# Dubrovnik

A walled city above the Adriatic, the old Republic of Ragusa and a World Heritage site since 1979. Almost two kilometres of walls, a nature-reserve island ten minutes away by boat and a pedestrian old town that fills up by mid-morning.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/croacia/dalmatia/dubrovnik · Revisado: 2026-11-12

## When are there fewer people?

The old city has six entrances with counters. Dubrovnik Tourism publishes each day a forecast and the number of people inside in real time, against a reference ceiling of 11,275. The forecast takes account of the cruise ships docking that day. Check it the day before and plan the day in reverse: walls first thing or last thing, and at midday, Lokrum, the sea or the cable car.

In July and August, between 10:00 and 13:00, the Stradun and the climb up to the walls via Pile are packed. Outside those hours, and from November to March, the city can be strolled at ease.

## How much do the walls cost?

The wall measures 1,940 m, with sixteen towers and three fortresses, and is walked in full along the top. The ticket is for a single circuit, without re-entry, and includes the Lovrijenac fortress, the outer west wall (closed in December, January and February) and the Republic's coin collection. Children up to age 6 do not pay. The 2026 adult rate is about €40, the same price as the one-day Dubrovnik Pass, which also adds the Rector's Palace, several museums and the city bus. If you are going to enter any museum, the pass pays off.

It is bought on the official website or at the entrances. From November to March the shorter winter timetable applies. The closing time is that of the last entry.

## Can you enter by car?

Into the old town, no: it is pedestrianised. And from April to October the city applies a special traffic regime zone around the historic centre: only cars registered beforehand or with a parking space at their accommodation enter. If you arrive by car, leave it in the public car park at Ilijina glavica, about ten minutes' downhill walk to Pile, or at your hotel, and get around on the Libertas city bus.

From Spain you arrive by plane, direct in season from some airports or with a stopover, and the airport bus drops you at the Ploče gate in half an hour. Croatia has used the euro since 1 January 2023, so there is no need to change money.

## Dónde está
- Zonas: Dalmatian Coast, Eastern Adriatic Coast, Game of Thrones Locations, Film locations

## Qué hacer
- **Full Circuit of the Dubrovnik Walls** (2 h · 1.9 km · All ages, no pushchairs · Adult, about €40 (2026) · free up to age 6): What it is
Dubrovnik's wall surrounds the whole old city and is walked along the top, along the wall walk. It measures 1,940 m and has sixteen towers, three fortresses, six bastions, two corner fortifications and two drawbridges. In places the wall reaches 25 m in height; on the land side it is between 4 and 6 m thick and on the sea side, between 1.5 and 3 m. It took its present layout in the 13th century and was reinforced until 1660, when the St Stephen bastion, on the south side, was completed.
It is run by the Society of Friends of Dubrovnik Antiquities (Društvo prijatelja dubrovačke starine), which has been restoring it since 1952. It is a World Heritage site together with the old town.
What you see from the top
On the land side you pass above the roofs of new and old tile, the courtyards and the hidden gardens of the old town, with Srđ behind. The Minčeta tower, in the north-west corner, is the highest point of the route and from it you see the Stradun from end to end. On the sea side you walk above the rocks, with Lokrum opposite and the Lovrijenac fortress to the west, on its crag. From the Ploče stretch you see the old port and the St John fortress, which closes it.
There are steep stairs on the climbs to the towers and many stretches of uneven steps. It cannot be done with a pushchair or in a wheelchair.
How long it takes
The full circuit takes about two hours at an easy pace, with stops for photos. In a hurry it can be done in an hour and a half, and with children or heat, allow more. The ticket is valid for a single circuit: if you leave, you cannot re-enter.
Tickets and price
In 2026 the adult ticket is around €40, and children up to age 6 do not pay. Check it at the Society's official online shop (shop.citywallsdubrovnik.hr), which also sells Lovrijenac, the Ston walls and the Sokol fortress. With the wall ticket you also visit Lovrijenac. Keep the ticket until the end: staff may ask for it at any stretch.
If you also plan to enter museums, compare first with the Dubrovnik Pass on its official website.
Hours and when to go
It is open all year. From November to March a shorter winter timetable applies, and the closing time is that of the last entry. The exact hours change by month: check them on the official website before going.
Enter at opening or in the last hour. Between 10:00 and 13:00 in July and August the wall fills up, especially on cruise days, and up there there is almost no shade. The Pile entrance is the busiest; at Ploče or the St John fortress you usually wait less.
Getting there
The old town is pedestrian. If you come by car, leave it at the Ilijina glavica car park, about ten minutes downhill to Pile, or use the Libertas bus, which stops at Pile.
With children or a dog
Children must always be watched by an adult: the parapet is low in places and leaning out, climbing or taking photos from the edge is forbidden. Dogs may go up on a lead, and large ones muzzled.
Rules
Smoking or lighting fires, throwing litter onto the wall or into the sea and filming for commercial purposes without permission are prohibited. The Society recommends bringing water, a hat and sun cream, and checking the weather before going up.
After the wall, the Srđ cable car gives you the opposite view, the whole city from above, and the kayak under the walls, the one from below.
What was filmed on the wall
The wall is King's Landing's in much of Game of Thrones: the Dubrovnik tourist office says it served to create the illusion of an enormous capital. The Croatian tourist office specifies two places on the route. The Minčeta tower, the highest, is the House of the Undying in Qarth, where Daenerys seeks her dragons. And Šulić beach, below, at the foot of the wall, is where the Battle of the Blackwater was filmed, with Stannis's fleet in flames. For the Red Keep you pay nothing more: it comes with this ticket.
- **Cable Car up Mount Srđ at Sunset** (1 h 30 · All ages · Return €30 · children aged 4 to 12 €8 · under-4s free): What it is
The Dubrovnik cable car goes from the Ploče district to the top of Srđ, the hill that closes the city to the north. It is 778 m of cable and 367 m of vertical rise, from the lower station, at 38 m above the sea, to the upper one, at 405 m. Two cabins of up to 32 people make the journey in about three and a half minutes, with a single pylon in the middle. The first cable car opened in 1969 and was the only one on the Adriatic.
At the top you have the whole walled city at your feet, Lokrum in front and, on clear days, up to 60 km of coast and islands. It is the view of the whole old town you cannot get from inside.
What there is at the top
The upper station has three terraces with binoculars, the Panorama restaurant, a shop, toilets, a fountain for refilling water and a small amphitheatre where in summer there is live music Monday to Saturday. Next to it is the Imperial fort, built by Napoleon's French and finished by Austria. In the 1991 war it was the city's front line of defence; today it houses the exhibition Dubrovnik in the Homeland War 1991–1995, from the Museum of Contemporary History, with documents, weapons and photographs of the siege. If you are interested in the city's recent history, go in.
Hours
It opens from April to November and closes from December to March. The 2026 timetable is as follows:

