The Best Dubrovnik Itinerary: How to Spend Three Days in Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik, Croatia is one of the most magical places in the Mediterranean; a city of ancient walls and orange roofs, this Pearl of the Adriatic is home to Game of Thrones filming locations, rocky beaches, and pršut ham that’s carved from the leg and brought straight to your lips.

If you’re visiting Croatia, I highly recommend spending three days in Dubrovnik to make sure you’re enjoying this city to the fullest.

Dubrovnik and I have been getting to know one another for years — first as tentative acquaintances, now as close friends who can finish each other’s sentences. I’ve been to Dubrovnik three times on research trips; during July and August 2020, I spent a full week in Dubrovnik as part of my two month stay in Croatia.

A lot of travelers come to Dubrovnik and do it all wrong — climbing the Old Town walls during the hottest time of day, spending hours in line for immigration on a day trip to Montenegro, eating nothing but pizza and pasta.

I want you to have the best trip to Dubrovnik possible — and so I’ve put together an itinerary that shows you the best things to do in Dubrovnik, but also paces them at a decent rate so you won’t end up running yourself ragged, sweaty and exhausted.

Plus, I’ve included all of my favorite dining options!

I hope this three day Dubrovnik itinerary helps you plan the trip of a lifetime.

This post was updated as of March 2025.

How Much Time Do You Need in Dubrovnik?

I think three days in Dubrovnik is a good amount. Three days is doable on a long weekend getaway. For people planning longer trips to Croatia, three days is a good amount of time to devote to Dubrovnik. But if you have more time, great!

You might notice that there is time marked for relaxing and chilling out on this Dubrovnik itinerary. That is intentional.

Most people visit Dubrovnik during the busy summer months, and Dubrovnik in the summer is A LOT to take in. It gets insanely crowded, especially on days when more cruise ships than usual are docked in town. It’s incredibly hot and tiring, sapping your energy much more quickly than you realize.

For that reason, I recommend making time to chill out in Dubrovnik — to swim in the ocean, to relax and read a book by the pool, to take a moment to enjoy yourself away from everyone else. And I don’t usually say that.

Whenever I’m in Paris or New Orleans or Tokyo, I’m happy to be out and exploring all day, only taking short breaks along the way to recharge with a coffee. Dubrovnik is different — you need to take a few hours off, especially during the the hottest time of day, and just relax.

It’s not a waste of time to sit by the pool when visiting a world-class city like Dubrovnik. In fact, I’d argue that these breaks are essential to enjoying Dubrovnik to the fullest.

---

More on this subject: Dubrovnik Survival Guide

---

Day One in Dubrovnik: Explore the Old City & Take in Epic Views

I want your first day in Dubrovnik to WOW you over and over. I love this itinerary for your first day — it takes you around Dubrovnik’s Old Town, gives you some time to chill by the beach or pool, visits my favorite restaurant in town, and offers unforgettable views of the city.

Explore Dubrovnik Old Town in the Morning

The first thing you do in Dubrovnik should be exploring the Old City! Set out early before the heat kicks in to explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

You can either explore the city by yourself or hire a local guide. It can be nice to have a guide — they’ll teach you about the real, rich history of the city instead of the fictional Game of Thrones history! You can hire a guide at the Dubrovnik Tourist Board office just outside Pile Gate.

Otherwise, Dubrovnik is a good place in which to get lost. Spend time exploring the hidden pathways, hiking up staircases, and finding the occasional beach bar on the perimeter of the city.

I recommend taking a look at the Dubrovnik Pass and seeing if it will save you money. It gives you access to walking the City Walls; access to several small museums and galleries (I enjoyed the Franciscan Monastery); free public transport throughout the city; and discounts on select activities and attractions.

For summer 2025 (Mar 1 – Nov 30), the Dubrovnik Pass costs 40 EUR ($42 USD) for one day, 50 EUR ($52 USD) for three days, or 60 EUR ($62 USD) for seven days. Considering that walking the walls alone costs 40 EUR ($42 USD) in the high season, the Dubrovnik Pass will almost certainly save you money.

