Dubrovnik: A Perfect 2 Day Itinerary

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Every year, my parents and I go on a trip somewhere. We’d planned to visit Croatia pre-COVID, and finally managed to get there earlier this month (Sept 2023), so now that I’m back (with a serious case of back to work blues), I’m kicking off the new series of posts. Whilst there, we spent our time in two bases – Dubrovnik and Split, and I’m starting my series in the former.

I totally fell in love with Dubrovnik. Its old town, a maze of steps and alleys in beautiful stone, is truly magical. Its many churches and monasteries, with pretty cloisters, offer sanctuary from the crowds and heat of the day. The water, constantly lapping the rocky coastline as a background sound against the hubbub, is crystal clear. It is utterly beautiful, and it’s the perfect European city break if you’re after sun, sea, history and views.

There’s no getting away from the fact that Dubrovnik is busy, but with patience and two days (and two early mornings) you can definitely make the most of what this city has to offer. If you have longer, the end of this article also includes a number of recommendations for extensions.


  1. Contents
  2. Itinerary Day 1: Within the Old Town Walls & Mount Srd
    1. Walk the City Walls
    2. Ploce Gate & Surrounding Streets
    3. The Dominican Monastery
    4. Sponza Palace, Clock Tower & St Blaise’s Church
    5. Rector’s Palace & Cathedral
    6. Stadrun & Franciscan Monastery
    7. Explore Dubrovnik’s Side Streets
    8. Cable Car to Mount Srd for Sunset
    9. Homeland War Museum
  3. Itinerary Day 2: Fort Lovrijenac & Lokrum Island
    1. Fort Lovrijenac
    2. Dubrovnik Harbour
    3. Lokrum Island
  4. Have a Little Longer?

Start the day at Dubrovnik’s most famous attraction before it gets busy. The views across the city and out to the sea are truly spectacular and the full loop is special first thing in the morning. Gates open at 8am, and enter via the Ploce Gate entrance for the least crowded start point.

Views from the walls

Full Guide: Post HERE.

Time required: 1.5-2hrs

Price: EUR35/Free with the Dubrovnik Pass


One of the main entrances to the city, Ploce Gate provides some special views over the harbour and it’s fun walking over the drawbridge through the ancient entrance way. The streets leading down from Ploce are also some of the most beautiful in the city – especially if you can get them empty as I managed to.

View to Ploce Gate from above

Time required: 15 mins

Price: Free


One of the most peaceful spots in the city, and perfect for escaping the tourist bustle – head in to the Dominican Monastery near to Ploce Gate and soak in the beautiful cloisters. There’s also a small museum which had some nice artefacts in, and we had it virtually to ourselves.

Walking the cloisters

Time required: 30mins

Price: EUR3


Walking in to the Old Town, you’ll enter a square housing St Blaise’s Church, Sponza Palace and the iconic clock tower. Perfect for a few photos, the floor is like marble with the stones being constantly smoothed by the daily footfall. There are also lots of bars and restaurants if you want to stop for a drink or food.

Time required: 15 mins

Price: Free (entry to Sponza Palace at certain points can cost EUR3.50)


Just up the road is the incredible Rector’s Palace, home to a really interesting museum on the history of Dubrovnik, including its role as a republic, independence and the 1991 war. The building itself is also super special with a stunning courtyard perfect for a coffee – and again once inside it wasn’t too busy at all.

Afterwards cross the road to the Cathedral, which had to be rebuilt after the 1667 earthquake (though previous cathedrals have existed here in the 7th, 10th and 11th century). The money to build the basilica was partially contributed by the English king Richard the Lion Heart, as a votive for having survived a shipwreck near the island of Lokrum in 1192 on his return from the Third Crusade.

Dubrovnik Cathedral

Time required: 1.5hrs

Price: EUR17/Free with the Dubrovnik Pass (Rector’s Palace), Free (Cathedral)


Head down the main street in Dubrovnik, Stadrun, towards the Franciscan Monastery. There are lots of shops to browse along the way and I highly recommend getting some of the delicious ice-cream from aRoma Gelato – delicious.

Once at the Franciscan Monastery, it’s time to find another safe haven away from the bustling crowds. The monastery is beautiful, and its famous for its Franciscan Pharmacy, one of the oldest in Europe. We also found it interesting that the walls of the Monastery still bear the scars of the 1991 war, with missile holes marked.

Time required: 1hr

Price: EUR5/Free with the Dubrovnik Pass


One of the best things to do in Dubrovnik Old Town is to wander off down the streets. There are so many picturesque streets with churches at the end, or steep steps, or even holes in the walls leading to bars looking out at the sea (Buza Bar). We happily spent an hour or so just wandering in the evening once the cruise ship crowds have all left.