April: from 9:00 to 21:00.
May: from 9:00 to 22:00 in the first fortnight and until 23:30 in the second.
June to August and 1 to 14 September: from 9:00 to 24:00.
15 to 30 September: from 9:00 to 23:00.
October: from 9:00 to 21:00 until the 20th and until 20:00 after.
November: from 9:00 to 17:00. In 2026 it closes for maintenance on the 10th, 11th and 20th.

The last departure from below is half an hour before closing. In strong wind or risk of a thunderstorm the cable car stops until it passes: check the weather before going.
Price
Return, €30 for adults and €8 for children aged 4 to 12; one-way, €17 and €5. Under-4s do not pay. You pay in euros, in cash or by card, at the lower station's ticket office, at the machine next to it (card only) or on the website.
Getting to the station
From the Pile or Ploče gate it is a walk of 8 to 12 minutes along pavements, skirting the wall, with few stairs. The shortcut, of 6 to 9 minutes, climbs the stairs leading from the Stradun to the Buža gate: it is steeper. If you come from the port of Gruž, take Libertas bus 8 or a taxi; on foot it is about 4.5 km.
Accessibility
Both stations, the cabins and the toilets are adapted for wheelchairs, with a lift. It is one of the few viewpoints in Dubrovnik reached without steps.
When to go
Go up an hour before sunset and come down at night, with the city lit up: from June to mid-September it runs until midnight. At midday in summer the sun flattens the view and the ticket-office queue is longer. If you have the legs, you can walk up by the zigzag route and come down by cabin with the one-way ticket.
- **A Day on Lokrum Island, the Reserve Opposite the Old Port** (4 h · All ages · Adult €30 with boat · ages 7 to 18 €5 · under-7s free): What it is
Lokrum is the wooded island you see opposite the old port, a quarter of an hour away by boat. It has been a special forest-vegetation reserve since 1948, the third oldest protected natural area in Croatia: forest covers about 90% of its 72 hectares. The island and the sea around it are also part of the Dubrovnik site inscribed as a World Heritage site. There are no cars or hotels, and nobody may stay the night.
What to see

The Benedictine monastery of St Mary. The Benedictines arrived in 1023. The west wing of the Romanesque cloister and the Renaissance cloister survive; the medieval church fell in the 1667 earthquake.
Maximilian's summer house. Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg bought the island in the mid-19th century, brought exotic plants and laid out paths and avenues; his mark remains in the gardens.
The botanical garden. It was founded by the Academy of Sciences and Arts in 1959 to acclimatise species from Chile, Australia, California and South Africa. It covers 3.3 hectares and is Croatia's only island botanical garden.
Fort Royal. The French began this fortress in 1806 at the highest point on the island. From the top, the view takes in the city and the coast.
The peacocks. They have lived free on the island since the mid-19th century. The Mediterranean tortoise also lives in the forest.

