Best Things to Do in Dubrovnik, Croatia

Just a short stroll from Ploče Gate, Banje Beach is the city’s go to spot for a dip with a view. Sure, it gets busy, but sipping a drink at the beach bar while gazing back at Dubrovnik’s Old Town makes it totally worth it.

If you want to splash out, you can even rent a sunbed and spend the whole afternoon here. Stick around until evening, when the lights of the Old Town reflect across the water, it’s pure magic.

Just a 10 minute walk from Ploče Gate, Banje Beach is the easiest to reach. Yes, it can get crowded, but it has a beach bar, restaurant, and amazing views of the Old Town. Great for a quick swim.

This one’s an adventure. Pasjača Beach is about 30km south of Dubrovnik and takes some planning (we hired a car for the day).

After a steep hike down, you’ll find one of the most spectacular beaches I’ve ever seen, turquoise water framed by cliffs.

Bring everything you need (snacks, drinks) because there are no facilities. On the same trip, we stopped at Cavtat and Orašać, both worth visiting.

Don’t let the name fool you, it’s not a buffet. Buffet Kamenice is the place to try mussels, oysters, and fresh seafood at local prices. Simple, fresh, and delicious.

Tucked away just off Stradun, Lucin Kantun is one of those little gems you want to keep secret. The seafood pasta is incredible, and the setting feels intimate and cozy.

Gelato is a must in Dubrovnik. My two favourites:

• Gelateria Dubrovnik – one of the oldest shops, serving traditional classics.
• Aroma Gelato – creamy, smooth, and a huge selection of flavours.

Exploring Dubrovnik by night feels like stepping into another world, quiet cobblestone streets, glowing lanterns, and centuries of history around every corner. The Dubrovnik Old Town: Night Tour with History, Wine & Bites is the perfect mix of storytelling and indulgence, with local wine and tasty bites making the history lessons even sweeter.

Tucked right into the cliffs, these bars are some of the most unforgettable spots in Dubrovnik. Come for a cold drink, linger for the sunset, and watch as brave locals (and a few tourists) leap into the sea below.

Finding them is half the fun: climb the Jesuit Stairs, take the first alleyway on the left, and follow the path until you spot a sign reading Cold Drinks.

Keep climbing the steps along the city wall, look for the little hole in the stone, and you’ll know you’re in the right place, the bar will be waiting just beyond.

A rooftop bar perfect for sunset with reasonably priced drinks, a rare combo in Dubrovnik.  Try and get there before 6pm.  They also have a great happy hour between 12pm – 6pm. 

One of my favourite bars in Dubrovnik is in lapad, it’s called Cave Bar More it’s so funky and atmospheric! It’s not the cheapest place the drink but it’s definitely worth popping in for a couple of cocktails. 

Choosing the right base in Dubrovnik is like finding the perfect beach spot – it sets the tone for your whole trip.

We love staying inside the Old Town walls, it’s atmospheric, walkable, and you feel like you’re living in a medieval movie set.

But Dubrovnik isn’t huge, so if you prefer a quieter stay (and a little more space), look just outside the walls in areas like Ploče or Lapad. You’ll often get better value and still be a short stroll or bus ride from the action.

A cosy studio might be fine for a weekend, but if you’re staying 5–7 days or longer, an apartment with a kitchen and washing machine is a game changer.

Being able to cook with fresh produce from the local market saves money and gives you a taste of everyday life.

Bonus points if your place has air conditioning, Dubrovnik summers can be sizzling. Pop on over to my post on my post 7 Best Vacation Apartment Rental Tips.

Reliable internet is a must, whether you’re sharing sunset photos from the city walls or streaming something after a long day of sightseeing.

If you’re slow travelling, find somewhere that feels like home, maybe with a balcony overlooking terracotta rooftops or the Adriatic. If you’re moving around more often, go for easy check-in, compact spaces, and convenient locations near the Old Town gates.

Recommendations on where to Stay here:

• Apartment Laus – The apartment is in a great location in downtown Old Town- it was 10 minute walking distance from almost all of our excursions. There are lots of great local restaurants as well.
• Apartments Eleganca– Apartments Eleganca is truly a fantastic place to stay! Located right in the heart of Dubrovnik’s Old Town, it couldn’t be more convenient, you’re just steps away from everything
• The Byron – We absolutely loved our studio, it was so stylish with lots of thoughtful touches. In a fabulous location in the Old Town.

Just 45 minutes by ferry from Dubrovnik’s Old Town harbour, Cavtat feels like the kind of place you come for the day but secretly wish you’d booked for longer.

The waterfront is lined with palm trees, little cafés, and restaurants where you can sit for hours watching boats drift in and out of the bay.

