4. Sushi and Oyster Bar Bota - with another terrace near the Cathedral to let you enjoy the weather and atmosphere of this cool city, this spot is a family-run restaurant that started in Ston (which is famous for its oyster and seashell farms) and has spread throughout Croatia. The freshest seafood imaginable, there are raw and fried oysters, sushi, spring rolls and some local Croatian specialties such as prosciutto and carpacchio. (Ul. od Pustijerne, Dubrovnik)
5. Gusta Me - another spot to sample those Croatian wines, while digging into a steak, another fish dish or maybe even one of their wok options. You can get it all here from breakfast through dinner! (Hvarska ul. 2, Dubrovnik)

For dessert in any traditional location, make sure to try a slice of Dubrovnik Rozata - a flan-type dessert made with Dubrovnik Liqueur Rozalin (a rose liqueur), which gives the cake its special aroma.

Wait til you witness the nightlife of Dubrovnik - you'll see the happy locals out for dinner and wine, excited tourists celebrating a weekend away and generally a friendly crowd of people who know they're going to enjoy a night of imbibing and socialising. The section called Lapad Peninsula is busy all year round, even throughout the winter while many bars and restaurants close down in the Old Town outside of the high season. 

Top 5 Bars:

1. Cafe Buza (Crijevićeva ul. 9) - catch the spectacular sunset but get here early to get a seat. It’s popular amongst tourists but you’ll quickly see why: with a unique and jaw-droppingly dramatic setting, spend a little more here on the drinks to treat yourselves to that view.
2. D’vino’s Wine Bar (Palmotićeva ul. 4A) for the taste of 100 varieties of Croatian wine; close to Old Town’s main street of Stradun; make sure to try varieties to try: Grgić Plavac Mali and Zlatan Plavac. Enjoying small bites with your wine while you sit outside watching the world go by, I can’t think of anything nicer.
3. Casablanca Bar (Zamanjina ul. 7) for cocktails! And trendy seating for a fun, upscale night out with friends.
4. Club Lazareti (Ul. Vrata od Ploča) - dancing, DJ’s spinning, live performances - this place has it all for a late night on the town
5. Troubadour Hard Jazz Cafe (Bunićeva poljana 2) - for live performances and musicians each night, you’ll want to chill out in the outdoor seats all evening. Makes for an enjoyable and lively night out.

​Enjoy your trip to Dubrovnik and don't forget to mention in the comments if you discover any more places to recommend to others travelling there! 

As usual, thank you to other travel bloggers, local experts, Twitter chats and more for contributing to our content:  
timeout.com
croatiatraveller.com
chasingthedonkey.com
roughguides.com
inyourpocket.com

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