For swimming there are flat rocks and small coves around the island, with very clean water. There is no sand: bring water shoes.
Boat and times
The reserve's official boat leaves from the Gradska luka, the old port, and takes about 15 minutes. From 9 November 2026 it leaves every hour on the hour from 10:00 to 15:00 and returns at quarter past; the last boat back leaves the island at 16:00. In summer there are more departures: check the current timetable on the reserve's website. In bad weather the boat does not sail.
The island closes in midwinter. In 2025 the last day of boats was 14 December, and in 2026 it reopened for the Feast of St Blaise, from 31 January to 3 February, with free entry. From February to March it only opens at weekends.
Tickets and price
The 2026 ticket costs €30 for adults, €5 for children aged 7 to 18 and €10 for students; under-7s do not pay. If you buy it at the booth at Luža, in the old port (from 8:00 to 16:00), it includes the return boat. If you arrive on your own by kayak or boat, you still pay the €30 at the ranger's house, on the island. The ticket is valid up to three days after the date it carries.
Rules
Throughout the reserve it is forbidden to smoke, light fires or any flame, feed or disturb the animals, fly drones without permission, leave the marked paths and drop litter outside the marked points. You cannot be on the island before the first boat or after the last.
With children
It is a comfortable plan for families: shaded dirt paths, animals that let themselves be seen and rocks for swimming. Allow half a day. Under-7s enter free, and those aged 7 to 18 pay €5.
How to plan it
Go at midday, when the old town is fullest and the heat bites: the pine wood gives shade. Bring water, some food, a towel and water shoes. On the way back, if you still have energy, the Srđ cable car leaves five minutes from the Ploče gate.
Qarth and the throne
The Croatian tourist office says Lokrum's gardens stood in for Qarth in Game of Thrones, and Dubrovnik's points to a replica of the Iron Throne on the island: according to the first, it is in the Benedictine monastery. Ask at the landing stage whether it can be seen that day.
- **Sea Kayaking under the Walls to Betina Cave** (2 h · 4.5 km · No experience, from age 4 · Desde 40 € per person): What it is
A two-hour guided sea-kayak outing that leaves from the little bay of Pile, below the city's west gate, and has you paddling at the foot of the wall. From the water you see it as the ships saw it: the wall rises straight out of the rock and Lovrijenac is above your head. Halfway you stop at the beach of Betina cave, reachable only by sea, to swim and snorkel.
Who runs it
Adventure Dalmatia, an activities company from Split with an office in Dubrovnik. Its guides speak Croatian and English and, according to the company, are registered with the Croatian mountain rescue service. In Pile bay several companies sell the same outing: look for their stand with the name painted on it, on the beach, going down through the park below the Pile gate.
The route

Departure from Pile. You are given a life jacket, a kayak and a safety briefing on the beach.
Towards Betina. You paddle to the cove of Betina cave, where you stop to swim and snorkel with mask and tube.
Under the walls. On the way back you follow the coast, among beaches, palm trees, villas and hotels, and pass hard against the rock on which the wall stands, the most impressive stretch.
Return to Pile. Out and back it is 4 to 5 km.

Duration, times and price
It lasts about two hours. There are two departures, at 9:30 and 12:30, and you must be at the meeting point 10 or 15 minutes beforehand. It costs €40 per person and includes the kayak, mask and snorkel, insurance, the guide and a half-litre bottle of water.
Book at least a day ahead, by email, message or in person, so they can confirm the exact time and places.
Who can go
No experience is needed and low fitness is enough. The minimum age is 4. The kayaks are double sit-on-top ones, so an adult can paddle with a child in front. Everyone wears a life jacket throughout the outing.
What to bring
Swimming costume, T-shirt, hat, sunglasses and sun cream. Water shoes are not essential but help when getting out on the rocks. Valuables in the waterproof barrel they give you or at your accommodation. During the outing there are no toilets: only the public ones in Pile square, before you start.
When to go
The 9:30 departure has the calmest sea, less heat and less boat traffic in the bay. The midday one catches the sun higher: more sun cream and a hat. The guides may cancel without notice in bad weather, and may change the route if the sea does not allow you to reach Betina.
Getting there
The meeting point is in Pile bay, next to the west entrance of the old town. The Libertas bus stops at Pile, and the Ilijina glavica car park is about ten minutes' walk downhill.
If you want to complete the day, afterwards climb to the Lovrijenac fortress, which you have just seen from below, or the walls.
- **Lovrijenac Fortress, on the Rock Next to Pile** (45 min · All ages · Included in the walls ticket): What it is
Lovrijenac (in Croatian, Lovrjenac) is the detached fortress that guards Dubrovnik on the west. It rises outside the wall, on a 37 m crag beside the sea, in the Pile district, and takes its name from St Lawrence, whose church occupied the rock; the chapel is still inside the fortification. Tradition places its origins in the 11th century, and the first written mention is from 1301, when one of its commanders was named.
In 1464 the west and north walls, those facing the open sea and the outside, were reinforced until their thickness doubled and in some places reached 12 m. The present appearance dates from the 16th and 17th centuries. The 1667 earthquake damaged it and repairs lasted until the end of that century. After the fall of the Republic, Austria turned it into barracks.
What you see
You enter through the gate with the inscription that made it famous: Non bene pro toto libertas venditur auro, "freedom is not sold for all the gold". Inside is a central courtyard on the ground floor, around which were the garrison's and commander's quarters and the cannon stores, and three upper levels with open platforms and battlements. In the north-west corner, a niche holds the statue of St Blaise of 1559.
What most people come for is the view. From the upper terrace you have straight ahead the western wall, the Bokar tower and the Pile gate, with the old town behind: it is the image of Dubrovnik that is most repeated on postcards. On the other side the sea and the Lapad coast open out.
How long it takes
About 45 minutes including the climb. The stairs from Pile are short but steep, and inside there are more steps up to the platforms. It is not accessible by wheelchair or with a pushchair.
Tickets
With the ticket for the Dubrovnik walls you also visit Lovrijenac at no extra cost. Keep the ticket: you show it on entering. If you only want the fortress, the official online shop of the Society of Friends of Dubrovnik Antiquities sells it separately; check the price and hours there, which change with the season.
Getting there
Leave the old town by the Pile gate and go down towards the little Pile bay; the stairs to the fortress start from the west side of the cove. If you come by car, the Ilijina glavica car park is about ten minutes' walk away. The Libertas bus stops at Pile.
When to go
At sunset the light falls from the side on the wall and the photo from the terrace is cleaner. First thing there are fewer people. Combine it with the wall on the same day: the ticket is only valid for one circuit, so do Lovrijenac before or after, not in the middle. From Pile bay also leave the kayaks under the walls, which pass at the foot of the crag.
With children
Children like it: it is a real castle, with loopholes, stairs and platforms. Watch them on the battlements, which are low in some stretches. The rules are those of the wall: do not lean out or take photos from the edge.
The Red Keep
The Dubrovnik tourist office counts Lovrijenac among the Game of Thrones places: it is the Red Keep, where the king sits on the Iron Throne, at least on screen, with the old town opposite standing in for King's Landing. Inside there is nothing from the series; you recognise the courtyard, the battlements and the view of the wall. Next to Pile, Gradac Park, the public park above the sea beside the fortress, is where the Purple Wedding was filmed, the banquet at which Joffrey dies.
- **Hike up Srđ by the Zigzag Path** (1 h · With some fitness, from age 12 · Independently · free): What it is
Srđ is the 412 m hill that rises behind the walled city. At the top are the great white stone cross, the Imperial fort and the upper station of the cable car. Besides the cabin and a narrow road that arrives from behind, you can go up on foot along a zigzag path, the serpentines, which starts on the coast road (the Adriatic Highway) above Ploče. It is the free way to earn the view of the whole city.
The route, step by step

