dubrovnik_old_town

dubrovnik

About dubrovnik

Dubrovnik is a city in southern Croatia fronting the Adriatic Sea. It's known for its distinctive Old Town, encircled with massive stone walls completed in the 16th century. Its well-preserved buildings range from baroque St. Blaise Church to Renaissance Sponza Palace and Gothic Rector’s Palace, now a history museum. Paved with limestone, the pedestrianized Stradun (or Placa) is lined with shops and restaurants.

what is it famous for?

The ancient city of Dubrovnik is on Croatia's stunning Dalmatian Coast and is a jewel in the azure Adriatic Sea. With mesmerising medieval architecture, quaint limestone streets and distinctive terracotta rooftops, it's no wonder that so many people instantly fall for its charms.

Dubrovnik is famously known for featuring in the hit TV series, “Game of Thrones” where the scenes set in “Kings Landing” were filmed.

  • Hotels

  • Restaurants

  • Attractions

  • Nightlife

© Ben Lowes, Dubrovnik, Croatia

© Ben Lowes, Dubrovnik, Croatia

when to visit

The best time to visit Dubrovnik is September and October, when temperatures aren't stifling hot yet most of the cruise ships have abandoned the port. The water remains warm for these two months, so it's a great time to dip into the sea rather than your savings and avoid the usual holiday crowds.

© Ben Lowes, Dubrovnik, Croatia

© Ben Lowes, Dubrovnik, Croatia

TOP 5 HOTELS IN dubrovnik

Dubrovnik has 5 main neighbourhoods. The Old Town is the main tourist attraction, whereas Lapad and Babin Kuk are known for wide-open spaces and lots of great beaches. Pile and Ploce are closest to the Old Town and are actually names of the historic entrance gates. Gruž is Dubrovnik's main harbour. Depending on how you wish to spend your trip, it may be a good idea to bear this in mind.

Apart from the mainstream hotels, there are lots of cute, romantic privately run residences for you & your family to enjoy. You can find these by searching websites such as booking.com and Air BnB.

1 hilton imperial dubrovnik

© YouTube, Hilton Imperial, Dubrovnik

© YouTube, Hilton Imperial, Dubrovnik

Located on the doorstep of Dubrovnik’s Old Town, Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik offers stunning views over the medieval Old Town and Adriatic Sea. It features a great range of facilities and services for a comfortable stay. Set in a historic building built in 1895 and private villa built in 1913, the hotel is only meters from Pile Gate so you can explore the fortified walls or even arrange a guided tour with ease.

3 royal blue hotel

2 villa malo more

© Booking.com, Villa Malo More, Dubrovnik

© Booking.com, Villa Malo More, Dubrovnik

If you are looking for a luxury villa that you will fall in love with, then Villa Malo More will be your perfect match. It is situated in Dubrovnik, in Lapad Bay, surrounded by lush Mediterranean vegetation, overlooking the sea, the greenery of the Petka hill and the eternal Grebeni islets. Imagine waking up every morning with boasting blue views of the bay and taking a dip in the infinity swimming pool. Spend long, lazy days around the stunning swimming pool and enjoy the magical Adriatic sunsets.

© Jet2Holidays, Royal Blue Hotel, Dubrovnik

© Jet2Holidays, Royal Blue Hotel, Dubrovnik

Royal Blue Hotel is the latest gem within the Royal luxury group of hotels. Located steps away from the Adriatic Sea, it lays next to the beautiful beach boardwalk connecting it with Lapad Bay and the old town of Dubrovnik.

Its ideal seafront location and lavish amenities make this property an excellent choice for luxury travel. Beautifully decorated and equipped with high end facilities, hotel features spacious rooms, complimentary full breakfast and free Wi-Fi throughout the property.

5 hotel dubrovnik palace

4 villa orabelle

© Booking.com, Villa Orabelle, Dubrovnik

© Booking.com, Villa Orabelle, Dubrovnik

Soak up the sun on the rooftop terrace with spectacular panoramic views at Villa Orabelle. Ease into your day with a breakfast buffet on the villa’s terrace. Perched on a steep cliff overlooking the Adriatic Sea and surrounded by a unique natural environment, Villa Orabelle is only a 20-minute walk from Dubrovnik’s Old Town. En route to the Old Town, you will pass Boninovo with breathtaking views over the sea all the way to the Pile Gate.

© Hotel Dubrovnik Palace, Dubrovnik

Hotel Dubrovnik Palace nestles on the scenic seafront between a pine forest and the turquoise coastal waters of the lush Lapad peninsula. Just a few minutes’ drive north west of medieval Dubrovnik Old Town, the stunning location offers phenomenal photo opportunities of the Elafiti Islands from every direction. Its contemporary luxury resort has direct access to a quiet and peaceful beach, two outdoor pools plus a third indoor pool.

