The Best Places to Visit in Dubrovnik!

“Those who seek paradise on Earth should come to Dubrovnik” – George Bernard Shaw

Undoubtedly, Dubrovnik is both beautiful and full of history! Furthermore, in 1979, the city joined the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites. Indeed, Dubrovnik is perfect for a relaxing break. However, it has plenty of day trips, history, and islands to keep you busy too. It’s quite a romantic city, thus, not a city one would tend to visit for a week of partying! Also, Game of Thrones fans will recognize many sights around the city! I was surprised to discover that these sights were just as majestic in real life versus the show! For more information on GOT tours, etc., check out this GOT website.

Because there was so much to do in Dubrovnik, I have split this into several posts (this post focuses on Dubrovnik city). The following will focus on short trips we took while staying in Dubrovnik (Bosnia & Herzegovina, and The Best Croatian Islands to visit – including Elaphiti Islands, Lokrum Island, and Hvar island).

Where We Stayed

We were lucky and found a great deal on booking.com for Apartment Carmen and Tosca. The apartment was lovely. Also, it had a nice outdoor area to relax in too. The host was very friendly….and had a cute dog! ? Indeed, it was conveniently located only a few minutes walk from the Old Town area (the city center). Nevertheless, there were a lot of steps up to the apartment! However, a lot of the area surrounding the Old Town is at the foot of the mountains. Thus, it is not unusual for hills and steps!

The following sections are included in this post (click to navigate directly to the section):

• 1. Old Town
• 2. Bars
• 3. Dining & Sweets
• 4. Fort Lovrijenac
• 5. Surrounding the Old Town
• 6. Ancient City Walls Walk
• 7. Cable Car & Panorama Restaurant
• 8. Port Gruz

1. OLD TOWN

The Old Town is the center of Dubrovnik. Therefore, it is where most tourists flock! It’s surrounded and protected by impressive walls and forts. Though modified throughout time, the walls have been considered among the great fortification systems of the Middle Ages! With the Old Towns’ multitude of pretty pedestrianized streets, I can imagine how crowded it can get during peak season. We visited in mid-September (when peak season had just ended). However, it was still difficult to navigate through the crowds in the Old Town area at times.

Inside the Walls

The main entrance to the Old Town is at Pile City Gate. After walking through the gate, the beautiful medieval buildings and romantic paved streets greeted us. I almost felt like I had been taken back in time! Unquestionably, everywhere you walk in the old town, you will find impressive medieval architecture and a city rich in history. The Old Town was wonderfully restored in the 1990s / early 2000s – this restoration was following much damage from shelling following the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991.

The beautiful Large Onofrio’s Fountain (built-in 1438) is immediately on your right after entering through Pile gate. The main street, Stradun Street, then lies ahead of you. It leads your eye line towards the magnificent Clock Tower standing tall at the end of the street. Also, Sponza Palace is next to the Clock Tower at Luža Square. Orlando’s Column stands in the center of this square with Rector’s Palace close by it too (there is a fee to Rector’s Palace). However, if you walk up to the entrance door of the Palace, you can peep inside for a glimpse! Also, fans of Game Of Thrones may recognize this area of the Palace! Additionally, Dominican Monastery is not too far from the Clock Tower. It is another magnificent building and a popular spot to visit.

Monastery, Churches, Cathedral

Undoubtedly, there are many beautiful Churches and Cathedrals found in The Old Town. However, one of the most popular is the Baroque style Church of Saint Blaise (named after Saint Blaise, honoured as the patron saint of Dubrovnik). This church is at Luža Square (the end of Stradun Street).

Also located close by Luža Square is the impressive Dubrovnik Cathedral (Assumption Cathedral). Certainly, this is a beautiful Baroque building whose dome-shaped rooftop is a prominent feature of the Old Town skyline. Also, a mere two blocks from Stradun is another restored church, the Church of Holy Annunciation. It is a Serbian Orthodox Church and is also free to enter. Additionally, it has an extensive library on the church premises though the church is not too big. While wandering the Old Town, you are also likely to see the statuesque Church of Saint Ignatius. This Church is close to Gundulic Square and is also of the Baroque style. Also, the church Belfry houses the oldest bell in Dubrovnik – it was cast in 1355 by Viventius and his son Viator.

Franciscan Church, Monastery, and Pharmacy

The Franciscan Church, Monastery, and Pharmacy is another popular tourist spot. It is located just after entering Pile Gate (on Stradun Street). The Church was founded in 1317 as an in-house pharmacy for Franciscan friars. Also, here you will see some historical pharmaceutical tools, containers, and grinders. The pharmacy is considered the oldest in Europe and is still used as a working chemist for locals. I found that there was not too much to see here. However, the courtyard was quite pretty, and considering the small entry fee (the church is free), it provided a nice relaxing resting place from the crowds outside.