To the start. From the Ploče gate climb through the streets and stairs of the district to the coast road, which passes above the city. The path leaves from the mountain side.
The bends. The path gains height in short loops up the south slope, with loose stone and the odd stretch of steps. Each bend opens the view a little more: first the rooftops of Ploče, then the whole wall and Lokrum.
The summit. You arrive beside the cross, rebuilt in 1997 after it was destroyed in the attacks of 1991, and a few steps from the Imperial fort and the cable-car station.

Allow an hour's climb at a good pace and about 330 m of ascent from the road. The descent by the same path takes somewhat less, but punishes the knees because of the loose stone.
Difficulty
It is short but steep and without a break. It requires no technique, but some fitness and shoes with a good sole; in sandals you slip. We do not recommend it to small children: from about age 12 and used to walking it is fine.
Shade, water and heat
The south slope burned several times in the second half of the 20th century and during the war, and hardly any trees remain: there is no shade along the whole route. Nor are there springs on the way. Bring at least a litre of water per person, a hat and sun cream. At the top you can refill your bottle at the fountain at the cable-car station, when it is open.
From October to May it is a good climb at any hour. In July and August set off at dawn or leave the climb for the last hours of the afternoon: at midday the stone gives back the heat and the route becomes hard.
At the top
Besides the view, you have the exhibition on the defence of the city in 1991–1995 inside the Imperial fort and the Panorama restaurant, next to the station. The cable car comes down in about three and a half minutes: the one-way ticket costs €17 for adults and €5 for children aged 4 to 12, and runs from April to November. From December to March, you walk down.
If the weather changes
In a storm, do not go up: the summit is exposed and the cable car stops in strong wind or risk of lightning, so do not count on it for coming down. With the bura, the cold north wind, the ridge becomes uncomfortable even in sunshine.
With a dog
The path is suitable for a dog on a lead, but in summer the stone burns and there is no water: carry its water and avoid the middle of the day.
- **Cavtat on Bus 10, with a Walk Around the Rat Peninsula** (4 h · All ages · Libertas bus · €4 each way): What it is
Cavtat is the harbour village of the Konavle district, 18 km south-east of Dubrovnik. It occupies the Rat peninsula, which with the Sustjepan one encloses a sheltered bay with a palm-lined seafront promenade. It was the Roman Epidaurum; when its inhabitants abandoned it, they fled to the islet where Dubrovnik was born, and that is why documents also call it Ragusa Vecchia. In the days of the Republic it was its second port. Today it is a small village, without the crowds of Dubrovnik's old town, and you go there and back on the city bus.
How to get there on bus 10
Libertas line 10, Dubrovnik – Cavtat, runs every day. From Dubrovnik there are departures from 5:00 to midnight, every half hour at midday (at 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00…), and from Cavtat the last one returns at 23:00. Some departures do not run on Sundays and holidays: check the day's timetable on the Libertas website, which warns it may change without notice.
A single ticket to Cavtat costs €4. Konavle tourism recommends this bus as the way to arrive from Dubrovnik. Ask at the Libertas kiosk at Pile for the stop closest to your accommodation.
What to see

The seafront promenade. It runs the length of the bay, flat and suitable for pushchairs, among boats, terraces and palm trees.
The loop round the Rat peninsula. A path circles the peninsula beside the sea, among pines and rocks from which people swim. It leaves from the promenade itself and returns to it.
The Račić family mausoleum. At the top of the peninsula, in St Roch cemetery. It was built in 1921 at the wish of Marija Račić, from a family of shipowners, over the old 15th-century church of St Roch. It was designed by the sculptor Ivan Meštrović: it is all white Brač stone, crowned with a dome, except the door, the bell and the angel, which are bronze.
The house of Vlaho Bukovac. The birthplace of the painter, father of modern Croatian painting, at Vlaha Bukovca 5. It reopened in 2004 after a restoration, with his studio and garden.
The Rector's Palace. It houses the collection of Baltazar Bogišić, a jurist from Cavtat: paintings, prints, books and an enormous correspondence. Because of works only part can be visited.

