Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik does not ask for your attention — it demands it. The moment you pass through the Pile Gate and the medieval stone walls close around you, the weight of six centuries of history presses gently against your shoulders. The city, known until 1991 as the pearl of the Adriatic, sits at the southern tip of Croatia on a narrow strip of Dalmatian coastline, its terracotta rooftops tumbling toward a sea so blue it looks digitally enhanced. UNESCO recognised the entire Old City as a World Heritage Site in 1979, and it is not hard to understand why — the limestone streets, the baroque churches, the imposing city walls, and the shimmering Adriatic together create one of the most complete medieval urban environments in Europe. In recent years, the city has added a new layer to its identity: Game of Thrones filming location, which has drawn a different kind of pilgrim, one armed with an HBO subscription and a knowledge of fictional kingdoms. But strip all that away and what remains is a city of extraordinary natural beauty, genuine warmth, and a culinary culture that deserves far more attention than it typically receives.

The Croats themselves call their country the land of a thousand islands, and Dubrovnik is the perfect gateway to that archipelago. The islands of Korčula, Hvar, and Mljet are all within a couple of hours by ferry from the city's port of Gruz, and the Pelješac Peninsula — home to some of Croatia's finest wine producers — is a scenic 40-minute drive to the north. On land, the old city is compact enough to explore on foot in a day, but the surrounding region rewards those with more time: mountain villages in the Dalmatian interior, the dramatic coastal road toward Montenegro, and the vineyards of the Konavle valley south of the city. Whether you come for three days or two weeks, Dubrovnik and its surroundings have an almost absurd amount to offer.

Best Places to Stay

Dubrovnik's accommodation scene has transformed dramatically since Croatia's independence, moving from a handful of state-run hotels to a diverse portfolio ranging from restored medieval apartments to five-star luxury resorts perched on the cliffs above the Old City. Location is everything here — the walls of the Old City enclose a relatively small area, and staying inside them gives you a fundamentally different experience from staying in the Lapad peninsula or on the Dubrovnik Riviera. Choose your neighbourhood based on what kind of trip you want.

• Luxury: The Hotel Bellevue Dubrovnik, perched on a cliff above the Miramar Beach just north of the Old City, offers rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Adriatic — the sound of the sea beneath your window is one of the most reliably romantic things about this city. The Sun Gardens Dubrovnik, in the coastal suburb of Orašac about fifteen minutes north of the city by complimentary shuttle, is a sprawling resort complex with multiple pools, a private beach, an excellent spa, and rooms that feel more Miami than Mediterranean — ideal for families or those who want resort facilities alongside a historic city within easy reach. For something with more historical character, the Ragusino Boutique Hotel occupies a restored 15th-century stone house within the Old City walls, offering eight suites furnished with antiques and original architectural features — the experience of sleeping inside the walls, hearing the bells of the Cathedral at dawn, is unlike anything a conventional hotel can offer. The Hotel Argentina Dubrovnik, on the Gruz waterfront, is a reliable luxury choice with a rooftop terrace that offers some of the best sunset views in the city, particularly from the outdoor pool.
• Mid-range: The Hotel Petka in the Gruz neighbourhood is one of the best-value options in the city — modest rooms with balconies overlooking the busy port, a restaurant that serves excellent local fish, and a location that puts you within walking distance of the ferry terminal and the bus station. For inside-the-walls charm, the St. Joseph's Guesthouse occupies a restored 17th-century stone building on a quiet side street near the Stradun, offering bright, simply furnished rooms with original wooden beams and stone walls — the kind of place that makes you want to cook your own dinner from the market. The Hotel Zagreb on the Lapad peninsula, set back from the lively Lapad promenade in a garden of pines and palms, is a solid mid-range choice with a small outdoor pool and rooms that have been recently renovated. The Rooms Visa near the Ploče Gate is a family-run guesthouse with rooms that have been freshly painted and decorated with local art, and a terrace overlooking the harbour that is perfect for breakfast in the morning sun.
• Budget: The Hostel & Rooms Kiki near the Ploče Gate is one of the most beloved budget options in the city — a family home that has been hosting backpackers for decades, with dorm beds, private rooms, and a rooftop terrace where travellers and hosts alike gather for evening drinks and advice on the best hidden beaches. The Dubrovnik Backpackers Hostel inside the Old City walls on a quiet inner street is basic but perfectly clean, and its location — steps from the Stradun — makes it ideal for those who want to be in the heart of the action. The Sweet Rome Hostel (no relation to Rome) is a small, quiet hostel in the Lapad district run by a young local couple who go out of their way to help guests plan island-hopping day trips and restaurant recommendations. For budget travellers who want privacy, the Apartments Ante in the Sibenik neighbourhood just outside the walls offer clean, self-catering studios at a fraction of the price of equivalent properties inside the Old City, with good bus connections to the centre and the Lapad promenade.

