Dubrovnik is a beauty. Positioned overlooking the Adriatic sea you can see why it attracts tourists (and unfortunately lots of cruise ships) in droves. You don’t need to visit for long to fall under it’s spell and an extended weekend will definitely allow you to cover quite a bit of ground and the main sites. If you have longer then add on a trip to one of the islands or Kotor across the border in Montenegro.
Back to Dubrovnik – here are some of my favourite places to include in a visit:
Walk the City walls
Make sure you go early to avoid the tourists. We went around 9am (it opens at 8am during the Summer) and had the place to ourselves. Have your camera ready during your visit as there’s a photo worthy opportunity at ever corner. There’s also lots of notable monuments and buildings on route to look out for such as the Bokar Fortress which is one of the oldest of it’s kind in the world.
View from the City Walls overlooking the island of Lokrum in the distance
City wall views and the historic fortress of Lovrijenac
City Walls walking – amazing views!
Visit Buza bar
This bar is a must and many a guide book will tell you the same but it really is worth the hype. Buza means hole in the old Dubrovnik dialect and that’s exactly where you’ll find it, hidden away on the outside of the city walls overlooking the sea. It’s perfect for drinks at sunset after a day of strolling the streets.
Buza Bar sundowners
Sample the food at Azur
The food at Azur is local cuisine with an Asian twist and it’s highly recommended. The outside seating is small and you are pretty much sitting on one of the walkways but that’s part of the charm. Try the Crispy Skin Salmon and Seared Tuna.
Take the Cable Car
The view from the Cable Car is spectacular overlooking Dubrovnik and the islands further a field (on a clear day you can see for 60kms). We went just before sunset and then had a drink and dinner at Panorama located at the top. I’d definitely stay for a drink to see the sunset but next time I’d probably head back down for food as I loved the hustle and bustle of the streets in the Old Town at night.
View from the cable car
Wander the streets
The Placa (or Stradun if you want to impress the locals) is the main street in the Old Town. I know wandering the streets sounds pretty aimless but I think that’s part of the fun. Have a stroll and get lost in the side streets that lead off the Placa. You can’t go too wrong as they all lead back to this main walkway. Again I’d opt for the evening to explore properly (head to the city harbour in the day, you could even go for a swim if you are feeling adventurous).
Enjoy your trip!