The hours and prices of the mausoleum and the museums change with the season: check them on the Cavtat and Konavle tourism website or at the village tourist office.
How long
Half a day covers the promenade, the Rat loop, the mausoleum and a swim. If you want to enter the Bukovac house and have an unhurried lunch, allow the whole day.
Swimming
Around Rat and Sustjepan there are rock swimming spots and small stony coves. Bring water shoes and a towel.
With children
It is a comfortable outing with a pushchair: the promenade is flat and the bus goes direct. The climb to the mausoleum is uphill and with steps. For older children, the Rat path has rocks for swimming away from the bustle.
When to go
All year. It is a good escape for the afternoon when Dubrovnik's old town is full of cruise passengers: check the city's visitor forecast the day before. In winter the village is quiet and some of the terraces close.
- **The Elafiti Islands in a Day: Koločep, Šipan and Lopud** (8 h · All ages · Desde 55 € per person): What it is
The Elafiti are the small archipelago north-west of Dubrovnik. Three of its islands are inhabited and have no visitor cars: Koločep, Lopud and Šipan. The day excursion links them by boat from the port of Gruž, with time for swimming on each and lunch served on board as you sail. It is a relaxed plan, without long walks, and works well with children.
Who runs it
Regina Maris, a large white excursion boat based at Gruž. Its sales booth is at Obala Stjepana Radića 14, opposite the port. Look for the boat with its name on the quay.
The day, island by island

Koločep. The first stop. It is the closest to Dubrovnik, with dense pine woods and caves on the coast. You have time to swim in the clear water of the bay or snorkel with the tube and goggles the boat lends. Next to the beach there are usually stalls selling local products.
On to Šipan. During the crossing lunch is served, Dalmatian-style: fish, chicken or vegetarian, chosen when booking, with local white wine.
Šipan. The boat stops at Suđurađ, a harbour village with stone houses and a castle. Near the houses and in the bay there are family stalls of wine and olive oil. It is the largest of the three islands.
Lopud. The last and longest stop. The village has shops, cafés and ice-cream parlours by the harbour, the Franciscan monastery and a botanical garden with free entry. In high season the Sunlight Museum opens. Šunj beach, of sand and shallow water, is about 30 minutes' walk across the island; if you don't want to walk, 200 m from the harbour there are local drivers with buggies, paid separately. Bikes are also hired.

At the end of the day you return to Gruž on the same boat.
Duration, price and what is included
About 8 hours. It costs from €55 per person. It includes lunch, water, soft drinks, rakija (local brandy) and white wine with the meal, and use of snorkelling gear. On board there are four toilets, bean bags to lie on and wifi. Pick-up at your accommodation within the city of Dubrovnik is optional; outside the city it can be requested by email. Coffee, tea and extra alcohol on board are paid separately, and whatever you buy on the islands.
Accessibility and children
According to the company, the boat is accessible by wheelchair and with a pushchair and admits assistance animals. Babies go on the lap. It is a comfortable excursion for families: lots of time on the boat in the shade and short stops on quiet beaches, with Šunj the easiest for small children.
Independently by ferry
You can also go on your own on the Jadrolinija line linking Gruž with Koločep, Lopud and Šipan. It leaves from the port of Gruž and on that line you can reserve a place as a foot passenger. It is cheaper, but with fixed timetables, without lunch and, in practice, for seeing one or two islands a day. Check times and prices on the Jadrolinija website.
What to bring
Swimming costume, towel, sun cream, hat and cash for the stalls on the islands. Comfortable shoes if you plan to walk to Šunj.
Getting to Gruž
The port of Gruž is north-west of the old town. You arrive on the Libertas bus from Pile, or with the boat's pick-up if you book it.
- **Jesuit Staircase and Gradac Park** (1 h · All ages; stairs · Independently · free): Two Game of Thrones filming locations that ask for no ticket: the Baroque staircase that climbs to the church of St Ignatius, inside the old town, and Gradac Park, outside the Pile gate. They link on foot in an hour, at an easy pace, and complete what you see from the wall and the Red Keep of Lovrijenac.
The walk of shame staircase
The Dubrovnik tourist office points to the Jesuit staircase, below the church of St Ignatius, as the place where Cersei Lannister's walk of shame begins. The Croatian one presents it as the steps of the Great Sept of Baelor. The staircase links Gundulić Square, two streets from the Stradun, with the church square.
What you see is the staircase as it is, with nothing that recalls the series, and almost always with people sitting on the steps. First thing it is empty: that is the time for the photo from below, with the facade of St Ignatius above.
The Purple Wedding park
Gradac Park is outside the wall, next to Pile and beside Lovrijenac, above the sea. According to the Dubrovnik tourist office, the Purple Wedding was filmed here, the banquet at which King Joffrey dies. It is a public park, with no entry fee, with shade and benches facing the fortress and the western wall: a good place to stop between the visit to Lovrijenac and the return to the old town.
How to link them
Start at Pile, enter the old town and follow the Stradun to the end; turn right towards Gundulić Square and climb the staircase. Return along the streets behind to Pile and go out to Gradac Park, a few minutes away. If you have the wall ticket, do Lovrijenac next.
If you prefer to have it explained, in the city there are guided walks devoted to the series; the tourist office mentions them without naming any company.