Best Places to Eat

Dubrovnik's culinary culture is one of the most underappreciated in Europe, partly because Croatia's turbulent 20th-century history interrupted a rich gastronomic tradition, and partly because mass tourism has encouraged a proliferation of mediocre restaurants catering to cruise ship day-trippers. But the city that gave the world česnekova juha (garlic soup), pašticada (slow-cooked beef in plum sauce), and the Dalmatian tradition of pašta na bijelo (a simple pasta dish that is more nuanced than it sounds) deserves better than the tourist menus around the Stradun. The good news is that a little searching reveals an extraordinary food scene, particularly in the neighbourhoods outside the walls and in the villages of the surrounding region.

• Fine Dining: Dubrovnik has several restaurants that are pushing the city into the upper tier of European culinary destinations. 360° Dubrovnik, at the top of the city walls near the Minčeta fort, offers one of the most spectacular dining settings in the Adriatic — a terrace overlooking the terracotta rooftops and the open sea. The menu, curated by a team of young Croatian chefs, focuses on locally sourced Dalmatian ingredients treated with modern technique: dishes might include sea bass ceviche with pickled capers and本地橄榄油, or lamb from the Pelješac Peninsula with root vegetables and rosemary jus. Booking is essential, particularly for the terrace tables. Azur, in a narrow lane above the Gundulić Square within the Old City, serves a genuinely innovative fusion of Dalmatian and Asian cuisines — the brainchild of chef Šime Sušić, who trained in Tokyo and returned home to reimagine his culinary heritage. The black risotto with squid ink and the seared tuna with wasabi mayo are particular highlights. For classical fine dining in a baroque palazzo setting, Taverna Rustica in the Lokrum Island nature reserve serves traditional Dalmatian dishes — grilled fish, lamb under the bell, žganci (cornmeal porridge) — in a garden terrace that feels a world away from the tourist streets of the Old City.
• Traditional Dalmatian: The best traditional food in Dubrovnik is found not in the Old City but in the villages and neighbourhoods around it. The Konoba Vinjak in the Štipska neighbourhood of Konavle, about 30 minutes south of the city, is one of those rare restaurants where the owner still cooks what his grandmother cooked, in a kitchen that has been in the family for four generations. The pašticada here is the best in the region, and the house wine from the family's own vineyard is poured generously and priced honestly. In the village of Ovratsko above the city, Konoba Dubrava serves enormous plates of ćevapčići, grilled lamb chops, and burek (flaky phyllo pastry filled with meat or cheese) at prices that make you wonder how the restaurant stays open — a beloved local institution that tourists rarely find. Within the Old City, the Gradska Kavana (City Café) on the Stradun is the most atmospheric option for a sit-down meal, with a terrace that looks onto the main drag and a menu that includes competent versions of traditional dishes without the tourist premium.
• Seafood by the Sea: Dubrovnik's position on the Adriatic means that the seafood here is almost always exceptional — the key is to find restaurants where the catch is genuinely local rather than frozen and shipped from elsewhere. The Restaurant Mandalena on the Babin Kuk peninsula, about a fifteen-minute bus ride from the Old City, is a family-run favourite that has been here since 1962, serving grilled fish, crni rižot (black risotto with squid ink), and brujet (seafood stew similar to bouillabaisse) at prices that reflect its loyal local following rather than the tourist trade. On the Lokrum Island, a fifteen-minute ferry ride from the Old City port, the Restaurant Lokrum is a casual beachside option serving fresh fish, grilled calamari, and Croatian beer at tables right on the water — the perfect lunch stop after a morning exploring the island's botanical gardens and the Benedictine monastery. In the Gruz neighbourhood, the harbour-front restaurants around the fish market offer some of the best-value seafood in the city — arrive at midday when the market is open and choose your fish from the display before it is weighed and grilled to order.
• Markets & Casual Eats: The Dubrovnik Green Market (Placa) in the Gundulićeva poljana, open every morning except Sundays, is where locals come to buy fresh produce, cheese, olives, herbs, and dried figs. Browse the stalls for wild Dalmatian herbs, local honey, and the olive oil from the surrounding Konavle valley — take some back to your apartment for a picnic lunch on a city beach. The Gundulićeva Market itself, a permanent covered market hall beside the green market, has fish stalls on the ground floor and produce vendors on the upper level. For a quick and delicious bite, the Šxaperl (a local chain of casual bistros) near the Ploče Gate serves excellent burek and pljeskavica (Balkan burger) at takeaway prices — the late-night version after a bar crawl is practically a local institution. The Pantarul in the Lapad neighbourhood is a stylish little wine bar and restaurant that does exceptional cheese boards featuring Croatian artisan cheeses, along with excellent charcuterie using Dalmatian prosciutto and paški sir (Pag Island cheese).

