Top 5 things to do in Dubrovnik, Croatia

I went to Croatia last summer and was in awe of the city. It was very different as it offered the natural beauty in terms of magnificent beaches and the grand historic city walls. Dubrovnik is a Unesco world heritage site and on the shore of the Adriatic sea.

Without much ado here is my list of top 7 things to do in Dubrovnik.

1. The great city walls – The Walls of Dubrovnik are a series of defensive stone walls surrounding the city of Dubrovnik in southern Croatia. With numerous additions and modifications throughout their history, they have been considered to be amongst the great fortification systems of the Middle Ages, as they were never breached by a hostile army during this time period.

It lives up the hype in every way imaginable. The city walls offer phenomenal views of the Old Town and the Adriatic and any trip to Dubrovnik would be incomplete without a visit here.

The city walls in Dubrovnik are well preserved and it takes about 1.5 hours to complete to walk around the city walls. The views are amazing and you can see the charming old town, the blue Adriatic sea and the nearby island. As you walk you get a feel of how it would have been in the 16th century.

During its Golden Age in the 16th century, it had one of the largest merchant naval fleets in the world, with consulates in more than 50 foreign ports. Brave sailors, hard-bargaining merchants and shrewd diplomats, the people of Dubrovnik became extremely rich, leading sophisticated lifestyles and valuing refinement and the arts. cost: around 20 Euros

Time taken: 2 – 3 hours

Top tips: Wear comfortable shoes as the path is cobbled and may have some climbs up and down.

Time to visit: Afternoons is a better time as the cruise ships are returning and there is less crowd

Site: https://www.wallsofdubrovnik.com/info-ticket-prices-working-hours/

2. Lokrum Island:

Lokrum is conveniently located on short ferry ride from Dubrovnik Old Town, so day trips to island are very popular among locals as well as among the visitors to Dubrovnik.

Additionally, spending a day or just a half day there can be really refreshing experience, as the island has plenty of pine, cypress and olive trees as well as some other subtropical vegetation which offers tranquillity and shade especially during the hot summer days.

Since it was summer the prime activity was to swim in the sea and rest in the shade however there is a beautiful botanical garden with plenty of vegetation varieties. Also check ruins of Benedictine Monastery that was built there in medieval times.

How to get to the island: Its easy to get to Lokrum – just take one of the boats leaving half-hourly in summer (less often in the rest of the year) from Porporela – the Dubrovnik’s Old Port.

Cost of ferry: around 5 Euros

time taken: 15 mins

Site and ferry times: https://www.croatiaferries.com/lokrum-island-ferries.htm

3. Game of Thrones walking tour: The Game of Thrones tour was a fun adventure for fans and non-fans alike. For non-fans, the tour’s full of historical talking points. For fans, it’s a thrill. See the Red Keep; it’s a short climb, but not difficult, and the views of Dubrovnik are rewarding and delightful.

Walk the Walk of Shame, you’ll be glad you did. A lot of the shots from the kings landing are from here and the guide shares a lot of interesting tales about the Targaryens, Baratheons and Starks.

Time taken: 3 hours

Cost: depends on the tour company – 30 Euros

4. Cable car ride: I love taking bird eye shots of any place I visit and it is very easy when it comes to Dubrovnik. The best views of Dubrovnik and the surrounding area are, without doubt, experienced from the top of the Srd Hill.

The cable car takes both ways to and fro to the hill. it gives a 360 degree view of the walls, the ferries look like little pieces stuck in water and the far away fountains look breathtakingly beautiful.

 

Time taken: 15 mins ride one way

Cost: around 20 Euros

Site: http://www.dubrovnikcablecar.com/

Top tips: Visit around dusk to get best sunset shots and night shots as well

5. Elaphiti islands: The Elaphiti Islands or the Elaphites is a small archipelago consisting of several islands stretching northwest of Dubrovnik, in the Adriatic sea. It stretches around 30 kms and has a population of 850 people.

The beaches of the island are beautiful and offers pristine scenery. The three islands that form the Elaphites are Kolocep, Lopud and Sipan. It is also popular for kayaking and snokerling in summer.

Cost of ferry: around 5 Euros

time taken: 15 mins

Site and ferry times: https://www.croatiaferries.com/lokrum-island-ferries.htm

Top tip: do all three island as a day trip

This list is not exhaustive and offers plenty of other activities, water sports and photography options in and around the city. Croatian local wine is worth a try and the place is known for awesome seafood delicacies.