## Dónde comer
- **360 Dubrovnik** (Restaurant, Dubrovnik, old town, €€€€). Qué pedir: the tasting menu, with a table on the wall terrace above the old port.
- **Fish Restaurant Proto** (Restaurant, Dubrovnik, old town, €€€). Qué pedir: chargrilled Adriatic fish, grilled octopus and rožata for dessert.
- **Panorama** (Restaurant, Mount Srđ, next to the cable car, €€€). Qué pedir: a drink at sunset with the city and Lokrum at your feet.
- **Lokanda Peskarija** (Restaurant, Dubrovnik, old port, €€). Qué pedir: black risotto, grilled squid or mussels buzara.
- **Buffet Škola** (Takeaway, Dubrovnik, old town, €). Qué pedir: a pršut and cheese sandwich.

## Car-free: The natural way to see Dubrovnik
The old town is pedestrian and the surroundings have restricted traffic from April to October. You arrive by plane, get off the airport bus and everything essential is on foot, by city bus or by boat.
Presupuesto orientativo: 90–150 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir without a car
- **Hotel Excelsior Dubrovnik** (Spa hotel): Opposite the old city, five minutes' walk from the walls, with a spa, a chef's-menu restaurant and a transfer service.
- **Hotel Lapad** (Hotel): A family hotel opened in 1914 on the shore of the port of Gruž, with the bus station and ferries across the water. 3 km from the old town, by city bus.
- **HI Hostel Dubrovnik** (Hostel): The Hostelling International hostel, 15 minutes' walk from the old town and 20 from the bus station. Open from 1 March to 15 October.
- **Hostel Angelina Old Town** (Hostel): Bunks inside the walls, near Pile. The last stretch is stairs: arrive with a rucksack, not a big suitcase.
### Servicios
- **Libertas City Bus**: €2.50 per journey bought on the bus · €5.31 for the 24 h ticket · €11.95 for the 3-day one
- **Airport Bus (Platanus)**: €10 one way · €15 return · Stops at Ploče and at the Gruž station
- **Gruž Ferry Port (Jadrolinija)**: Ferries to the Elafiti and the coast · Bus station 500 m away

## Luxury: Hotels above the sea, facing the wall
The Ploče and Sveti Jakov strip concentrates the five-star hotels, with the old town in front and a walk away. Book a table and tickets before you arrive: in summer everything fills up.
Presupuesto orientativo: 350–700 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir in style
- **Hotel Excelsior Dubrovnik** (Spa hotel): Opposite the old city, five minutes' walk from the walls, with a spa, a chef's-menu restaurant and a transfer service.
- **Villa Dubrovnik** (Small hotel): A hotel hanging above the sea in the Sveti Jakov area, with all rooms facing the old city and Lokrum. It closes in winter: the 2027 season starts on 26 March.
### Servicios
- **Airport Bus (Platanus)**: €10 one way · €15 return · Stops at Ploče and at the Gruž station
- **Private Airport Transfer**: Car with driver to the hotel · 22.5 km

## Backpacking: Expensive, but it can be done with some thought
In summer Dubrovnik is expensive. The hostels, the city bus and the free plans make up for it, and outside July and August prices fall.
Presupuesto orientativo: 45–70 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir if you're backpacking
- **HI Hostel Dubrovnik** (Hostel): The Hostelling International hostel, 15 minutes' walk from the old town and 20 from the bus station. Open from 1 March to 15 October.
- **Hostel Angelina Old Town** (Hostel): Bunks inside the walls, near Pile. The last stretch is stairs: arrive with a rucksack, not a big suitcase.
### Servicios
- **Libertas City Bus**: €2.50 per journey bought on the bus · €5.31 for the 24 h ticket · €11.95 for the 3-day one
- **Airport Bus (Platanus)**: €10 one way · €15 return · Stops at Ploče and at the Gruž station
- **Gruž Ferry Port (Jadrolinija)**: Ferries to the Elafiti and the coast · Bus station 500 m away