Best Sites to Visit

Dubrovnik's Old City is extraordinary, but the region around it is equally compelling. From the mountain fortress of Srđ above the city to the quiet villages of the Pelješac Peninsula, from the isolated beauty of Lokrum Island to the dramatic coastal road toward Montenegro, there is enough to see and do in the Dubrovnik region to fill a two-week trip without repetition. Here are the essential highlights.

• The Old City Walls: Walking the walls of Dubrovnik is the single essential activity in the city — a 1.9-kilometre circuit that takes you around the entire perimeter of the medieval old town, with views in every direction: the terracotta rooftops below, the Adriatic stretching to the horizon, the imposing forts of Revelin and Lovrijenac flanking the city, and the green hills of the Dalmatian hinterland in the distance. The walls were built between the 13th and 16th centuries and were never breached by a foreign army until Napoleon's forces arrived in 1808 — a fact of which the Dubrovnik people remain profoundly proud. Allow 90 minutes to two hours for the full circuit. The best time to walk is early morning (before 9 AM in summer) or late afternoon (after 4 PM), when the light is softer and the cruise groups have dispersed. A combined ticket also gives entry to the Museum of Modern Art and the Aqueduct Museum.
• Fortress & Fortresses: The most impressive of Dubrovnik's defensive structures is the Fortress of St. Lawrence (Fortica Štor), which crowns the headland west of the Pile Gate and houses a small museum of the city's military history, with excellent views back across the rooftops. The Revelin Fortress, at the eastern edge of the Old City, is partly submerged beneath a nightclub and partly open to the public as a museum and event space — its underground chambers and passages are some of the most atmospheric spaces in the city. The Lovrijenac Fortress, on a tiny island just outside the western walls, is often called the Dubrovnik's Gibraltar and served as the location for the Red Keep in Game of Thrones. It is accessible by a short walk around the western wall and has its own independent history — it was built in just three months in 1571 to prevent Venetian forces from using the headland for a siege, and the speed of its construction remains one of the great feats of medieval military engineering.
• The Stradun & Historic Centre: The Stradun — the main marble-paved street of the Old City — is the beating heart of Dubrovnik, lined with elegant buildings in Gothic and Baroque styles and traversed by locals, tourists, and the occasional flock of pigeons. At its western end stands the Onofrio di廖Large Fountain (1438), once part of the city's water supply system, and at its eastern end the Rector's Palace (Veliki konoš), now a museum. The Cathedral of the Assumption and the Sponza Palace face each other across a small square near the eastern end of the Stradun — the Sponza Palace, with its distinctive loggia and ornate courtyard, is one of the finest examples of Dalmatian Gothic architecture in existence and now houses the State Archives. Allow time to wander the side streets off the Stradun, particularly the narrow Priya (which runs from the Sponza Palace south to the port) and the quiet lanes around the Synagogue and Jewish Museum — the Sephardic Jewish community of Dubrovnik dates to the 14th century and is one of the oldest in the Balkans.
• Game of Thrones Locations: Dubrovnik's role as King's Landing in HBO's Game of Thrones has become a significant part of the city's tourism identity, for better and worse. The most filmed locations include the Pile Gate and its outer fortifications (used for the gates of King's Landing in numerous episodes), the Fortress of St. Lawrence (the Red Keep exterior), the Lovrijenac Fortress (the Red Keep in Season 2), and the Fortress of St. Lawrence (intersections used for the riots in Season 5). Several tour operators offer Game of Thrones-specific walking tours, and while these can feel excessive if you are not a fan, the guides are genuinely knowledgeable and the locations are undeniably dramatic. If you want to visit independently, the Dubrovnik Card covers entry to most fortifications and museums. A note of caution: the city received over eight million tourists in 2023, and Game of Thrones tourism — alongside post-pandemic revenge travel — has contributed to what locals call overs tourism, a genuine concern that is changing the character of the Old City in ways that are difficult to reverse.
