Beautiful Croatia, one of the places I always look forward to going back to. I recently went on holiday to Makarska, and during that holiday I decided to also visit one of the final popular Croatian tourist destinations that I hadn’t been to before – Dubrovnik. Famous for its limestone Old Town and, more recently, for being one of the filming sites of Game of Thrones. Join me on my trip to the lovely Dubrovnik!

Getting to Dubrovnik

Since I was staying in Makarska, it was quite a long journey to get to Dubrovnik. We chose to travel by coach and the ride took almost 4 hours. It was a long journey, but fairly comfortable in an air conditioned bus. We got to Dubrovnik just before noon.

The coach got us to Dubrovnik coach station, which is quite a distance from Dubrovnik Old Town. We then walked for around 45 minutes to reach the tourist area in scorching heat. Ouch! On our way back to the coach station in the evening, we took a local bus instead, which took under 10 minutes.

Whether you’re travelling by coach or by car, it’s unlikely that you’ll manage to drive all the way to the Old Town. I recommend taking a local bus to get to the centre.

Ice cream in the Old Town

Once in the Old Town, we were craving ice cream and went on to look for the best option. There were a few average-looking places close to the entrance to the Old Town, but we didn’t want to settle for average. We explored the area and found three places serving craft ice cream in interesting flavours: Mostro, Peppino’s Gelato Factory and aRoma. We ended up choosing aRoma – the Amaretti flavoured ice cream was divine!

Satisfied with the ice cream, we strolled around the narrow roads of Dubrovnik’s Old Town, admiring the views. We also visited the tourist centre to buy our tickets to the Lovrijenac Fortress and Dubrovnik City Walls – in August 2024, the combined adult ticket was €35. Concession tickets were €15.

There were a few drinking water fountains scattered around Dubrovnik’s Old Town, which was a godsent on a hot day. The water was not only free, but also cold!

A visit to Lovrijenac Fortress

After a short walk around the Old Town, we headed towards Lovrijenac Fortress, located just outside of the Old Town. It was a bit of an uphill walk, but with a great view to compensate the effort. From the Fortress, you can admire Dubrovnik City Walls. The Fortress itself isn’t huge, we spent about 20 minutes there before heading back to the Old Town.

Meal time and souvenir shopping

Next, we had lunch at Hard Rock Cafe – not an authentic Croatian meal, but a safe option if you’re travelling with a picky eater. It was tasty nonetheless and fuelled us for the remainder of the day. Filled with the food, we walked around the Old Town and did some souvenir shopping. It’s a truly beautiful area for a walk! We also found an all-year Christmas shop, which seemed rather out of place in the 35 degree heat. No complaints though, I love Christmas any time!

A stroll on the city walls

Finally, we entered Dubrovnik city walls that surround the Old Town. It was a long walk with lots of stairs and wonderful views – especially when the sun was starting to set, casting golden light on the beautiful city. It took us around 1 hour 40 minutes to do the full circle. There were a few exits along the way, so in case you’re too tired to do the whole lap, you can choose to finish the city walls stroll early. I certainly recommend visiting the City Walls if you’re in Dubrovnik, the views are worth the price and effort.

Dubrovnik by night

After the demanding-but-enjoyable walk on the city walls, we had the final chance for a stroll through the Old Town. It was starting to get dark and we could admire the old buildings lit up. We did some final souvenir shopping to conclude our visit to Dubrovnik.

Other things to do in Dubrovnik

We walked past a few museums in the Old Town, so I imagine there would be enough things to do to fill another day. We also saw a cable car to the peak of a nearby mountain – judging by the reviews on Google Maps, it’s quite pricey, but the views must be breathtaking. It also seems possible to hike to that viewpoint instead, which would save you a lot of money, but could be quite demanding on a hot day. So, I believe there is more to do in Dubrovnik than we had time for this time.

Way back to Makarska

Finally, we took a local bus back to Dubrovnik coach station, and a coach back to Makarska. The journey took just over 3 hours and we arrived back in Makarska around midnight. It was a long and exhausting day, but I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit to Dubrovnik!

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