© Ben Lowes, Dubrovnik

© Ben Lowes, Dubrovnik

TOP 5 RESTAURANTS IN dubrovnik

There are hundreds of restaurants to choose from in Dubrovnik, and over the years the quality and variety has improved as it has slowly become an international tourist destination. Dubrovnik restaurants range from casual to dressy, cheap to expensive - and everything in between.

1 Dubravka 1836 Restaurant & Cafe

© Nautika Restaurants, Dubravka 1836, Dubrovnik

© Nautika Restaurants, Dubravka 1836, Dubrovnik

Directly by the west entrance to the Old City centre, in a unique location that offers stunning views of the fortresses Lovrijenac, Bokar and Minčeta, under the tree tops of centennial plane trees, there is Dubravka Restaurant & Café, founded in 1836.

3 Villa Ruža

2 gustaMe

© GustaMe, Dubrovnik

© GustaMe, Dubrovnik

GustaME is a family run restaurant making great food for generations. The location of this restaurant comes with prestigious hospitality pedigree and they work hard to honour Croatian heritage at the same time, to bring their own modern flavors & food making techniques to your table. Enjoy amazing food in a fantastic location with views of the Old Town and the Adriatic sea.


© Villa Ruža, Dubrovnik

© Villa Ruža, Dubrovnik

Sip your favourite cocktail in the shadow of a one hundred year laurel tree in the most relaxing atmosphere you can imagine. This stylish and sophisticated lounge bar, Villa Ruza Old City Bistro, serves Mediterranean cuisine and their amazing dishes are prepared in a modern yet unique way by a young chef who developed his skills and creativity working with Michelin Star chefs as well as gaining experience working as chef on yachts around the Mediterranean.

5 lokanda-Peskarija

4 nishta

© TripAdvisor, Dubrovnik

© TripAdvisor, Dubrovnik

Nishta is Dubrovnik's vegetarian and vegan restaurant located in the heart of historic Dubrovnik Old Town. They serve vegan, raw, and gluten-free gourmet dishes inspired by world cuisine and freshly prepared from best ingredients. Their menu includes 100% vegan and raw dishes and you can check out their daily menus to find your perfect meal.

© Lokanda-Peskarija, Dubrovnik

© Lokanda-Peskarija, Dubrovnik

Restaurant Lokanda Peskarija is nested under the city walls of Dubrovnik in the picturesque ambience of the old city harbour. From its terrace you can enjoy magnificent view of the St. John's fortress. The spacious terrace comes alive with the first rays of the sun and attracts many visitors whose murmurs become one with the humming of the sea.

© Ben Lowes, Old Town, Dubrovnik

© Ben Lowes, Old Town, Dubrovnik

TOP 5 ATTRACTIONS IN dubrovnik

When visiting Dubrovnik you simply have to explore every nook and cranny of the city’s world-famous Old Town. Here, you can feel the world beneath your feet as you walk along the top of the city’s walls and climb the perimeter towers.

Dubrovnik’s Old Town is also featured in the hit TV show “Game of Thrones” with scenes from “Kings Landing” being filmed here. Fans flock from all corners of the globe to visit “Qarth” and the gardens of the “Red Keep” in real life.

1 Old Town

© YouTube, Old Town, Dubrovnik

© YouTube, Old Town, Dubrovnik

Jutting out into the Adriatic Sea with a backdrop of rugged limestone mountains, Dubrovnik Old Town is known as one of the world’s finest and most perfectly preserved medieval cities in the world. For centuries, Dubrovnik rivalled Venice as a trading port, with its huge sturdy stone walls, built between the 11th and 17th centuries, affording protection to this former city-state.

Today, these walls still enclose Dubrovnik’s historic centre and it is possible to walk along them to enjoy the best views of the ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’ and the surrounding lush green islands. Dubrovnik’s Baroque churches, monasteries and palaces; its Renaissance fountains and facades, are all intertwined with gleaming wide marble-paved squares, steep cobbled streets and houses, all of which have also remained unchanged for centuries.

3 cable car

2 game of thrones tour

© DubrovnikOnline.net, Game of Thrones Tour

© DubrovnikOnline.net, Game of Thrones Tour

If you are a Game of Thrones Fan Dubrovnik has the ultimate walking tour options for you. Explore Game of Thrones film sites in and around Old Town Dubrovnik featuring real-life attractions and beautiful spots used for some of the television show’s King’s Landing fictional locations around Dubrovnik Old City.

