Dubrovnik: 4 days in Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik sits in the south of Croatia on the Adriatic Sea. This beautiful walled old town is entirely pedestrianised and packed with cafes, bars and restaurants, as well as some gorgeous historic buildings you can spend hours exploring.

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Best time to visit:

Temperatures soar in the summer months and the cruise ships often dock throughout this period - a visit in September and October is best to explore in comfort with fewer crowds.

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Where to stay:

• Dubrovnik Old Town – the historical centre and most convenient place to stay near the bars and restaurants. It’s packed full of charming boutique hotels that are full of character.

• Pile – just outside the Pile Gate, this area has great bus links and has three beaches.

• Lapad – this area is set on a bay a little further out but has a number of bars and restaurants. It’s a great choice for stays with children and is just a ten minute bus ride into the old town.

• Babin Kuk – situated on the Lapad Peninsula, this area is home to the luxury hotels. Babin Kuk is a great base for water sports and tours as it’s surrounded by a number of nice beaches with crystal clear water.

• Gruž – best for people on a budget, there are plenty of hotels in Gruž situated in the busy port area. The cruise ships regularly dock here so there are good transport links into the historic centre.

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Things to do:

Grab a drink and watch the sunset at Cave Bar More

This bar is cut straight into the cliff with a terrace that offers stunning views of the sunset over the sea. You can access the bar through the Hotel More.

Take a tour of the old town

There are numerous tours you can take through this interesting city, from historical walking tours to Game of Thrones. There are so many hidden gems to be unearthed in Dubrovnik and pretty much every building has a unique story, so an experienced tour guide is well worth it.

Walk the city walls

Dubrovnik’s walls are 1940m long and offer incredible views across the city and Adriatic.

Take the cable car up Mount Srđ

Mount Srđ sits behind Dubrovnik and gives you a birds eye view across the whole city. We took the cable car up and decided to hike back down. The path zig zags across the mountain and alternates between breath-taking views and beautiful woodland.

At the top of the mountain is a panoramic restaurant and a war museum. You can also take an off-road buggy safari across the mountain.

Bay of abandoned hotels – Kupari

Hidden from the main tourist trail, the bay of abandoned hotels is a luxury hotel complex built in the 1960s-1980s. It was frequented by the Yugoslav military elite and their families, who would holiday along this stunning coastline. The whole complex was destroyed in the Balkan War in the 1990s and subsequently fell into disrepair. Now it’s essentially a graveyard of seven hotels that you can freely explore, making it one of the best unique experiences in Croatia (if not a bit creepy).

There have been lots of talks about this area being redeveloped but for now it seems you can still visit the abandoned hotels. This bay is about 10km from Dubrovnik and you can get there by bus or by car fairly easily.