Dubrovnik South Dalmatia
3
Day Itinerary •
Croatia
Three days in Dubrovnik and South Dalmatia take you to the most extraordinary walled city in Europe, the remarkable UNESCO old town of Dubrovnik with its 2km city walls giving the finest single heritage experience in Croatia. The remarkable Stradun, the extraordinary Dominican Monastery cloister and the fine Rector's Palace give the finest medieval city in the Adriatic. This route covers the essential Dubrovnik region. The extraordinary city walls circuit and the remarkable Stradun, the fine Lokrum island with its extraordinary botanical garden and Dead Sea lake, the remarkable Mount Srd cable car panorama and the extraordinary Trsteno Renaissance arboretum, and the remarkable Kotor UNESCO medieval city in Montenegro as a day trip.
Best Time To Visit
May to Jun and Sep to Oct. July to August very crowded and expensive.
Getting There
Fly to Dubrovnik Airport (DBV). Many direct European flights.
Getting Around
Old town walkable. Car for Trsteno, Kotor and wider region.
Budget Per Day
Approx EUR 130 to EUR 300 per person per day
Difficulity
Easy, walking and short drives
DAY 1
DUBROVNIK WALLS
MORNING
DUBROVNIK CITY WALLS WALK
The Dubrovnik City Walls are the most extraordinary medieval fortifications in Europe, the remarkable 2km circuit walk along the top of the walls giving the finest panorama over the extraordinary terracotta roofscape of the old town, the brilliant Adriatic and the Lokrum island beyond. The remarkable walls built from the 13th to 17th centuries and reaching 25 metres in height in places, the extraordinary Minceta Tower and the fine Bokar Fortress give the finest single heritage walk in Croatia. Entry approx EUR 35. Travel: 15 min walk
MIDDAY
STRADUN AND THE OLD TOWN
The Stradun is the most extraordinary main street in Croatia, the remarkable limestone-paved pedestrian boulevard of Dubrovnik's old town lined with the fine baroque facades of the 1667 earthquake rebuilt city, the extraordinary Onofrio's Fountain and the remarkable Sponza Palace giving the finest single street scene in the Adriatic. The fine Rector's Palace, the extraordinary Dominican Monastery with its remarkable Gothic cloister and the fine Cathedral Treasury are outstanding. Travel: 20 min boat
AFTERNOON
LOKRUM ISLAND AND FORT ROYAL
Lokrum island opposite Dubrovnik's old town is the most extraordinary nature island near any Croatian city, the remarkable 15-minute boat ride giving access to the extraordinary botanical garden of Richard the Lionheart legend, the fine medieval Benedictine monastery ruins, the extraordinary saltwater Dead Sea lake and the remarkable Fort Royal ruins with the finest panorama over Dubrovnik from the island. Boat and park entry approx EUR 21.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Dubrovnik Cable Car to Mount Srd above the old town gives the most extraordinary panorama in South Dalmatia, the remarkable view over the entire old town, the walls, the islands and the Adriatic horizon giving the finest single viewpoint of Dubrovnik. Cable car approx EUR 25 return. Most extraordinary at sunset.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe on the Stradun Outstanding morning coffee on the finest street in Croatia. | Lunch: Nishta, Dubrovnik Outstanding Dubrovnik restaurant. Local Dalmatian produce and wine. | Dinner: Proto, Dubrovnik Outstanding Dubrovnik fine dining since 1886. Local Adriatic fish.