Enjoy Lunch at Proto

Proto is a restaurant that will SERIOUSLY wow you. Proto has been my favorite restaurant in Dubrovnik since 2014.

On my most recent visit, I was delighted to learn that Charlie’s colleague’s husband is now the manager! He hosted Charlie’s colleagues for a comped lunch and generously invited me to join — and he kept bringing out plate after plate of specialties that he wanted us to try.

The food here is uniformly excellent — the kind of place that will have you making yummy noises for the whole meal because HOW can this food be SO GOOD!?! Proto is even recommended by the Michelin Guide!

If you have four people, the fish cooked in a crust of salt is a fantastic dish to share, and watching your server crack the shell open is quite entertaining. Somehow this turns into the most savory, flavorful fish on the planet.

Otherwise, the tartares are wonderful (scallop, tuna, octopus), the clams and mussels are scrumptious, and the most popular dish on the menu, pasta with shrimp and Istrian truffles, lives up to the hype.

Not a fresh seafood fan? Go to Kopun instead. Kopun (open from Mar 15 – Nov 15) is a restaurant in the Old City specializing in capon — castrated rooster. I know, it sounds weird, but it’s like a richer, juicier version of chicken. Their capon gnocchi with truffles was one of the best things I ate in Dubrovnik.

Spend Your Afternoon Relaxing and Lounging

Wait, shouldn’t you be out exploring on your first day?! Yeah, and you did that! By now you’re probably hot, sweaty, and a little bit sleepy after your big meal at Proto, so it’s time for a break.

Go sit by the pool. Go for a swim in the wild waves of the ocean. Relax and enjoy the bright turquoise Adriatic Sea.

Then go take a shower and you’ll be ready for your evening fun.

Ride the Cable Car for Incredible Views

Dubrovnik has a cable car leading up to the top of Mount Srd with unparalleled views of the Old City. This is another wow-able experience!

For the best timing, take a ride on the Dubrovnik Cable Car just before sunset. I recommend looking up the sunset time online and planning your arrival about an hour before sunset to take in the best colors.

The views at the top are incredible — and it’s even better once the sun starts to go down. Looking northward, you see the Elafiti Islands rising out of the ocean for as far as the eye can see, illuminated by a changing sunset of pink and purple and orange.

A lot of people leave as soon as the sun dips beneath the horizon, but don’t be so fast — the colors get even better. That photo above was taken after the sun had disappeared.

Round-trip tickets on the cable car are 27 EUR ($28 USD) for adults, 7 EUR ($7 USD) for children 4-12, and free for children under 4. Tickets can be purchased at the lower cable car station (with euros or credit card) and operating hours vary throughout the year (check here).

Dine at Panorama Restaurant

You’re already up on top of the hill — might as well stay for dinner! While I think most restaurants on top of epic viewpoints tend to be on the mediocre side, that’s not true for Panorama Restaurant.

I’ve eaten here twice and both times the food has been surprisingly great — and everything tastes better with a view like this.

My top tip: Call and book a reservation at Panorama Restaurant when you’re planning your trip. Ask for a table with the best view. It’s so worth it to get one of the tables with the best view!

You should do this at least a month in advance, because there aren’t a ton of tables, and you don’t want to get shut out. You can also make a reservation online through their website.

Oh, and get ready to witness some marriage proposals! It’s a popular spot for that.

Panorama Restaurant is open from mid March to mid November for lunch, and open for both lunch and dinner from April to October. They’re closed over winter.

Stroll the Old City at Night

After taking the cable car down, stroll back into the Old Town. Dubrovnik is so different during the night. It’s less crowded — no cruise ship passengers! — and the lamps against the darkness add a mysterious feeling to the city.

Drop Into D’Vino Wine Bar

If you’re in the mood for drinks, I recommend stopping by D’Vino Wine Bar in the Old City. This bar, owned by an affable Australian man married to a lovely Croatian woman, is a great place to get to know Croatian wines.

