Dubrovnik Old Town at a glance:
Travel time: Around 2hrs 40mins direct flight from London, plus a transfer to the city. A popular European cruise destination too.
Vibe: Historic, romantic, lively.
Top must-see: Medieval city walls, and the old harbour.
Best for: Photographers, history lovers, Game of Thrones fans, and anyone who loves charming streets and Mediterranean culture.
1. Dubrovnik Old Town is smaller than you might expect
If you see photos of Dubrovnik Old Town on Instagram, it may look like a sprawling medieval kingdom but it’s actually quite compact. As you can see from the photo above, the Old Town is the bit that juts out into the sea and is walled off from the more residential areas. You can walk from one end of the Old Town to the other in about 15 minutes. It’s great that it’s compact in some ways, as you can see a lot in a short space of time, but it also means it fills up fast, particularly on days when a cruise ship is docked. If you want to visit the main sights without huge crowds of people, you’ll need to be up and out early.
2. There’s a LOT of steps!
The Old Town is surrounded by hills and many of the streets away from the main street (Stradun) involve steep steps. This makes for some great photos, but be sure to wear comfortable, supportive shoes. This isn’t the location for flip-flops! It’s also something to factor in if you’re travelling with young children or anyone with limited mobility as the steps, as well as the crowds, can be hard work to navigate.
3. Walking the walls can take longer than you’d think
Following on from the point above, the steps make walking the Old Town walls take longer than you’d expect. The full loop of the walls is only around 2km, but once you factor in photo stops too, you’ll realise it isn’t as quick as you’d first think. My advice would be to always carry water on you! It’s also a strict, counter-clockwise one-way path with three official entry/exit points (near Pile Gate, Ploče Gate, and the Maritime Museum). You can’t turn around – you have to keep walking until you reach the next official exit.
4. There’s limited shade in Dubrovnik Old Town
There isn’t much shade in the Old Town at all, with barely any trees. The limestone streets reflect heat in a way that makes Dubrovnik feel hotter than the actual temperature. I’ve been to some pretty hot destinations and I remember really feeling the heat here, even though the temperatures weren’t as high as other places I’d been. Water, plus a hat and sunscreen, are essential even on a “mild” day.
5. Tap water is safe to drink
You don’t need to buy bottled water even though there will be people trying to sell it to you. Dubrovnik’s tap water is safe, which saves you money and cuts down on plastic waste. The biggest fountain in the Old Town is the historic Onofrio’s Fountain near Pile Gate, where you can fill up your reusable bottle. There’s also a handful of smaller taps and fountains dotted around.
6. Dubrovnik isn’t a cheap destination
Whilst you can save on water, you may not save as much as you might expect on meals and attractions! Dubrovnik Old Town is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations, becoming even more popular since Game of Thrones was filmed on location here. Prices are at a premium for tourists, and often 30-50% more expensive than other Croatian destinations such as Split, Zadar, or Zagreb.
7. Keep an eye on cruise ship schedules
Dubrovnik is one of the busiest cruise ports in the Adriatic, and when two or three ships dock at once, the Old Town can flood with several thousand extra people within the hour. If you’re able to plan in advance, it’s always worth checking Dubrovnik Port Authority Cruise Schedule. On days with two or more large ships in port, you might want to do a day trip elsewhere, or explore the Old Town early in the morning/later in the evening to avoid the crowds.
8. There are “Respect the City” laws
Dubrovnik enforces strict rules under its “Respect the City” initiative. Walking through the Old Town in swimwear, shirtless, or without proper clothing carries fines starting around €150. You can also be fined €300+ for eating or drinking while sitting on historic steps or monuments, or consuming alcohol in public spaces outside designated restaurants and bars.
9. Dubrovnik Old Town addresses can be confusing
Inside the Old Town, house numbers can be deceiving. We’re used to numbers meaning how far along a street a property is, but for the side streets, it can indicate how high up the stairs it is. This is definitely worth baring in mind if you plan to book accommodation in the Old Town, the higher the address number the more steps you may have to haul your suitcase up! The numbers also don’t always fall in order either, just to make it more confusing.
10. Grocery stores are hidden
Finding a grocery store is the best way to buy cheap snacks and drinks at local prices instead of marked-up tourist rates. However, you won’t find big bright signs for supermarkets inside the Old Town due to historic preservation rules. Stores like Studenac operate out of understated doorways, normally with a vertical narrow name banner at the entrance, so you need to keep an eye out.
11. Be prepared for a midday pigeon flurry
Every morning, Gundulić Square hosts an open-air market where locals sell their goods. However, when it reaches midday, a city worker dumps buckets of grain in the centre of the square for hundreds of pigeons. If you’re in this area around midday, be prepared for a sudden flurry of birds right above your head!
12. Pack water shoes for the beaches
Sometimes all you want to do on a hot day is dip your feet in the sea and cool down. Thankfully there are a few lovely spots near Dubrovnik Old Town that you can do this, however they are mainly pebble and rock. Sea urchins are also very common here, so it’s worth packing some water shoes, or protective footwear that you don’t mind wearing in the sea.
13. Look for tiny wall openings
Some narrow passages in the southern Old Town wall lead to cliffside bars and sea views. They’re easy to miss if you’re only following the main streets. Look for signs to Buža, which roughly means “hole”, and a narrow doorway or opening through the stone wall. Drinks at a Buža bar tend to be higher tourist prices, but you’re paying for the experience of being right on the Adriatic sea, and it’s a memorable experience.
14. Enjoy a bird’s eye view over Dubrovnik Old Town
To really appreciate the Old Town in all its glory, I think you need to see it from above too, like the photo at the top of this post. There are several viewpoints in the village of Bosanka, the one I went to is specifically called “Bosanka viewpoint” and the address is Srđ ul., 20000, Dubrovnik. Taxis and Ubers will take you there, and the viewpoints themselves are free.
Sophie is a freelance writer and editor, and the founder of Britain and Beyond.