## By campervan: Park at the campsite and forget about the vehicle
In Croatia it is forbidden to overnight outside campsites or authorised areas, and central Dubrovnik has no room for a motorhome. There are two campsites with a bus to the city.
Presupuesto orientativo: 60–90 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir in a campervan
- **Camping Solitudo** (Campsite, desde 42 € / pitch): The only campsite within the city, on the Babin Kuk peninsula, with pitches of 80 to 120 m² and a regular bus to the old town. It is the option for arriving by motorhome and not moving the vehicle again.
- **Autocamp Kate** (Campsite): A campsite at Mlini, on the coast road south, with steps to the village beach, a bus to Dubrovnik and Cavtat and a boat to the old port.
### Servicios
- **Libertas City Bus**: €2.50 per journey bought on the bus · €5.31 for the 24 h ticket · €11.95 for the 3-day one
- **Gruž Ferry Port (Jadrolinija)**: Ferries to the Elafiti and the coast · Bus station 500 m away

## Camping: Two campsites and one clear rule
Wild camping is banned throughout Croatia. With a tent you have a campsite in the city and another on the south coast, both with a bus.
Presupuesto orientativo: 40–70 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir if you're camping
- **Camping Solitudo** (Campsite, desde 42 € / pitch): The only campsite within the city, on the Babin Kuk peninsula, with pitches of 80 to 120 m² and a regular bus to the old town. It is the option for arriving by motorhome and not moving the vehicle again.
- **Autocamp Kate** (Campsite): A campsite at Mlini, on the coast road south, with steps to the village beach, a bus to Dubrovnik and Cavtat and a boat to the old port.
### Servicios
- **Libertas City Bus**: €2.50 per journey bought on the bus · €5.31 for the 24 h ticket · €11.95 for the 3-day one
- **Gruž Ferry Port (Jadrolinija)**: Ferries to the Elafiti and the coast · Bus station 500 m away

## By plane: Flight to Dubrovnik and Bus to the Old Town
Dubrovnik receives direct flights from Spain: Iberia from Madrid and Vueling from Barcelona, mainly in season; outside summer there are fewer and sometimes a stopover is needed. The airport is at Čilipi, about 22 km away, and the airport bus drops you at the Ploče gate in half an hour and at the Gruž station shortly after. For the city you do not need a car; for Montenegro or the Pelješac peninsula, hire one at the airport.
### Dónde dormir if you're flying
- **Hotel Excelsior Dubrovnik** (Spa hotel): Opposite the old city, five minutes' walk from the walls, with a spa, a chef's-menu restaurant and a transfer service.
- **Villa Dubrovnik** (Small hotel): A hotel hanging above the sea in the Sveti Jakov area, with all rooms facing the old city and Lokrum. It closes in winter: the 2027 season starts on 26 March.
- **Hotel Lapad** (Hotel): A family hotel opened in 1914 on the shore of the port of Gruž, with the bus station and ferries across the water. 3 km from the old town, by city bus.
- **HI Hostel Dubrovnik** (Hostel): The Hostelling International hostel, 15 minutes' walk from the old town and 20 from the bus station. Open from 1 March to 15 October.
- **Hostel Angelina Old Town** (Hostel): Bunks inside the walls, near Pile. The last stretch is stairs: arrive with a rucksack, not a big suitcase.
### Servicios
- **Airport Bus (Platanus)**: €10 one way · €15 return · Stops at Ploče and at the Gruž station
- **Private Airport Transfer**: Car with driver to the hotel · 22.5 km

## As a family: A stone city shared between wall and sea

With children of different ages it works to alternate: a morning on the wall or at a fortress and an afternoon of water, on Lokrum, kayaking or on a boat to the islands. Avoid the old town at midday in July and August.

### What works best
The wall first thing: two hours, and under-7s do not pay

Lokrum, with pine wood, shade and rocks for swimming

Kayaking to Betina cave, from age 4

The cable car up Srđ: children aged 4 to 12, €8 return

### Where to sleep
Camping Solitudo, with shaded pitches and a bus

Hotel Lapad, with family rooms

### Where to eat
Sandwiches from Buffet Škola for the day

Simple fish in the old port

### Keep in mind
The wall is stairs: no pushchairs

There is no shade up top: water and a hat for everyone

The last boat from Lokrum sets the return: nobody can stay on the island

### Qué hacer as a family
- Full Circuit of the Dubrovnik Walls
- Cable Car up Mount Srđ at Sunset
- A Day on Lokrum Island, the Reserve Opposite the Old Port
- Sea Kayaking under the Walls to Betina Cave
- Lovrijenac Fortress, on the Rock Next to Pile
- Cavtat on Bus 10, with a Walk Around the Rat Peninsula
- The Elafiti Islands in a Day: Koločep, Šipan and Lopud

## With teenagers: Wall, kayak and a climb that tires

A teenager is bored by the Stradun full of groups. What works is whatever has some challenge or freedom: paddling under the wall, walking up Srđ or spending an afternoon on their own on Lokrum.

### What works best
Sea kayaking to Betina cave, with snorkel

The walk up Srđ, at dawn, and down by cable car

The circuit of the wall, with Lovrijenac included

Lokrum, from boat to boat

### Where to sleep
A hostel or campsite, if travelling with friends

A hotel in Lapad, with a bus to the old town on their own

### Where to eat
Sandwiches from Buffet Škola

Fried small fish in the old port

### Keep in mind
The city bus gives them independence: a 24 h ticket

The climb up Srđ has no shade or water

The 9:30 kayak avoids the heat and the boat traffic

### Qué hacer with teenagers
- Full Circuit of the Dubrovnik Walls
- Cable Car up Mount Srđ at Sunset
- A Day on Lokrum Island, the Reserve Opposite the Old Port
- Sea Kayaking under the Walls to Betina Cave
- Lovrijenac Fortress, on the Rock Next to Pile
- Hike up Srđ by the Zigzag Path
- Jesuit Staircase and Gradac Park

## With young children: With the youngest, better by boat and cable car

The old town's streets are steps and the wall cannot be done with a pushchair. What under-sixes cope with best is what moves them without tiring them: a cable car, a short boat ride and a flat seafront promenade.