Croatia has a major wine industry, but most people don’t realize this because it’s hard to find Croatian wine outside Croatia. This is because most of the producers are very small, and it doesn’t make fiscal sense to export their wine, especially to huge markets like the US. So Croatia is your best chance to sample them.

While there are some wine samplers on the menu at D’Vino, I didn’t love them — instead, ask for a recommendation for something by the glass. If you like deep, spicy reds, I highly recommend Dingač, a specialty from the Peljesač peninsula. This is a very special varietal and my personal favorite Croatian wine.

Grk and Pošip are two specialty whites from nearby Korčula. If you’re not visiting Korčula on your Croatia trip, this is a good place to sample them (though be prepared to pay a lot more for Grk by the bottle). Another option, Malvasija, is a lovely white from the Istria region.

Day Two in Dubrovnik: Get Out on the Water & Walk the City Walls

You’ve already covered the basics on your first day in Dubrovnik. Today I’m going to show you a few more special things, with two different outdoorsy options for the morning, plus the single most special dining experience you can have in all of Croatia.

Kayak Around the Old City to Start Your Day

If you enjoy sea kayaking, you’re in for a treat — Dubrovnik is one of the most beautiful urban environments in which to kayak. Getting down on the water gives you brand new views of the Old Town and beyond. And being in the water on a hot day gives you the excuse to jump overboard and take a little swim!

Even though this environment is the ocean, the waves around Dubrovnik are usually very small, and most tours are open to people with no kayaking experience.

You can choose to join a tour or you can rent a kayak on your own. This kayaking tour starts at $43 USD and even includes a snorkeling break on a secluded beach! If you’re looking to rent a kayak, there are rental spots near the port and City Beach.

Lokrum Island is a good place to explore independently by kayak; you might want to consider that as a Day Three option instead. (More on that in the Day Three section.)

NOTE: Know your physical limits. If you’re not in good shape, don’t join a tour that goes all the way to Lokrum Island, around, and back. You may prefer a more low-key tour, or you might just enjoy renting a kayak and paddling at your leisure. Talk to the tour leader about your concerns before you book.

Even after kayaking in Antarctica, arguably the most badass thing I’ve ever done, I still tend to be the slowest kayaker in every group.

Chill Out on a Local Beach

If you’re not up for kayaking, why not have some beach time instead? Relax on the pebbles (don’t forget your water shoes!) and enjoy the sunshine in between dips into the crystal clear waters.

So, if you’re spending a morning by the sea, what’s the best beach in Dubrovnik?? I’ve got three good options for you (and that doesn’t even include your hotel).

If you want easy access and minimal fuss, head to City Beach, pictured above, on the southern end of the Old City. It’s practically adjacent to the Old City and despite being central, the water is really nice.

If you want an epic Croatian beach far from any urban environment, head to Pasjača Beach, about a 35-minute drive south of the Old Town. This has a bit of a rugged path to get there, but it’s one of the most beautiful beaches in all of Croatia.

But if you want the best of both worlds, head to Sveti Jakov Beach, about an eight-minute drive south of the Old City. It’s a truly beautiful beach, yet it’s still close enough to the city to easily visit. Most of my Dubrovnik friends consider this their favorite beach.

Fun fact: There’s no such thing as private beaches in Croatia! You can go to any beach you want.

Have Lunch in the Old Town

After you’ve enjoyed your morning, treat yourself a nice meal! You can go your own way today, so I thought I’d recommend some places I love.

• Kopun is an excellent restaurant specializing in capon, or castrated rooster. Trust me, it’s delicious. The capon truffle gnocchi is the bomb.
• Kamenice is a great spot if you’re in the mood for mussels, fresh from the sea.
• Bota Šare Oyster and Sushi Bar is a great spot for — you guessed it — oysters and sushi.
• Pizzeria Castro has great pizza, I’ve heard, though I can’t personally vouch for this place.