2. BARS

Buza Bar

I had so many recommendations for this bar! Check out the Buza Bar website for more info. It is not too far from the Church of Saint Ignatius. Nevertheless, we almost missed the bar as it is somewhat hidden – we had to walk out through the Old Town walls to the side of a cliff to find it! Here, it trickles along with several levels of the cliff over the ocean; you may see people jumping into the ocean and sunbathing on the rocks by the bar. Even though peak season was over, it was still pretty crowded at the bar. Therefore, I can imagine the difficulty of getting seats here during peak season! The ocean view is spectacular. Undoubtedly, you could enjoy sipping a drink here while watching the sunset over the sea and Lokrum Island!

Other Bars

One of my favorite bars was the Hard Jazz Caffe. It is not too far from Rector’s Palace and the Old Market. Here, you can sit outside in the warm evening air and enjoy a cocktail while listening to some live jazz. The nightlife was pretty quiet around the Old Town. However, one bar which we always found to have a good atmosphere, many people, and live music was the Irish bar The Gaffe. A cool and colorful bar located just a few minutes walk from The Old Town is the Art Cafe. It’s a nice bar for a drink during the day too.

We didn’t go clubbing. Nevertheless, we were informed (by several locals) that two of the only clubs to visit were Culture Club Revelin and, Skybar (both located just by the Old Town area). Club Revelin seems to be the more popular spot!

3. DINING & SWEETS

There’s a large selection of restaurants located in the Old Town. Nevertheless, prices can vary though many serve similar dishes. However, as many of them are close by each other, it is easy to wander around and price them first. Their menus tend to have a lot of meat, fish, and Italian-influenced dishes (such as risotto, pasta, and pizza). Indeed, if you like to eat fish, a simple fish restaurant with beautiful views over the Old Port is Lokanda Peskarija. We had a glass of wine here. It was such a relaxing place to sit and watch the boats dock!

Another fantastic spot for a glass of wine is Bistro Revelin. We liked it so much we returned the following day! Additionally, it has beautiful views overlooking the Port. The wine was great too! Also, one of the pizzerias we ate in was Pizzeria Castro (located close to the famous Spanish Steps). Their pizza was lovely. Furthermore, its location is very central.

There are loads of good ice cream stands around the Old Town too. Also, we couldn’t resist visiting a Captain Candy sweet store as we kept seeing them scattered around the city! They have a large selection of candy for any sweet lover.

Vegetarian Food

Vegetarian food was quite difficult to come by. However, the staff in a restaurant recommended we visit Nishta (a vegan restaurant). It was located up quite a few steps, off the main street, and on a narrow side street. Unfortunately, the restaurant was closed the following evening! However, the staff kindly squashed us in even though they were booked out! It had a lovely fresh menu and made a nice change from all of the risotto and pizza I had been eating! The restaurant was busy and a bit cramped inside. Nonetheless, the staff had been kind enough to fit us in, therefore we didn’t mind. FYI – many restaurants around the Old Town center have shared seating areas.

4. FORT LOVRIJENAC

Just outside the western wall of the Old Town, upon a 37-meter high sheer rock overlooking the sea, you will find the impressive Fort Lovrijenac (known as “Dubrovnik’s Gibraltar”). There are many steps (roughly 200) up to the Fortress. However, the climb is worth the view!

From the Fort, you can see the outline of the walls surrounding the Old Town. Also, the beautiful color of the Adriatic ocean lying below you. You can walk up to the Fortress for free. However, there is a cost to entering beyond the Fortress. If doing the city Wall Walk (more to follow on this below), it is better to pay for it because Fort Lovrijenac is included under that ticket. Also, this is another location that Game of Throne fans will recognize!

5. SURROUNDING THE OLD TOWN

Pile Square

Sitting just by Pile Square (close to the Pile Gate entrance to the Old Town) is the colorful Hilton Imperial Hotel. It’s in a great location and a fabulous hotel if you are willing to treat yourself and splash out on accommodation. Another lovely building just beside the Imperial is One and Only Restaurant (Update 2022 – restaurant now closed). It has a nice terrace area overlooking the ancient walls of the city. Pile square is the meeting place for many tours.

Old Harbour & Ploce Gate

At the end of Stradun Street, you can walk through the walls to the Harbour. As mentioned earlier, this is a lovely area to wander and relax by the sea with a glass of wine while watching the boats dock. You can catch a boat to Lokrum island (see more on this in my next post) from the Port during the high season. It only takes about 15 minutes to reach the island by boat. The fare is roughly €20; departure times are frequent too (about every half hour). There are plenty of places to have food and drink along the Harbour. The Fort of St. Ivana is at the old Harbour, you can walk down by it and along Porporela pier to the lighthouse enjoying the views of the sea along the way. Dubrovnik Aquarium is situated just by here too.

