Visit Dubrovnik, Croatia

The Dalmatian coastline along the Adriatic Sea is essentially the most perfect location for a best seller book club novel that would be gobbled up by a group of Middle Aged women. And I say that as a good thing.

The signature Terracotta roofs and limestone walls situated on narrow streets decorated with bougainvillaea and oleander and smell like salt air, why wouldn’t you want to read a romance novel set here?

Starting in Dubrovnik we island hopped across to Korcula and Hvar and finished in Split. The ferry connections are easy, reliable and won’t break the bank.

Dubrovnik

Home of the Game of Thrones sets, the old town of Dubrovnik holds medieval enchanment that the series captures so well. Here's a list of all the things you should do, places to eat, and sights to see, whilst visiting this fantastic ancient city.

I must admit it’s changed a lot in the last ten years. While still spectacular it was one of the most touristy places I’ve encountered in Europe.

Don’t let this deter you, as it’s still well worth a visit, though theseries hype has made it feel a little like a Game of Thrones Disneyland. I was disappointed to learn you’ll be charged €35 to walk on the medieval walls that surround the city.

So first tip- buy a Dubrovnik pass which is also €35 and will allow you to walk the walls but grants you access to most of the museums as well, so more bang for your buck.

I booked a walking tour through GuruWalk, which is a great way to learn more about your destination. Most of the time the guide is a local, and offers some great tips for your stay (in this instance, the Dubrovnik Pass).

For any Game of Thrones fans, you can book a Game of Thrones tour, which will show you locations around the town where famous scenes are shot, including Cersei’s infamous “walk of shame”.

Dubrovnik old town walls — Dubrovnik Old Town Walls

For my budget travellers, I stayed at City Central hostel, which was ok, not amazing, but clean, functional and it was a perfect location, good price point and fine considering I was only there to sleep! The owner was lovely and gave me plenty of suggestions for things to do in the area.

Hike up the trail to Dubrovnik Vidikovac which is an observation point with an old fortress overlooking the town. A perfect spot for sunset, it’s about an hour from the town but not a hard hike. There's a paid castle entry but I didn’t opt for that and just enjoyed the view. Take a wine and some snacks up and admire the entire bay and the islands beyond. You can also catch a gondola up and back if you don’t feel like doing the hike!

Dubrovnik Old Town View Point — Dubrovnik Vidikovac, Old Town view point

Beaches

Walk the town, there are two sneaky “holes in the wall” (literally) that will allow you access to sneak to the ocean from inside old town. These spots offer some drinks and you can sit in the sun and go for a dip in the water, it feels like a true holiday!

Google search Buža Beach and Dubrovnik City Beach, and you will quite literally have to walk through what look like dead-end holes in the wall to see if you have found your destination.

Beach Šulić is outside the city walls and a good local spot, you may have to compete for somewhere to lay your towel but it's a stunning cliffside swimming spot.

From here walk up to the cliffside fortress Fort Lovrijenac- entry is included in the Dubrovnik Pass, but is a great location for a photo opportunity of the town even if you don’t have the pass.

If the weather is good, join one of the Kayak tours out to the ocean around the front of the city walls.

Wining and Dining

Local cuisines are heavily seafood based, with fresh local produce dominating the dining scene. Favourite lunch and dinner locations included:

Kamenice Seafood Dinner (10/10 for this one, particularly value for money!)
Segreto Pasta & Grill

For dessert the best ice cream is Peppinos - omg I went back four times (don’t judge) and every single flavour was amazing. The best was the Mozart with the fererro but you can’t go wrong.

I also gave them a 5/5 google review and they messaged me inviting me back for a free ice cream because of it- worth a shot!

The Dubrovnik Wine Museum

It’s a very cute museum and was perfect for a day of torrential rain. The real highlight was the wine tasting, some of the best wine I’ve ever had, paired with local cheese and cured meats, we were very happy campers.

I recommend Malvasija Dubrovacka Zoro wine which honestly tasted like chocolate. Plus it’s in a beautiful old building overlooking the street below with exceptional service and a sommelier who really know their stuff.