• Lokrum Island: A fifteen-minute ferry ride from the Old City port, Lokrum Island is Dubrovnik's closest and most beloved escape from the summer crowds. The island is a nature reserve, famous for its botanical gardens (established by Benedictine monks in the 11th century and later expanded by Archduke Maximilian of Austria in the 19th century), its freshwater lake called the Dead Sea (a small saltwater lake connected to the sea), and its resident peacocks and rabbits — the rabbits were introduced for the filming of Game of Thrones and never removed. The island has several small beaches, a café, and the ruins of a Benedictine monastery founded in 1023, whose refectory is one of the most photographed spaces in the region. The monastery also contains a small museum of the island's history. Ferries depart roughly every 30 minutes in summer from the Old City harbour; the last ferry back is around 6 PM. Bring swimwear, sun cream, and a towel — Lokrum is as close to a perfect escape as you will find within sight of a major European city.
• The Pelješac Peninsula: North of Dubrovnik, the Pelješac Peninsula is one of Croatia's most rewarding wine regions and a scenic day trip destination. The interior mountains of the peninsula produce Dingač and Postup — two of Croatia's most celebrated red wines, made from the Plavac Mali grape variety that grows on steep, stone-terraced vineyards facing the Adriatic. Several family wineries in the villages of Kuna and Orebić welcome visitors for tastings by appointment. The peninsula's main town, Ston, is famous for its medieval wall (the longest continuous fortification system in Europe after the Great Wall of China — some 5.5 kilometres in total, connecting the town of Ston to the village of Mali Ston on the opposite side of the bay), and for its oyster and mussel farms, which produce some of the finest shellfish in the Mediterranean. The Mali Ston bay is calm and shallow, and the oysters are served fresh at waterfront restaurants with nothing more than a squeeze of lemon and a glass of local white wine.
• Mount Srđ & Panorama: Above Dubrovnik, the hill of Mount Srđ (offering a commanding view over the Old City and the Adriatic) can be reached by a cable car from the button station near the Old Town. The upper station sits at 415 metres and on a clear day the view extends to the islands of Korčula and Mljet and, to the south, the coastline of Montenegro. The hill was the site of a fierce battle during the 1991–95 Croatian War of Independence, and the Fort Imperial (built by Napoleon in 1808 and now a museum) still bears the scars. At the top, a restaurant and café provide refreshments, and the surrounding hillside is popular with hikers. Alternatively, you can walk up from the Old City through the Dubrovnik Solidarity Park (Park prijateljstva) — a pleasant 45-minute uphill walk through pine forest. The cable car operates daily from 9 AM to 9 PM (later in summer); tickets are around €18 for adults.
• Island Hopping: The islands of the Dubrovnik archipelago are some of the most beautiful in the Adriatic, and several are easily reachable on day trips. Korčula Island, about two and a half hours by ferry from Dubrovnik, is the legendary birthplace of Marco Polo and has one of the most perfectly preserved medieval old towns in Europe — a compact, fortified Venetian-style town built on a narrow promontory, surrounded on three sides by the sea. The island is also famous for its wine (the local pošip and grk white wines are excellent) and for its moreška, a traditional sword dance performed in the main square in summer. Mljet Island, about three hours by ferry, is the most forested island in the Adriatic — two-thirds of the island is a national park, and the island's salt lakes, Veliko jezero and Malo jezero, are an extraordinary natural wonder. Hvar Island, reachable by fast ferry in about five hours, is the most glamorous of the Dalmatian islands, with a buzzing summer nightlife scene, an elegant Venetian-era town, and a landscape of lavender fields and vineyards that has inspired artists for centuries.