Not too far from the Harbour, you can exit through the Eastern town walls at Ploce Gate (at the end of Stradun street). From here, you can walk along the beautiful Ploce bridge. This decorative bridge is another popular spot for taking photos as it provides a great viewing point back down over the Harbour. Another Fortress, The Revelin Fortress, is also located just by the bridge. After walking Ploce Bridge, you will find Bistro Revelin. This was one of my favorite places to stop for a cool glass of wine and enjoy the beautiful views over the Port. Thankfully, both of our visits here were seated by the edge. Thus, providing stunning views!

Banje Beach/Museum of Modern Art

Not too much further from here, you will find Banje Beach. It is not a sand beach as it contains many pebbles. However, most beach areas in Dubrovnik have pebbles. Banje beach is one of the only beaches found near the city center. Because it is small, it can get busy here! Banje Beach Restaurant is by here too. You can thus enjoy a drink by the beach. Only another 5-minute walk from Banje Beach is where you will find The Museum of Modern Art. I’m a huge art lover. However, I was a little disappointed with my visit here. There were few paintings on display. Also, I was not a big fan of the ‘Oceans’ exhibition that was running when we visited.

6. ANCIENT CITY WALLS WALK

The ancient city walls walk tour takes about two hours to complete (though there is an exit about halfway around it too). It is an absolute must while in Dubrovnik! This tour allows you to walk the perimeter of the Old Town, reaching up to 25 meters (80 feet) in height, with some spectacular views of the city from many angles above the city skyline. However, a certain level of health/fitness is needed due to the number of steps to climb! 

Also, there are some tight areas to walk. Therefore, those with a fear of heights may not love these sections! However, push on through these sections because the views are worth it! Undoubtedly, it is worth the fee (which includes entry to Fort Lovrijenac). There are fantastic views of the colorful terracotta rooftops, the beautiful architecture, the sea, Lokrum island, and the forts throughout the walk.

I was glad that we had started the walk quite early in the morning as it became rather crowded as the day progressed. I would recommend a sunhat during the Summer! It can get hot at this height with no shade to protect you at many sections along the walk. We spotted a poor older man suffering quite badly from the heat and trying to manage the steps back down. ☹

7. CABLE CAR & PANORAMA RESTAURANT

The cable car ride up Srđ mountain is another must-see! From here there are breathtaking views of the city. Also, history buffs can visit the Museum Dubrovnik in Homeland War. This museum is at the top of the mountain too. Unfortunately, it was a bit cloudy the evening we were here. However, the views were still spectacular! From the mountain top, you can observe how the forts and walls surround the Old Town. The distinctive terracotta colors of Dubrovnik are perfectly seen throughout the city from here.

If you are hoping to dine at the Panorama Restaurant (at the top of the mountain by the cable car stop), I advise pre-booking. Unquestionably, this is an extremely popular restaurant. We pre-booked and requested a table along the edge for the best views over the city. Thankfully the staff was able to accommodate this for us! The restaurant was not too expensive considering its location and popularity. However, the vegetarian option was very disappointing. ☹

Vegetarian Option/Staff

Unfortunately, there were no main vegetarian dishes here! Furthermore, the staff refused to prepare the Risotto starter as a main dish! I did not understand this because it was already on the menu! Thus, I had to order two starters instead of a main. However, except for this, the staff were lovely. It was such a nice relaxing meal, with beautiful scenery, to dine in. Moreover, the staff did not rush us to leave once we had finished our meal. Therefore, we could sit for a while enjoying our glass of wine and watching the sunset over the city.

Outside Bar Area

There is also an outside bar area in the restaurant. We had a cocktail here and enjoyed the beautiful views while waiting for our table. The bar area did start to get a bit crowded close to sunset. Thus, it is advisable to arrive early if you wish to stay in the bar area for the evening and have a good viewing point.

8. PORT GRUZ

Gruz is the main Port for travel in Dubrovnik. It’s roughly 2km from the Old Town area. Here is where the large cruise ships and ferries dock. Therefore, you can catch a boat/ferry to, for example, the Elaphiti Islands, Mlje, Hvar, and Split from here. There is not much else to see in this area except the impressive Franjo Tuđman Bridge. We had a great view of this bridge during our Elaphiti Island boat tour. We took this boat tour from Gruz Port. After buying our ferry tickets, we found a nice café (Bon Appetit Bistro) that had live jazz musicians playing. It’s a nice cafe to sit back and relax if waiting for your boat/ferry.

Anywhere else to visit that I have not included? Please comment below! Thanks for reading!

Anita

xx