### What works best
The Srđ cable car: under-4s, free

Lokrum: ten minutes by boat and pine wood with shade

Cavtat by bus, with a flat promenade for pushchairs

The Elafiti by boat, with a swim on each island

### Where to sleep
Hotels in Lapad, away from the noise of the old town

Camping Solitudo, with space to play

### Where to eat
Panorama, at the top of the cable car, for an afternoon snack with a view

A picnic on Lokrum

### Keep in mind
A baby carrier, not a pushchair, inside the walls

In summer, early starts and a siesta under cover

The Elafiti boat day is 8 hours: judge whether they can last

### Qué hacer with young children
- Cable Car up Mount Srđ at Sunset
- A Day on Lokrum Island, the Reserve Opposite the Old Port
- Cavtat on Bus 10, with a Walk Around the Rat Peninsula
- The Elafiti Islands in a Day: Koločep, Šipan and Lopud

## With friends: Dubrovnik with Friends: Kayaking under the Walls, Islands and Sunset on Srđ

Dubrovnik is expensive, and that is why a group comes out ahead by sharing. The walls, the cable car and the Elafiti Islands are paid per person, but a kayak or a shared boat works out cheaper between several. The old town is small; what you can't see from inside you see from the water or from the hill.

### What works best
Sea kayak under the walls: two hours of paddling from Pile, with a snorkelling stop at Betina cave, €40 and from age 4.

Elafiti Islands by boat: eight hours from Gruž to Koločep, Šipan and Lopud, with a swim at each island and lunch on board, from €55.

Lokrum Island: €30 with the boat, with rocks to swim from; from February to mid-December and only at weekends from February to March.

Dubrovnik City Walls: 1,940 m in about two hours, around €40 in 2026, with Lovrijenac included.

Srđ cable car: €30 return, April to November, to watch the sunset.

Walking up Srđ: one hour and 330 m of ascent, free and without shade; October to May, and in summer only at sunrise.

### Where to sleep
Hostel Angelina: bunk beds inside the walls, near Pile; the last stretch is stairs, so it is better with a backpack.

HI Hostel Dubrovnik: Hostelling International hostel 15 minutes' walk from the old town, open from 1 March to 15 October.

### Where to eat
Panorama: cocktails and cakes at the top of the cable car, with the city and Lokrum below.

Buffet Škola: pršut and cheese sandwiches to take away to the walls or to Lokrum.

Lokanda Peskarija: fish and seafood on the quay of the old port; closed in winter.

360 Dubrovnik: tasting menu on the terrace on the wall, for a special dinner.

### Keep in mind
In summer, the climb up Srđ is done only at sunrise, as there is no shade.

Lokrum is a nature reserve island reached by boat: check the time of the last one back.

The kayak and the islands depend on the sea and the wind: leave a day's margin.

### Qué hacer with friends
- Full Circuit of the Dubrovnik Walls
- Cable Car up Mount Srđ at Sunset
- A Day on Lokrum Island, the Reserve Opposite the Old Port
- Sea Kayaking under the Walls to Betina Cave
- Hike up Srđ by the Zigzag Path
- The Elafiti Islands in a Day: Koločep, Šipan and Lopud

## Consejos

### Check the visitor forecast
If the day before shows a lot of people, go up on the walls at opening and leave the Stradun for the evening.

### Start the wall at Ploče
The Pile entrance is the busiest. At Ploče or the St John fortress you usually wait less.

### Bring water and a hat
Up there there is almost no shade and in summer the sun bites from ten.

### Buy the bus ticket before boarding
The ticket on the bus costs €2.50; the day one, €5.31. The Libertas kiosks sell it cheaper than the driver.

### Book Proto or 360 in advance
In summer the old town's restaurants with terraces fill up every night.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How much time do you need for the walls?
About two hours at an easy pace, with stops. There are steep stairs and stretches without shade.

### Is the Dubrovnik Pass worth it?
If you are going to go up on the walls and enter a museum, yes: the one-day pass costs the same as the walls alone and includes the bus.

### Can you go to Lokrum independently?
Yes. The official boat leaves from the old port and the €30 ticket includes entry to the reserve and the return. You cannot spend the night on the island.

### What currency is used in Croatia?
The euro, since 1 January 2023. You pay by card almost everywhere.

### Do you need a car in Dubrovnik?
No. The old town is pedestrian, the bus reaches all districts and Cavtat, and parking is scarce and expensive. If you are travelling along the coast, leave the car parked on the days you are here.

### Can you go with a baby pushchair?
Along the Stradun and the harbour, yes. To the walls and many side streets, no: they are stairs. Bring a baby carrier.

### Can you take a dog on the walls?
Yes, on a lead, and large dogs muzzled.