And if you’re craving ice cream after, Dolce Vita has a nice bitter orange flavor that pairs well with dark chocolate.

After lunch, head back to your hotel for a siesta or go for a swim. You can even swim off the rocks of the Old City itself if you’d like!

Walk the Walls of Dubrovnik at Sunset

Walking the Dubrovnik City Walls is one of the absolute best things to do in the city.

But most people make a huge mistake — they go in the middle of the day. In the middle of the day, you’ll have the sun beating down on you with very little shade along the route. It can quickly become a miserable experience, limping from rare shady spot to shady spot, guzzling water along the way.

Instead, I recommend going right when they open or going two hours before they close, and taking advantage of the lower temperatures and better light. In the summer it will still be hot, but you’ll have a much better experience.

The photography from these vantage points is superb — but for me, my favorite part is finding little pieces of local life. Laundry hanging on lines. A kids’ playground in a back garden. Dubrovnik’s Old City has very few year-round residents anymore; most rent their places out during the summer months. So it’s nice to see that locals still exist here.

There are a few cafes along the route serving water, coffee, and other drinks. Feel free to stop, take a break and enjoy the views.

Tickets to walk Dubrovnik’s City Walls are 40 EUR ($42 USD) for adults and 15 EUR ($16 USD) for children under 18 in the high season, or 15 EUR ($16 USD) for adults and 5 EUR ($5 USD) for children under 18 in the low season. Don’t forget that access to the City Walls is included in the Dubrovnik Pass.

It takes about two hours to walk the walls in their entirety and you must walk a one-way counterclockwise route without backtracking.

NOTE: If you’re a hardcore photographer, you’ll probably want to shoot the walls of Dubrovnik twice: once as close to sunrise as you can, and once as close to sunset as you can.

Experience a Croatian Peka Meal

Tonight is going to be the most special part of your time in Dubrovnik: a peka dinner with wonderful locals. A peka is when you serve dinner “under the bell,” cooking either octopus or lamb and veal in a giant communal pot with potatoes under a bed of coals.

Locals Marija and Zlatko welcome travelers into their backyard to enjoy this traditional Croatian feast — one that starts in the early evening and lasts for hours, filled with cured meats and cheeses, anchovies and olives, several kinds of homemade liqueurs, and plenty of local wine. It’s all fresh and local and built on generations of traditions.

If you’ve felt a little underwhelmed by the local cuisine in Croatia so far — and people often are underwhelmed — this is the experience that will blow you away.

What I love about this experience is that the food is superb — but the people will be what you remember the most. Marija and Zlatko treat you like a long-lost friend, asking you about your life, encouraging you to try more liqueurs and serving pršut freshly sliced off the leg. Soon you’ll be telling stories, laughing uproariously, and toasting frequently with a hearty “Živjeli!”

This piece in Nat Geo Traveler, written by a friend, is a wonderful account of the experience.

You can learn more and book dinner with Marija and Zlatko on their website, Dubrovnik Eat With Locals. Dinners cost in the neighborhood of $100 USD per person (check directly for the latest rates) and are worth every penny.

Day Three in Dubrovnik: Island Hop, Visit a Museum, or Take a Game of Thrones Tour

If you’re spending three days in Dubrovnik, your third day is about doing things your way! It’s a good opportunity to get into nature, learn some local history, visit an island, sit on a throne, or just hang out and enjoy the atmosphere.

For that reason, I’m listing several different options of things you can do during the day — plus one specific recommendation for evening drinks and a memorable final meal.

Here is what I recommend doing on your third day in Dubrovnik:

Visit Lokrum Island

You know that little island next to Dubrovnik? That’s Lokrum Island! Is it worth visting? Absolutely!

Lokrum Island is a small island, but it encompasses quite a bit of what makes Croatia special. There are rock slab beaches where you can jump into the water and enjoy a stunning view of the Old City. There are botanical gardens and a Benedictine monastery. There are playgrounds and wooded trails to explore. You can even rent a kayak or stand-up paddleboard and explore the Dalmatian coast from the island.

