36 Hours in Dubrovnik, Croatia

I recently returned from an INCREDIBLE 12 day trip through Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Prior to our trip, our list of all the beautiful cities we wanted to visit was incredibly long and we had a hard time narrowing things down. We decided to pack as much as we could into the 12 day itinerary. Due to the amount of places we planned to go, we didn't spend very much time staying in one place. Our first stop of the trip was in Dubrovnik, Croatia. We ended up spending about 36 hours in Dubrovnik from the time we got to the city after our flight landed, to the time we left on a bus to Mostar. Here's a glimpse at our 36 hours in Dubrovnik, with some tips about what I would do different next time. Hope you enjoy!

If you just want the quick version with tips and a list of things to do, click here to scroll to the bottom!

We arrived at the Dubrovnik airport on Monday September 3rd around 5:30pm. From here we boarded a bus with other fellow travelers and made our way to the old town of Dubrovnik. We stopped in at the information center at Pile Gate to pick up our Dubrovnik Cards that we had paid for ahead of time. The Dubrovnik Cards cost about $27 per person but include free entrance to walk the City Walls, and included a 24 hour bus ticket. The card also offered free entrance to a few museums and discounted prices at some restaurants and shops. The price evens out pretty well for the cost of the walk around the city walls and the bus ticket, and if you plan on visiting museums, eating at any of the restaurants or going shopping you end up saving some money. It was very simple to purchase ahead of time and pick up once you arrive in the city.

With our Dubrovnik Card and bus ticket in hand, we boarded the #6 bus to Babin Kuk where our AirBNB was located.

We got settled in our AirBNB and freshened up before walking around the town. We mostly spent the first night in Dubrovnik just wandering around the Babin Kuk area. We found a nice restaurant with great staff and delicious food, and it was a perfect way to start off our trip. We wandered around and ended up journeying around the waterfront on our way back home at the end of the night. There were tons of areas where steps lead down to where the rocks met the water, and there were ladders into the water for those who want to swim. After a long 24 hours or so of traveling, we retired relatively early so we could get sleep before our long day of walking the following day.

Day two of our trip was spent wandering the historic city of Dubrovnik. We got an early start to make sure we got to the City Walls around the time they opened. After reading many other travel blogs prior to the trip, we discovered that the best time to walk the City Walls is usually in the morning right when it opens because it isn't quite as hot outside. As we walked the city walls we were in full sun most of the time. We were happy to have started early because we beat some of the crowds, and didn't bake as much as we would have later in the day. Don't get me wrong though, we were definitely sweating the whole time. In fact, we were pretty much sweating the entire 12 days in Croatia. If you look closely in some of

our pictures from this second day, you can see the sweat marks on our shirts from when we carried my backpack full of camera equipment. Lucky for us, there were multiple restaurants along the city walls walk that served ice cold drinks and gelato! We took advantage of this by finding a nice spot to sit and sip on our fruity drinks while we enjoyed the view of the water just outside the walls.

What I would do different: If I were to do this day over again, I would just carry my camera on its strap and maybe bring one other lens in a small purse instead of lugging around my backpack with 3 separate lenses. I finally caught onto this idea a few days into the trip and it made the long walks much more enjoyable.

Tip about water: ALWAYS bring a full water bottle with you when walking around Croatia. We were dehydrated much of the trip because of constantly sweating and walking around all the time. Fill up a water bottle in your hotel or AirBNB before setting out for the day because most restaurants don't serve tap water, just bottled water that you have to pay for.

We ended up spending about 2 hours wandering the walls and seeing the city from above, then walked around inside the walls in the old town for a while. We admired the old cathedrals and quaint alleyways that jut off in every direction.

We stopped for lunch at a restaurant where we tried the must-have dish in Croatia: Cuttlefish Risotto. Since I'm not much of a seafood fan, Tim ordered this Risotto dish and I just tried some of it. I ended up ordering chicken, and it was one of the best tasting chicken dishes I've had. It was simple but delicious, and it wasn't even the slightest bit too dry.

We continued wandering after lunch, and made our way around the city. We went up to the Lovrijenac Fortress and overheard some of the nearby tour group talking about the filming locations for some of the Game of Thrones scenes that took place at the fortress. From here, there is a great view of the outside of the city walls with the water that meets up with the walls below.

In the evening we set off to the edge of the city to take the Dubrovnik Cable Car on a 778 meter journey up to the top of Mount Srd. The 4 minute journey in this cable car offers breathtaking views as you rise above the Old City of Dubrovnik and view the Adriatic Sea and Elephanti Islands below. Once you reach the top of Mount Srd, there are multiple levels of observatory decks, a gift shop, an outdoor amphitheater that can be rented for events, as well as the Panorama Restaurant and Bar which offers an array of food and drink options.

The Panorama Restaurant and Bar offers, in my opinion, the best view for dining experiences in Dubrovnik. You can see the whole old city below, as well as the glistening sea and the islands that surround the area. Now I didn't go to EVERY restaurant in Dubrovnik, so I can't reallllly say that there is nothing that tops this view, but I honestly doubt there are many places that have a view that compares.

Tip for dining: Reservations for the restaurant can be made in advance, which I would highly recommend if you plan on visiting around Sunset. I didn't think to look into reservations until a few days before our trip, and by that point the restaurant was already booked for all the times around sunset on the day we were in Dubrovnik. They do have the option to do walk-ins where you put your name on the list when you arrive and can be seated if there are openings. We made it to the top of the mountain right as the sun was setting, and we found that most people had enjoyed their meal while watching the sun set, then were leaving once the sun went down. We decided to check availability of the restaurant and sure enough, there were plenty of open seats to enjoy a nice drink and desert after sunset. If you want to sit and enjoy your food as the sun sets on the sea below, I would recommend booking in advance. The website for the restaurant is linked here, and the the website for the cable car information is linked here.

Cable car tip: arrive early! We arrived shortly before sunset, to find that the line was extremely long to get in a cable car to go up the mountain. We barely caught the sun setting over the horizon right as we reached the top, but I would have liked to enjoy the whole sunset without rushing and worrying about missing it. Had I realized the line would be so long, I would have gotten there earlier.

Once we finished our wine, beer, and ice cream, we got into the long line of people ready to head back down the mountain to the city. We took the quick journey in the orange cable car down as we gazed at the sparkling lights of the city below. We made our way back through the old town and wandered a little more to enjoy the lively city at night. Eventually, we made our way back to the bus stops at Pile Gate to catch the #6 back to our AirBNB. We had a wonderful time exploring the historic city of Dubrovnik!

Have you been to Dubrovnik? What were your favorite things to do or see in this beautiful city?

Short Version

Things to do: - Wander Babin Kuk.

- Walk the City Walls at opening time.

- Wander the Old City on foot.

- Eat delicious food, to include yummy chicken, cuttlefish risotto, pizza, gelato, wine and beer.

- Explore the Lovrijenac Fortress.

- Take the Cable Car up to Mount Srd for sunset views.

- Dine at the Panorama Restaurant and Bar, or at least grab a glass of wine there.

- Walk around the Old City at night.

Tips:

- Get a Dubrovnik Card if you plan on doing the City Walls walk.

- Get to the City Walls at opening to beat the crowds and the heat.

- Always bring water with you!

- Don't carry heavy backpacks, just bring the necessities on day walks.

- Get to the Cable Car line early to ensure time for lines.

- Book seats at Panorama Restaurant and Bar in advance if you want to see the sun set while dining.

- Try the Cuttlefish Risotto!

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