We spent the afternoon wandering its quiet streets, stumbling upon old churches and shady courtyards, and then settled in for sunset with a glass of wine by the water. It was simple, relaxed, and quickly became one of my favourite places in Croatia.

Only 20 minutes from Dubrovnik, Orašać is the kind of village that makes you want to slow down. We found a stretch of beach that felt almost private, the Adriatic so clear it seemed unreal.

After a swim, we lingered over a long lunch at a family-run konoba, where the food was rustic and full of flavour.

In the hills above, olive groves stretched as far as we could see, a reminder that this little place has been feeding families for centuries.

Orašać doesn’t need big sights, its charm is in its peace, and that was more than enough for us.

For less than €10, we hopped on a ferry from Dubrovnik and about an hour later found ourselves in Ston.

The first thing that struck me was the sheer scale of its medieval wall, stretching across the hills like a stone dragon, it’s the second largest in the world, and walking a section of it felt like stepping back through centuries of history.

Just down the road, in Mali Ston, we sat by the water tasting oysters so fresh they’d been pulled from the bay only minutes earlier. Before leaving, we wandered through the old salt pans, still in use after hundreds of years.

It was one of those days where history, food, and scenery all came together perfectly. If you want to experience it too, I highly recommend the Mali Ston Oyster Farm & Boat Experience, it’s the tastiest way to connect with local tradition.

Just a short ferry ride from Dubrovnik’s Old Port, Lokrum Island felt like an instant escape. As soon as we stepped off the boat, the air was filled with the scent of pine, and peacocks strutted lazily through the trees as if they owned the place.

We spent the morning wandering through shaded paths (trying not to get sunburnt) that led to rocky coves, where the sea shimmered in every shade of blue. A swim here felt like a secret luxury, far from the crowds of the Old Town.

Later, we explored the crumbling monastery ruins, imagining the lives that once filled these walls, before finding the perfect spot on the rocks to stretch out and watch the waves.

Lokrum wasn’t just a day trip, it felt like a deep breath in the middle of a busy holiday. If your looking for a good tour try Dubrovnik: Lokrum Island Hike and Boat Tour.

Crossing into Montenegro for a day trip, Kotor was like stepping into another world, yet still tied to the Adriatic spirit of Dubrovnik.

The drive along the bay alone was worth the journey, mountains rising straight from the water, villages clinging to the shoreline, and the kind of views that make you want to stop every five minutes.

Inside Kotor’s fortified walls, we wandered cobbled alleys, ducked into little squares filled with cafés, and climbed partway up the fortress for that famous view of the bay.

It had the same old world magic as Dubrovnik but felt quieter, more intimate, like a secret waiting to be shared. Make life easy From Dubrovnik: Montenegro Boat Tour from Perast to Kotor

The day we went to Mostar, it felt like we’d crossed not just a border but into a whole different rhythm of life.

The old Ottoman bridge arched gracefully over the Neretva River, and we stood with the crowd, holding our breath as a local diver plunged into the turquoise water below.

The bazaar was alive with the scent of grilled meats and the sound of copper being hammered into souvenirs, while little shops overflowed with colourful fabrics and trinkets.

Just outside town, waterfalls tumbled into emerald pools where we cooled off with a swim. Mostar was vibrant, layered with history, and full of contrasts, a day trip that left us buzzing long after we’d returned to Dubrovnik.

Make life easy and have a look at the guided tour From Dubrovnik: Mostar and Kravica Waterfall Day Trip.

Sailing out from Dubrovnik’s harbor, we felt the pace instantly slow as the boat carried us toward the Elaphite Islands.

Each stop felt like stepping into a postcard: Koločep, with its pine forests and hidden coves perfect for a quick swim; Šipan, the largest of the three, where we wandered past vineyards and stone houses that seemed frozen in time; and Lopud, where the sandy beach at Šunj invited us to kick off our shoes and stay awhile.

Between swims, long lunches of grilled fish, and glasses of chilled local wine, the day blurred into one long, sun-soaked memory, the kind of excursion that makes you wish the boat would never turn back to shore.

If you want to experience it for yourself, check out this Elaphite Islands Cruise with Lunch and Drinks, it’s the perfect way to explore all three in a single day.

Dubrovnik really is a dream destination, whether you’re here for a weekend or a whole week. For us, the joy came from mixing the “big sights”, walking the walls, exploring the Old Town, with the slower moments: morning coffee at the same café, chatting with market vendors, or sipping wine at a cliffside bar as the sun melted into the Adriatic.

Take your time here if you can. Dubrovnik rewards the slow traveler.