Most memorably, this is where you can sit on the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones! Lokrum Island served as the City of Qarth in the series. The throne is on display in the Lokrum Visitor Center, which is free to visit.

There’s also a nude beach on Lokrum Island, if that’s your thing. Nude beaches are called FKK beaches in Croatia (it stands for Freikörperkultur, the German word for “free body culture” — love how Germans have words for everything!). Most of the time, they are a bit challenging to get to and don’t have a direct path. This beach is in the southeast corner of the island.

For the love of God, do not take pictures on the nude beach, even of the scenery. If you’re kayaking around the beach, do not take pictures. Taking pictures anywhere near an FKK beach is a gross invasion of privacy.

How much time do you need on Lokrum Island? A half day, and I’d recommend going in the morning. There is a restaurant on the island if you want to have lunch. There is no overnight accommodation on the island.

The ferry to the island of Lokrum costs 7 EUR ($7 USD) each way, takes 15 minutes, and departs up to 25 times per day from the Old Town Port during peak season (ferries to Lokrum don’t run in the off season).

Note, this is not the same port as where the larger ferries depart to Croatia’s main islands from. That is the Port of Gruž, a 15-minute drive from the Old City of Dubrovnik.

Visit Mljet Island

I love Mljet — it’s a quiet, magical place, and one of my favorite Croatian islands. Mljet (mee-YET) is filled with spectacular nature, from dense green forest to neon blue saltwater lakes, and it makes a great contrast to the city of Dubrovnik.

You can easily spend several days in Mljet — but its highlights can be done in a day trip from Dubrovnik.

Mljet National Park is the crown jewel of the island and where you should spend most of your time. Within the park, I recommend renting a bike and cruising around. The absolute best views are from Montokuc (monta-cooch), an uphill 45-minute hike from the bike rental spot. You can also go swimming in the buoyant, velvety saltwater lakes and visit a monastery on St. Mary’s Island.

Want to get lunch? Pizza and beer at Pizzeria Levanat in the town of Pomena is a great way to refuel after the hike.

How much time do you need on Mljet? Plan your trip to Mljet according to the ferry schedule. During high season, ferries run one to three times per day from Dubrovnik to Pomena or Polace on Mljet (ferries don’t run in the low season).

I recommend taking the early morning ferry to Polace, the gateway to Mljet National Park, as opposed to the ferry to Pomena, which leaves in the afternoon and is farther from the park.

That being said, double-check the ferry schedule for all your days, as it can vary, and some days give you more hours on the island than others. The Dubrovnik – Polace ferry takes about 90 minutes and costs 10 EUR ($10 USD) each way. The Dubrovnik – Pomena ferry is about 10 minutes faster and costs 10 EUR ($10 USD) more.

Visit the Red History Museum

I LOVE a good themed museum — and Croatia has so many of them. The Red History Museum is a wonderful museum to visit, especially if you love history.

You might notice that even on historical tours in Croatia, people tend to skip over the communist years as Yugoslavia. Well, this is an opportunity to learn about them! Of course, this was an oppressive time and awful in many ways — but do you think people lived completely devoid of joy and meaning just because times were hard? Of course not!

The Red History Museum is built from painstakingly reconstructed, historically accurate artifacts from those times. And it’s interactive! You can open a kitchen cabinet and see products that were for sale back then!

What I loved most was looking at the collections of photography — groups of girlfriends hanging out and laughing, wearing killer dresses; school fairs and birthdays and teenagers trying to look cool. Oh, and the weddings. SO MANY WEDDINGS.

More than that — this museum is an Instagram dream. Put on your most vintage outfit and come pose on all the sets! You can pose in the sixties bedroom, in the seventies kitchen, listening to Croatian records with headphones on, or in the kiosk selling magazines and candy!

The Red History Museum is right across from the Gruž ferry port, so it’s the perfect place to visit once you come back from a day trip by boat (Lokrum excluded). We visited the museum after we got back from Mljet.