Sample 3-Day Itinerary

Dubrovnik rewards slow travel more than it rewards a packed itinerary. Three days is enough to explore the Old City thoroughly, visit the surrounding region, and experience the city's evening culture — but only if you resist the temptation to see everything at once.

Day 1: Old City Deep Dive

• Morning: Start early and walk the city walls before 8:30 AM — the light is flat and beautiful, the cruise groups have not yet arrived, and you can complete the circuit in relative tranquility. Take your time at the Lovrijenac Fortress section, which is the most dramatic. After the walls, visit the Rector's Palace and the Cathedral of the Assumption — both open by 9 AM. Then explore the side streets off the Stradun, including the Jesuit Church of St. Ignatius and the narrow Prija passage.
• Afternoon: Take the ferry to Lokrum Island for a swim and a light lunch at the island restaurant. Return to the city by mid-afternoon and explore the Museum of Modern Art (inside the Fort St. Lawrence) or the Maritime Museum in the Fortress of St. Lawrence complex, both of which are often overlooked by casual tourists and both of which offer genuine insight into the city's history. As the afternoon light softens, walk to the top of the Stradun and find a café terrace for an espresso and some people-watching.
• Evening: Have dinner at Azur or one of the excellent konobas outside the walls in the Gruz neighbourhood — the seafood is better and the prices are more honest than in the tourist zone. After dinner, walk to the Buža Bar, the famous cliffside bar on the outer walls that was literally carved into the rock face in the 1950s and offers extraordinary views over the Adriatic as the sun sets. If you still have energy, catch a live music performance at the Dubrovnik Summer Festival venue, if your visit coincides with the July–August festival period.

Day 2: Mountains, Vineyards & Coast

• Morning: Take the cable car to the top of Mount Srđ for panoramic views over the city and the archipelago. Return to the city and drive (or take a taxi) to the Konavle Valley south of Dubrovnik — a beautiful landscape of vineyards, stone villages, and limestone cliffs. Stop at the village of Čilipi, famous for its Sunday morning folklore performances, and visit the Konavle wineries for a tasting of local Pošip and Grk wines.
• Afternoon: Continue north along the coastal road to the Pelješac Peninsula and the town of Ston. Walk a section of the Ston walls (the eastern section from Ston to Mali Ston is the most rewarding) and have a seafood lunch at one of the waterfront restaurants in Mali Ston, where the oysters are served fresh from the farms in the bay. Allow time to buy a bag of fresh oysters to take home — they are among the best in Europe and surprisingly inexpensive.
• Evening: Return to Dubrovnik and have dinner in the Lapad neighbourhood — the restaurants on the Lapad promenade have a more local feel than those in the Old City and offer good grdobina (turbot), zubatac (dentex), and local shellfish. The sunset from the Lapad promenade, looking west across the harbour toward the mainland, is one of the most photographed scenes in the city.