DAY 2
OLD TOWN AND VIEWS
MORNING
DUBROVNIK OLD TOWN DEEP DIVE
Dubrovnik's extraordinary old town contains the finest concentration of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque monuments in any small city in the Mediterranean. The remarkable Rector's Palace of 1441, the extraordinary Dominican Monastery with its 15th-century cloister considered the finest in Dalmatia, the fine War Photo Limited gallery and the remarkable Church of St Blaise with its extraordinary gold reliquary of Dubrovnik's patron saint give the finest morning in the Pearl of the Adriatic. Travel: 30 min drive
MIDDAY
MOUNT SRD CABLE CAR AND FORT IMPERIAL
The cable car to Mount Srd above Dubrovnik gives the most extraordinary viewpoint in South Dalmatia, the remarkable 360-degree panorama over the entire old town, the Elaphiti Islands, the Peljesac Peninsula and the mountains of Bosnia and Herzegovina giving the finest single view in southern Croatia. The remarkable Fort Imperial with its extraordinary museum of the 1991 to 1995 Homeland War in Dubrovnik is outstanding. Cable car approx EUR 25 return. Travel: 30 min drive
AFTERNOON
TRSTENO ARBORETUM
Trsteno Arboretum north of Dubrovnik is the most extraordinary Renaissance garden in Croatia, the remarkable 15th-century garden of the Gucetic noble family with its extraordinary 500-year-old plane trees, the fine aqueduct and the remarkable nymphaeum fountain giving the finest heritage garden in Dalmatia. The extraordinary Game of Thrones filming location for the King's Landing gardens and the fine Adriatic view from the arboretum are outstanding. Entry approx EUR 7.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Dubrovnik Old Town small churches contain the most extraordinary hidden art in the city, the remarkable Church of the Annunciation and the fine Sigurata church with their extraordinary Byzantine and early Renaissance paintings visited by almost no tourists despite their proximity to the Stradun. Most free to enter. The finest hidden art in Dubrovnik.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe inside Dubrovnik old town Morning coffee in the extraordinary UNESCO old city. | Lunch: Restaurant at Mount Srd Outstanding panoramic lunch above the old town. | Dinner: Nautika, Dubrovnik Outstanding Dubrovnik fine dining on the city walls above the Adriatic.
DAY 3
KOTOR MONTENEGRO
MORNING
DRIVE TO KOTOR, MONTENEGRO
Kotor in Montenegro south of Dubrovnik is the most extraordinary medieval fortified city in the western Balkans and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the remarkable bay of Kotor surrounded by extraordinary limestone mountains and the fine medieval walled city at its head giving the finest single day trip from Dubrovnik. The remarkable drive along the Bay of Kotor is the most extraordinary coastal road in the region. Kotor is approximately 1.5 hours from Dubrovnik by car. Travel: 20 min walk
MIDDAY
KOTOR OLD TOWN AND CATHEDRAL
Kotor's extraordinary medieval old town within its remarkable intact Venetian walls contains the finest collection of Romanesque monuments in Montenegro, the extraordinary Cathedral of St Tryphon from 1166 with its remarkable carved reliefs, the fine Maritime Museum and the extraordinary narrow lanes and piazzas of the walled town giving the finest UNESCO heritage morning in the western Balkans. The remarkable walls climb to the hilltop fortress above. Cathedral entry approx EUR 3. Travel: 1.5 hour drive back
AFTERNOON
SAN GIOVANNI FORTRESS AND KOTOR VIEWS
The San Giovanni fortress above Kotor reached by the extraordinary 1,350 steps from the old town gives the most remarkable panorama over the Bay of Kotor, the remarkable view over the medieval town, the extraordinary bay enclosed by towering limestone mountains and the fine Adriatic horizon beyond giving the finest single viewpoint in Montenegro. The remarkable descent at golden hour gives the finest light on the bay.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
Our Lady of the Rocks island church in the Bay of Kotor near Perast is the most extraordinary man-made island in the Adriatic, a remarkable 17th-century island church built on stones thrown by sailors over generations with extraordinary ex-votos inside. Boat from Perast approx EUR 5. The finest hidden gem near Kotor.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe in Dubrovnik before departure Before the Kotor drive. | Lunch: Konoba Scala Santa, Kotor Outstanding Kotor konoba. Local Montenegrin seafood and wine. | Dinner: Restaurant in Dubrovnik on return Outstanding farewell South Dalmatia dinner.
DAY 4
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
DAY 5
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Where To Stay
Dubrovnik Old Town, Nights 1 to 3 Villa Orsula or Hotel Stari Grad. Old town or Pile Gate. Approx EUR 150 to EUR 500. Alternative Lapad or Babin Kuk areas for lower prices. Approx EUR 80 to EUR 200. Bus to old town.
Top Tips
1. Walk the Dubrovnik walls at 8am before crowds and heat. The walls close at 7pm in summer.
2. Book Dubrovnik wall tickets online at walls.hr. They sell out in July and August.
3. The Mount Srd cable car is most extraordinary at sunset. Last cable car is 30 minutes after sunset.
4. Kotor old town is best in the morning before cruise ships arrive. Leave Dubrovnik before 8am.
5. Lokrum island is closed November to March. The Dead Sea lake is open all day in summer.
6. Dubrovnik is extremely busy in July and August. May, June, September and October are far more pleasant.
Total Budget
Approx EUR 130 to EUR 300 per person per day