How much time do you need at the Red History Museum? It’s a small place, so 90 minutes should be sufficient. Entry is 9 EUR ($9 USD) for adults, 7.20 EUR ($7 USD) for university students and seniors, 3.60 EUR ($4 USD) for primary and secondary school students, and free for children under 10.

Take a Game of Thrones Tour

If you’re a Game of Thrones fan — even if you hated the final season — you should go on a Game of Thrones tour in Dubrovnik to see the locations in depth. Dubrovnik served as King’s Landing in the series and so many pivotal scenes were shot here.

Fun fact: The final season of Game of Thrones and the prequel series, House of the Dragon, use the Spanish town of Cácares as the filming location for King’s Landing, rather than Dubrovnik. The two cities share quite a resemblance, though Cácares is much less popular with tourists (for now!).

Double-check to see whether your GoT tour includes Lokrum Island or not. Lokrum Island is where you can sit on the Iron Throne and was the filming location for Qarth. But getting there takes more time and effort that most Game of Thrones tours stick to the mainland.

This Dubrovnik Game of Thrones tour covers most of the interesting sites on the mainland — and lets you upgrade to a bonus visit to the palace gardens in Trsteno (which served as the palace gardens for King’s Landing), outside the city.

How much time do you need on a Game of Thrones tour? Most tours take around two to three hours, and they’re usually scheduled to avoid the hottest time of day. I actually recommend doing a tour in the late afternoon if you can, because you can get the most beautifully lit shots of the Old City from Fort Lovrijenac.

Enjoy More Beach or Pool Time

Like I keep saying, relaxing by the water is important in Dubrovnik! Give yourself a break from the heat and the crowds and enjoy that bright blue water.

How much time do you need at the beach or pool? You know yourself better than I do. You can hit the water after a morning of island hopping or before going on an afternoon tour.

Or you can skip the nearby islands, tours and museums entirely and just spend all of your third day in Dubrovnik in your bathing suit!

Indulge in Evening Drinks at Buža Bar

Buža Bar is a VERY cool spot — a bar carved out of rocks on the edge of the Old Town overlooking Lokrum Island! (You probably saw it from above while walking the walls yesterday.) Early evening, or sunset, is the best time to grab a drink when temperatures are getting cooler and you get to see the colors of the sky change.

During the day, Buža Bar is popular place for people to enjoy cocktails in between dips in the ocean. It definitely has a louder and more family-friendly crowd during the day; I prefer the evening atmosphere.

If I may make a recommendation — you should get a gin and tonic made with Opihr, a gloriously spicy gin with notes of cardamom, black pepper, cubeb berries, and coriander. I discovered this gin on my gin trip to the UK in 2014, and it can be hard to find, which makes it a perfect special occasion drink.

Treat Yourself to Dinner at Azur

One of my favorite restaurants in Dubrovnik is Azur, a Mediterranean-Asian fusion restaurant — CroAsian, as the owners like to say! The food here is SO good (and most importantly, DIFFERENT, as so many restaurants up and down the Croatian coastline serve the same menu over and over).

We enjoyed Korean fried chicken sliders, pork belly tacos, and the best dish we had, shockingly, was a plate of vegan meatballs in a coconut curry! I think they were made of amaranth. Azur also has an excellent selection of cocktails.

Note: If your time in Dubrovnik is at the end of a longer Croatia trip, you may want to eat at Azur on your first night instead. By that point of your trip, you’ll probably be sick of octopus salad and marinated anchovies and be craving something new.

What NOT to Do in Dubrovnik

While there are plenty of things you shouldn’t do in Croatia, there’s one big DON’T for Dubrovnik: Please resist the urge to day trip to Kotor, Montenegro, or Mostar, Bosnia. These are two of the most popular day trips from Dubrovnik but I don’t recommend adding them to your Dubrovnik itinerary.

Know this: I love both of these cities. Kotor in particular is one of my favorite places on the planet. (Even though I was haunted by a ghost there for five days.)