Day 3: Island Hopping & Relaxation

• Morning: Take the early ferry to Korčula Island (around 2.5 hours). Arrive by mid-morning and explore the Old Town of Korčula — the compact, fortified Venetian town is often cited as one of the best-preserved medieval towns in the Adriatic. Visit the Marko Polo House (allegedly the birthplace of the explorer, though historians debate the precise location), the Cathedral of St. Mark, and the Art Collection of the Abbey. Have a coffee in the main square, watching the local life of the town unfold.
• Afternoon: Take the afternoon ferry from Korčula back to Dubrovnik (or continue to Hvar if you prefer — allow five hours total for the round trip and factor in the different ferry schedules). Back in Dubrovnik by late afternoon, walk to the Gundulićeva Market for a final exploration of local produce, then find a quiet café on the Stradun for a last evening in the Old City.
• Evening: On your final night, splurge on dinner at 360° Dubrovnik for the terrace views alone, even if the food is less adventurous than some competitors. Alternatively, find a table at one of the harbour-front restaurants in Gruz for a more grounded, local experience. Finish the evening with a nightcap at the Cave Bar More, a remarkable bar inside a natural cave in the Babin Kuk resort area — one of the most atmospheric drinking spots on the Adriatic coast.

Getting There & Getting Around

By Air: Dubrovnik's Franjo Tuđman Airport (DBV) is located about 21 kilometres south of the city near Čilipi. It is a seasonal hub during the summer months (May–October), with direct connections to most major European cities, as well as some year-round routes to London, Paris, Frankfurt, and other capitals. From the airport to the city, the most reliable option is the Atlas Airport Bus (operated by Atlas) which departs roughly every 30 minutes and costs around €8–€10, with a journey time of approximately 35–45 minutes depending on traffic. Taxis from the airport to the Old City cost approximately €40–€55 and can be booked in advance or taken from the official taxi stand outside the terminal. There is no Uber in Dubrovnik, but local taxi apps are available. For those renting a car, the drive from the airport to the city takes about 30 minutes via the main coastal road (D8).

By Sea: Dubrovnik's Port of Gruz, about three kilometres north of the Old City, is the main ferry terminal for the Dalmatian islands and the hub for the Jadrolinija ferry network. Ferries depart daily for Korčula, Hvar, Vis, and Mljet, with reduced services in the winter months. Tickets can be purchased at the port or online via the Jadrolinija website. The Taxi Boat service from the Old City port to Lokrum Island and several nearby beaches runs throughout the day in summer (approximately every 30 minutes, around €8–€12 one way). Kayak tours of the city walls and the coastline around the Lokrum channel are also available through several local operators.

Getting Around the City: The Old City of Dubrovnik is almost entirely pedestrianised and is best explored on foot — its narrow lanes and steep stairs make it difficult for vehicles and genuinely liberating for walkers. The city is compact: you can walk from one end to the other in about 15 minutes, and most sites of interest are within that range. For travel beyond the Old City walls, Dubrovnik has an extensive bus network operated by Libertas, with routes covering the Lapad peninsula, the Gruz port area, the Babin Kuk resort area, and the surrounding suburbs. A single ticket costs around €1.35; a day pass is approximately €4. A useful route for visitors is Bus 6, which runs from the Old City (near the Ploče Gate) along the Lapad peninsula to the Babin Kuk area. Taxis are available throughout the city and can be booked by phone or via a local app; they are metered and relatively inexpensive by European standards. For exploring the surrounding region (Pelješac Peninsula, Konavle Valley, Montenegro), renting a car is strongly recommended — the roads are good and driving in this part of Croatia is straightforward, though parking in Dubrovnik itself can be challenging and expensive.