The Game Of Thrones Driving Tour or Game Of Thrones Boat Tours take you to filming locations out of Dubrovnik or to the Iron Throne Room on island Lokrum.

© Ben Lowes, Cable Car, Dubrovnik

© Ben Lowes, Cable Car, Dubrovnik

Be amazed with the breathtaking views of the Old City of Dubrovnik, the crystal clear Adriatic Sea, and the numerous islands when you experience the Dubrovnik Cable Car. Have a drink, snack or a meal at the snack bar or in the restaurant overlooking the Old City. Go on an adventurous ride with the Buggy Safari tour. Visit the souvenir shop, the Ohrid pearl shop or the coin blacksmithing shop and take something home to remind you of your trip.

5 st john’s fortress

4 dubrovnik cathedral

© ArrivalGuides, Dubrovnik Cathedral, Croatia

© ArrivalGuides, Dubrovnik Cathedral, Croatia

Dubrovnik’s cathedral was built on the site of several former cathedrals, including 7th, 10th and 11th century buildings, and their 12th century successor, in the Romanesque style. The money to build the basilica was partially contributed by the English King Richard the Lion Heart, as a votive for having survived a shipwreck near the island of Lokrum in 1192 on his return from the Third Crusade.

© TripAdvisor, St John’s Fortress, Dubrovnik

© TripAdvisor, St John’s Fortress, Dubrovnik

One of the key forts in the Dubrovnik City walls defence complex is most certainly the Fortress of St. John, often called Mulo tower. It is a complex monumental fortress located on the south-eastern side of the old city port, controlling and protecting the entrance of the port. The fort was built as a consequence of many upgrades of the port defence system.

© Telegraph, Dubrovnik Old Town, Croatia

© Telegraph, Dubrovnik Old Town, Croatia

TOP 5 NIGHTLIFE SPOTS IN dubrovnik

Dubrovnik has developed an exciting array of nightlife in recent years from alternative music to sedate cocktails by the sea. Venues in and around the Old Town are humming all year-round with tourists filling the seats in season and locals flocking in from November to March. The further away from the Old Town you go, the more you'll find locals enjoying the slightly less-expensive drinks.

1 beach bar dodo

© CultureTrip, Beach Bar Dodo, Croatia

© CultureTrip, Beach Bar Dodo, Croatia

Away from crowds and noise, overlooking the sea, cliffs and the sky this great beach bar is situated in Sulic beach, just a few minutes walk from the heart of the Old Town. Beach Bar Dodo is well-renowned in Dubrovnik for its outstanding selection of cocktails.

3 cave bar more

2 banje beach

© InYourPocket.com, Banje Beach, Croatia

© InYourPocket.com, Banje Beach, Croatia

Occupying a lovely beach side location, guests travel by land and sea to get to Banje – there’s even a private pier to anchor your dingy, boat or yacht. During the day, this is a superb, seafood-orientated restaurant with a decent repertoire of Dalmatian and Mediterranean dishes. Ingredients are supplied from local producers and fish markets, and they take pride in their carefully curated wine-list.
By night, Banje Beach transforms into a beach side nightclub as a perfect spot to dance the night away...

© CroatiaWeek, Cave Bar More, Croatia

© CroatiaWeek, Cave Bar More, Croatia

Cave bar is a place where you can have the best morning coffee, spend the afternoon sipping cocktails, or finish the day with a glass of the finest champagne or cognac. Take beach break and enjoy light lunch from the Cave bar summer lunch menu. Visit the unique natural cave and enjoy in ideal summer drink while listening to the murmur of the sea and watching the gulls soaring the sky.

5 bikers caffe

4 d’vino wine bar

© D’Vino, Dubrovnik

© D’Vino, Dubrovnik

Located in the heart of Dubrovnik Old Town, D'vino has an impressive selection of fine domestic and imported wine available by the glass, bottle, and in tasting servings. D’Vino has the largest selection of over 60 wines by the glass in Dubrovnik. The diverse collection includes wines from all over the world including France, Italy, Spain, Australia, Chile, and of course Croatia.

© Bikers Caffe, Dubrovnik

© Bikers Caffe, Dubrovnik

If you’re crazy about motorbikes, the Bikers' Café is the place for you! This bar is a favourite hangout for the Dubrovnik biker club Liberta, as well as for other local petrol-heads, who come to recharge with a beer or a soda, to a rock ‘n’ roll soundtrack. The atmosphere is so friendly that it’s almost like one big family, and everyone chats to each other.