But day tripping to either of these is a bad idea. During high season, you could be sitting at each border crossing for TWO HOURS. Do you really want four hours of your day trip (crossing the border there and back) spent waiting at borders?

Besides that, both of these destinations deserve more of your time!

I think Mostar can be done in a well-planned overnight visit. For Kotor, I would recommend spending at least two nights there, or longer if you can, as there’s so much to do in that part of Montenegro.

Where to Stay in Dubrovnik

Where are the best places to stay in Dubrovnik?

I actually don’t recommend staying within the Old City because there are few properties, they charge a high premium, and you’ll have to drag your bag up and down lots of staircases.

Instead, I recommend staying within a short walk or Uber ride of the Old Town. Dubrovnik is a relatively small city and it’s easy to get around, so staying just beyond the Old Town is very convenient.

I don’t recommend staying outside Dubrovnik and driving in each day. It’s a pain, it won’t save you that much money, and parking near the Old City is expensive.

On my latest trip to Dubrovnik, I partnered with two Adriatic Luxury Hotels properties — Hotel Dubrovnik Palace and Hotel Excelsior.

Option #1: Hotel Dubrovnik Palace

This was my second time staying at Hotel Dubrovnik Palace — and this time I did it so much better. On my first trip in 2014, our schedule was so packed in Dubrovnik that I didn’t even get to relax and enjoy the hotel!

Because THIS is a hotel where you really want to relax and enjoy yourself, resort-style.

Hotel Dubrovnik Palace is large, with a huge lobby area and a few restaurants. The rooms are modern and they look fabulous — the kind of room that’s perfect to come back to after a long day out.

But what makes this hotel exceptional is its pool and beach area.

The hotel is placed on an expansive swathe of rocky Adriatic coast, outfitted into a pool and beach area with outstanding sunset views. There is a VIP section with a smaller, quieter pool and extra room for lounging.

This is the kind of place where you commandeer a beach chair and get cocktails delivered.

As for me, I plunged into the waves as the sun set, illuminating everything with golden light. It was one of the best swims of my life!

Hotel Dubrovnik Palace is located in a neighborhood called Lapad that is about a nine-minute drive from the Old City. This is a lot farther than some other hotels, but I think you make up for it by having such a wonderful coastline.

There is a public bus to the Old Town that leaves directly from the hotel (and if you have the Dubrovnik Pass, it covers these bus rides!). Alternatively, you can take a nine minute Uber ride.

High-season rates at Hotel Dubrovnik Palace start at $405 USD; low-season rates start at $195 USD. (Nightly rates based on June 2025 and November 2025 pricing, as available in March 2025.)

Option #2: Hotel Excelsior

Hotel Excelsior had long been on my list of hotels I dreamed of staying in. It’s one of the most high-end properties in Dubrovnik. On a previous trip, I had breakfast there and got to enjoy the best view in town — but on my most recent visit, I got to enjoy the best view in town from my balcony.

The location is one of the top selling points of Hotel Excelsior — you’re just an eight-minute walk from the walls of the Old Town, and you hit City Beach on the way. That makes it a convenient option for going back to the hotel for a siesta, a shower, or a few hours by the sea.

On top of that, this property feels small, familiar, and exclusive in a way that other Dubrovnik properties are not.

That said, the room felt fairly basic for such a stylish property — a significant difference from the style-drenched common areas of the hotel. It seemed a bit of a missed opportunity. But the bathtub overlooking the Old City is an inspired feature, and you can’t beat the Excelsior in terms of atmosphere.

The staff here are very attentive, and they surprised me with a gorgeous cake on my birthday!

High-season rates at Hotel Excelsior start at $755 USD; low-season rates start at $287 USD. (Nightly rates based on July 2025 and November 2025 pricing, as available in March 2025.)

Which Hotel Is Better?

These hotels are both five-star properties, but they have different atmospheres. Hotel Excelsior feels much more exclusive and upscale; it has a better breakfast, a better location, and it has the best view in the city. Hotel Dubrovnik Palace has much nicer rooms, an exceptional beach and pool area, and it’s cheaper.

