Doing it Right in Dubrovnik
- adriennevolk
- Jul 5, 2016
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 18, 2022
Dubrovnik is an enchanting 16th century walled city along the Adriatic Sea that you are sure to fall in love with at first glance.
Getting There: Once you have arrived to Dubrovnik's airport (DBV), you can take a shuttle bus or a taxi to the Old Town (which is where you will want to stay, or stay near). Do not rent a car, unless you have available parking with your accommodations and are staying outside of the Old Town. Parking is incredibly limited along the coast.
I would advise taking the shuttle bus from the airport because the taxi cannot get you any closer than the bus can, and the bus is less expensive. The bus only costs 40 kuna (which is equivalent to about $5.75 USD). It takes approximately 30 minutes from the time you depart the airport and arrive to your drop off point. You will need to come with a map or directions to your hotel, as once you enter the city's gates, the streets are a bit of a maze. See the map below for more details of taking the shuttle. You can purchase a round trip ticket, but arrive at the location designated by the driver for the pick up early (especially during peak travel times).
http://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/index.php/croatia-destinations/dubrovnik/to-from-dubrovnik-airport
Rest Your Head:
Apartments Zoro (booking.com)- Nina will give you details on how to get to from the airport to the Old Town (it's a 5€ shuttle each way- buy round trip because it's cheaper). Then you walk about 5 minutes into the city gates and the apartment is just inside the gates. Nina will set up a time with you that you plan to arrive and will show you to your room. It's very nice with A/C, a kitchenette, and everything you need. The only thing it doesn't have is shampoo, conditioner and shower gel, so come prepared. Nina will give you wonderful recommendations of where to eat and what to do. Our room accommodated 2 people and there are 3 rooms in the building. There is no front desk or person always available but they do give you their email and free working wifi.
Grand Villa Argentina and Hotel Excelsior are hotels are a ten minute walk out of town, but have stunning views of the Old Town. They are also quite a bit more expensive during high season.
Culinary Delights:
We actually ate at Konoba Nishta twice because it was so delicious! They are known for their healthy choices and offer a wide variety of options including a salad bar, a tofu burrito, Indian and a falafel wrap on naan.
Mr. Fresh offer smoothies and fresh juices, which are not common in much of Europe.
OD Puca 14
Azur Restaurant came highly recommended by our hotel. It's set up with tables outside and has a wide variety of seafood, meat and vegetarian (I had vegetarian curry) options. They also had great house wine!
Pobijana 10
Lady Pipi Restaurant has great options for lunch and dinner!
Taj Mahal is a Bosnian restaurant came highly recommended and didn't disappoint. You know a place is great when it has a wait and all of the restaurants around it have empty tables. The meat and vegetarian platter came highly recommended, but I opted for a lighter option. They had about six hot and cold soups, several salads and dozens of appetizer and entree options. It's tucked away in a small street with not much of a view so I'd recommend making a reservation and asking to sit outside.
Ribari came highly recommended by a local but we did not get a chance to eat here. It is on the list for the next visit though!
Adventure: Take the Dubrovnik Cable Car up to the Hill Srđ and embrace the beauty that surrounds you. There is a restaurant available for snacks and beverages with gorgeous vistas. There is also a museum in the former Imperial Fort, where there is an exhibition on Dubrovnik in the Homeland War 1991-1995 on display.
You can purchase a one way ticket (80 HRK) if you just want to ride up and walk down, or a round trip ticket for 130 HRK (~18USD).
http://www.dubrovnikcablecar.com/
Timetable and Prices
http://www.dubrovnikcablecar.com/timetable-and-prices/
-Walk the top of the City Walls. The views are worth the small entrance fee (see the photo below which was taken from perched on the wall). Consider doing this at sunrise or sunset!
-Take a "Game of Thrones" tour with Viator.com. If you are a fan of the show, the tour comes highly recommended!
-Explore the old town's small streets with a wide variety of shopping.
-Go across the bay on the ferry to the National Park island where you can explore the beaches and nature of island.
-Skip Banje Beach (the closest and easiest to get to) and take the 30 minute walk (or hop in a taxi) to St. Jacob's Beach (see below) - the water is absolutely stunning and crowd free. It's mainly locals and it's way less congested during peak times.
Hidden Gems Not to Be Missed: St. Jacob's Beach, Walking the City Walls, The Dubrovnik Cable Car, Taj Mahal, Konoba Nishta
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