Things to do in Dubrovnik
Old Town mornings, island days, and Lapad evenings at prices that make sense.
This is Dubrovnik for people who want the real thing without paying Stradun restaurant prices for it. You will spend mornings in the Old Town before the cruise crowds settle in, give a full day to the Elaphiti Islands, and wind down in Lapad and Babin Kuk where locals actually eat and drink. It suits a traveller who wants one rooftop dinner and one proper cocktail, and spends the rest of the budget on good food at fair prices.
Day 1: Old Town, port to cliff
Start with a quick coffee on Stradun before the day heats up, move through a 700-year-old pharmacy and a sobering photo gallery, then finish on a rooftop and a sea-wall bar.
- 9:30 AM
GreenGo Juices Smoothies & Coffee to go
Quick, cheap coffee to go right in the Old Town before the crowds hit Stradun.
Map - 10:15 AM
Franciscan Monastery and Old Pharmacy
Founded in 1317, one of Europe's oldest working pharmacies, off a quiet Romanesque cloister by Pile Gate.
Map - 12:30 PM
Lokanda Peskarija
Black risotto and mussels on the Old Port harbour terrace at fairer-than-Stradun prices, classic casual Dubrovnik lunch.
Map - 2:15 PM
War Photo Limited
Powerful small gallery of conflict photojournalism covering the 1991 to 92 siege of Dubrovnik, raw, relevant, deeply moving.
Map - 7:30 PM
Above 5
Old Town rooftop with shared plates and wine, the memorable mid-range dinner without the stiff formality of 360 or Nautika.
Map - 9:30 PM
Buža Bar
Cliff-side Buža Bar cut into the sea-wall with cold drinks, locals, and the Adriatic below, the proper Old Town send-off.
Map
Day 2: Elaphiti Islands, all day
Coffee at the Gruž market by the boats, a full island hop across Koločep, Lopud and Šipan, then back to Lapad for Pantarul's seasonal Croatian dinner and a drink in a cliff cave.
- 9:30 AM
- 10:30 AM
Elaphiti Islands boat day
Full day hopping Koločep, Lopud and Šipan; swim at sandy Šunj on Lopud and walk up to its monastery.
Map - 7:30 PM
Pantarul
Seasonal modern Croatian with homemade pasta and Konavle produce, the locals' go-to for a memorable dinner without going over the top.
Map - 9:30 PM
Cave Bar More
A bar inside a natural cave under Hotel More, with a terrace right on the water; order a spritz.
Map
Day 3: Lapad and Babin Kuk on foot
Two short coastal hikes bookend a low-key lunch and an octopus dinner at a harbour konoba that has nothing to prove to tourists.
- 10:30 AM
Babin kuk
Short hike up the Babin Kuk summit for panoramic views over the Lapad peninsula and Elafiti islands, a proper local morning outing.
Map - 12:30 PM
Asia restaurant Dubrovnik
Easy Asian lunch in Babin Kuk between the two walks, for far less than anything on Stradun.
Map - 2:30 PM
Mala Petka
Pine-shaded path up Mala Petka for views over Lapad bay and out to the Elaphiti Islands.
Map - 7:30 PM
Fish Bar El Pulpo
The day's highlight: octopus and scallops at this beloved Lapad harbour konoba, well outside the tourist circuit and with fair prices for the quality.
Map - 9:30 PM
Zox Box
Small Old Town cocktail bar for the last drink of the trip; take the bus or a taxi back from Lapad.
Map
Where to stay
Hotel Lapad
Moderate price, Lapad harbour location puts you a short walk from Pantarul, El Pulpo and the boat dock for the islands.
Hotel Berkeley
Well-priced and positioned between Lapad and Gruž, with easy bus access to the Old Town and no resort surcharge.
Make Dubrovnik your trip
Swearby drafts the days from places people swear by. Swap any stop, then invite the crew by text, even friends without the app. Vote on dates, track costs as you go, and everyone gets one number at the end.
Get Swearby on the App StoreBefore you go
Book ahead
- Dubrovnik City Walls: weeks ahead
- Game of Thrones Walking Tour: a few days ahead
- Sea Kayaking Dubrovnik: a few days ahead
- Elaphiti Islands: a few days ahead
- Konavle: a few days ahead
- Mostar: a few days ahead
Skip these
- Game of Thrones screenshot tours, Iron Throne photo charges and themed Stradun menus at double the lane-behind price.
- Stradun-front restaurants with touts and photo menus: walk 50 metres into a side lane for better food at lower prices.
- Banje Beach lounger and beach-club packages are among the most inflated in Croatia: swim and go, or use Sveti Jakov.
- Walls at midday in summer: heat, glare, no shade and the slowest crowds at full price.
The full Dubrovnik travel guide: when to go, safety, getting around