If you want to spend a lot of your time in Dubrovnik lounging at the beach and pool, resort-style, you’ll prefer Hotel Dubrovnik Palace.

If you want to be within walking distance of the city and/or have a smaller, more exclusive atmosphere, you’ll prefer Hotel Excelsior.

A Note on Dubrovnik’s Accessibility

Dubrovnik is a very challenging destination for people with mobility issues. The Old Town is full of stairs in every direction, and many of the streets are polished and slippery.

Keep in mind that most of Croatia’s coastline is extremely steep and hilly which, unfortunately, means this issue is not unique to Dubrovnik. But I do recall my beloved Zadar being remarkably flat in its Old City.

Can Dubrovnik be done in a wheelchair? Yes, the Old City can be visited in limited parts. There is a wheelchair-accessible entrance to the Old Town at Pile Gate that allows you to experience about 25% of it without having to use stairs.

But Dubrovnik would not be a destination I would choose for a wheelchair user. If you or any of your travel companions have challenges with mobility, I would do a lot of research before committing to a trip here.

I’m not an expert on disability travel, so I recommend seeking out other resources. Cory Lee has a guide on traveling Croatia in a wheelchair.

Wrapping Up Your Dubrovnik Itinerary: Is Dubrovnik Worth It?

I spent two months in Croatia in the summer of 2020 when international travel to Dubrovnik was severely limited. As a result, I got to experience Dubrovnik with only about 20% occupancy and zero cruise ship passengers.

It was something exceptional to witness — empty streets in the heart of high season, being able to walk into any restaurant, no pushing your way through sweaty midday crowds.

Of course, post-pandemic, tourism has returned to Dubrovnik with a vengeance. And even with plans to try and limit cruise ships and regulate tourist buses, Dubrovnik is still an exceptionally busy place to be.

But even with all the cruise ships, all the tourist crowds, and the intense summer heat — Dubrovnik is very much worth it.

Dubrovnik is worth it today, tomorrow, and forever. If you plan a slower itinerary where you take breaks, experience the Old Town after the day-trippers leave, and skip the rushed day trip to a different country, I bet you’ll be as enchanted by Dubrovnik as I was.

I hope you enjoy your time in this fantastic city.

Planning a Trip to Croatia:

• Two Weeks in Croatia Itinerary
• What NOT to Do in Croatia
• Best Time to Visit Croatia
• Solo Female Travel in Croatia: Is it Safe?
• 30 Stunning Mediterranean Islands To Visit In Your Lifetime

Croatian Islands and the Dalmatian Coast:

• Why Korčula, Croatia, is the Coolest Island of All
• Vis, Croatia, is a Quietly Stunning Island
• Dubrovnik Survival Guide
• The Waterfalls of Krka National Park
• A Place Like Zadar
• 30 Fabulous Things To Do in Split, Croatia
• 29 Sunny Things To Do In Hvar, Croatia

Istria and the North:

• Guide to Rovinj, Croatia’s Prettiest City
• Places to Visit in Istria, Croatia’s Italian-Flavored Peninsula
• 21 Unforgettable Things To Do In Zagreb, Croatia

---

Many thanks to Adriatic Luxury Hotels for providing me with four comped nights at Hotel Dubrovnik Palace and three comped nights at Hotel Excelsior; to Visit Dubrovnik for providing us with two Dubrovnik Passes, two Lokrum ferry tickets, two cable car tickets, and a comped city tour; to the Mljet Tourist Board for two comped ferry tickets to Mljet, a tour of Mljet National Park, and lunch at Pizzeria Levanat; and to the Croatia National Tourist Board for making connections and support throughout the trip. Through my now-husband’s work connections in Dubrovnik, we also experienced a comped meal at Proto, a comped meal at Azur, a comped kayak rental on Lokrum Island, and a comped peka for us and his local colleagues with Marija and Zlatko.

Have you been to Dubrovnik? What are your tips?