Travel Tips & Practical Info

• Best time to visit: The shoulder seasons of May–June and September–October are the best times to visit Dubrovnik. May brings warm temperatures (20–26°C), blooming flora, and manageable tourist numbers. June sees more visitors but also longer days and the start of the summer festival programme. September is arguably the best single month: the sea is still warm from the summer, hotel prices have dropped from their July–August peaks, and the cruise ships begin to reduce their calls. July and August are peak season and the city receives a very high volume of day-trippers from cruise ships — the Old City can feel overwhelmed, and accommodation prices reach their annual highs. If you must visit in summer, arrive early in the morning or after 4 PM to enjoy the city when the day-trippers have departed. Winter (November–March) is quiet and atmospheric, with many restaurants and attractions reduced to winter hours or closed entirely — but the city in December, decorated for Christmas, has a magic of its own, and hotel prices fall dramatically.
• Cost: Dubrovnik is the most expensive city in Croatia and one of the pricier destinations in Southeast Europe — partly due to the euro currency, partly due to the high volume of tourism. A modest day budget (mid-range accommodation outside the Old City, breakfast at a café, lunch at a market or casual konoba, dinner at a mid-range restaurant, local transport) runs to around €110–€150 per person per day. Budget travellers can get by on €60–€80 per day staying in hostels, eating at konobas and markets, and limiting paid attractions. Luxury travellers should budget €250+ per day, particularly if dining at the fine dining restaurants, where a three-course dinner without wine runs to €80–€140 per person. Accommodation inside the Old City walls commands a significant premium over equivalent properties outside the walls — a modest apartment inside the walls can cost as much as a comfortable hotel room outside them.
• Language: The official language of Dubrovnik and Croatia is Croatian, a South Slavic language that is also mutually intelligible with Serbian and Bosnian to varying degrees. In tourist areas, English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants, and shops. German is also commonly spoken, particularly among older Croatians who grew up during the Yugoslav era. Useful Croatian phrases: dobar dan (good day / hello), hvala (thank you), molim (please / you're welcome), da (yes), ne (no), koliko košta? (how much does it cost?), and gde je…? or gdje je…? (where is…?). A few words of Croatian — or even just an attempt at pronunciation — will be warmly received and will significantly improve the quality of service in more traditional establishments.
• Tipping: Tipping in Dubrovnik is customary but not obligatory in tourist restaurants — leave 5–10% for good service in restaurants, or simply round up the bill. In traditional konobas, tipping is less common and rounding up is sufficient. For taxi drivers, rounding up to the nearest euro is normal. Tour guides and hotel porters typically receive around €2–€5. Unlike North America, there is no strong tipping culture in Croatia and you will not cause offence by omitting to tip if service was merely adequate.
• What to pack: Dubrovnik's karst limestone streets are beautiful but can be slippery when wet and can be hard on inadequate footwear — bring sturdy, non-slip walking shoes, particularly if you plan to walk the city walls or explore the surrounding hillside. In summer, lightweight clothing, high-SPF sunscreen, a wide-brimmed hat, and a reusable water bottle are essential — the city can be intensely hot (30–35°C in July and August) and shade is limited inside the Old City. In spring and autumn, bring layers — the evenings can be cool, particularly on the seafront and on the island ferries. A light waterproof jacket is useful in all seasons. A universal power adaptor (Type F/C, two-pin) is needed for Croatia's sockets. If you plan to swim off the Lokrum island or at the city beaches, bring aqua shoes — the rocky Adriatic seabed can be abrasive.
• Safety: Dubrovnik is a generally safe city for travellers, with violent crime rare. The main concern is petty theft — pickpocketing on crowded streets, in markets, and on the public buses, particularly in summer when the city is at its most crowded. The steep stairs and uneven surfaces in the Old City can be hazardous after dark if you have been drinking. The beaches and swimming areas are generally safe, though you should take care on the rocky Adriatic seabed and be aware of boat traffic in the Lokrum channel. The sea can have strong currents in some areas — pay attention to local advice and any warning signs. Emergency services in Croatia are reached by dialling 112; for police, dial 192; for ambulance, dial 194.

Where to Next?

Dubrovnik is the southernmost point of Croatia's celebrated Dalmatian coast, and continuing north along the shoreline opens up one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the Mediterranean. Split, Croatia's second-largest city, is a four-to-five hour drive or bus journey north along the spectacular D8 coastal road — a city built around the Diocletian's Palace, a Roman retirement home that has been continuously inhabited for 1,700 years, making it one of the oldest living cities in the world. Further north, Hvar Town sits on one of the sunniest islands in the Adriatic and serves as the glamorous heart of the Dalmatian island-hopping circuit, with a medieval town square, a fashionable beach club scene, and some of the best wine in the country produced from the vineyards that surround the town.