Time required: 1hr

Price: Free


Walking back out of the Old Town City via Ploce Gate, head to the Dubrovnik cable car to take a ride up to the viewing platform. The best time of day to visit is sunset to capture the incredible views. You can’t see the sunset from the viewing platform and have to walk down to the car park and round past the war museum to the rocky outcrop to be able to see it. We sat down with a picnic to take in the views.

View to the old town from the cable car
What a view

Time required: 1.5hrs

Price: EUR27


Also at the top of the mountain is the Homeland War Museum, which is open until 10pm each day. After watching the sunset, head in to the museum to learn all about the 1991 war as Croatia left the former Yugoslavia. Seeing the photos of the ancient town walls being bombed and the loss of life was really impactful and really worth learning about.

Time required: 1-2hrs

Price: EUR5


Fort Lovrijenac is classed as part of the city walls, though it is across the bay. It dates back to 1038 and was a vital strategic fortress to protect Dubrovnik from the Venetians during the 11th century. During the summer the Fortress also hosts plays so if you’d like to see Hamlet in an incredible location you can!

View to the Fort
View from the Fort back to the Old Town

Time required: 1hr

Price: EUR15/Free with the Walls ticket from yesterday (if you paid EUR35 and didn’t use the Dubrovnik Pass)


Walking back through the old town and in to the harbour provides a perfect spot for a drink looking out at the moored boats. There are also some nice restaurants here, and some tasty ice cream stands.

In the harbour

Time required: 30mins

Price: Free


From the right side of the harbour, you can buy your tickets to visit Lokrum Island. Lokrum is about 15 minutes off the mainland, and designated as a nature reserve. It’s home to a monastery, LOTS of peacocks, a botanical garden, a fort with lovely views and lots of walking trails and swimming spots. There are also a number of nice bars and restaurants for lunch/dinner/cocktails and it makes for the perfect escape from the bustling city. Finish off your time in Dubrovnik relaxing here before heading back to the mainland.

Full Guide: Post HERE

Time required: Half a day

Price: EUR27


A few hours:

  • Walk the outside of the city walls
  • Explore more of the side streets and squares throughout the old town
  • Visit the Maritime Museum

A day:

Time for another location:

On Lopud, one of the extension options above


So what do you think of Dubrovnik? I think this was one of my favourite posts ever to write ever as I loved everything about the city. I hope this itinerary is helpful if you’re planning some time in the city – let me know in the comments below! Stay safe and happy travelling!

60 responses to “Dubrovnik: A Perfect 2 Day Itinerary”

  1. An excellent itinerary Hannah. It’s years since I visited Dubrovnik so I need to make a return visit sometime!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It’s such an incredible city with so much to offer, I absolutely loved my trip 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Stunning pictures! We visited in May and loved it. Looking forward to the rest of your posts

    P.S The restaurant at the top of Mount Srd was amazing – we got caught in a storm

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Sarah – lots more posts to come. Oooo we didn’t get to eat there but it looked amazing!

      Like

  3. Gorgeous – I’d say Sept is a nice time to visit. We were there one August – a tad busy to say the least!!!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Oh I can only imagine how busy it was in August, it was bad enough in September!

      Liked by 1 person

  4. It looks like a beautiful city! Stunning photos, I’ve never been to Croatia, but I really hope to visit one day!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It’s such a beautiful country, we didn’t have any bad experiences at all. I can’t recommend it highly enough 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Glad you enjoyed Dubrovnik! I’ve visited on two separate occasions, the most recent being in 2018. Despite the crowds, it’s truly a magical place; I especially love the views from Mount Srd and the views on the walls are gorgeous at every twist and turn! Can’t wait to read more about your time in Croatia!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Rebecca, I loved visiting and found the views to be spectacular too – lots more Croatia posts to come 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  6. I am SO looking forward to the rest of the posts in this series. Croatia, and Dubrovnik in particular, have been at the top of my buck-list for years. Your photos are just wonderful!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Aw thanks Laura – lots more posts to come. I hope you make it to Croatia sometime soon, it truly is beautiful 🙂

      Like

  7. The Balkans is high on my list. Thanks for the info.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks for your interest John, Croatia really is an incredible country.

      Liked by 1 person

  8. First of all I love that you visited with your parents! Dubrovnik has so many incredible sites, what a gorgeous old town with a fabulous harbour. I love your shot of Old Town from the fort and the monastery pictures. Maggie

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hehe it’s our annual trip, it’s nice to get away somewhere. And thank you so much, I particularly enjoyed the quiet and peace of the monasteries after how heaving the old town could get!

      Liked by 1 person

  9. Oh my, Dubrovnik looks amazing! We’re planning a trip there in the spring and I will use your excellent post as a reference. Looks like you had a lovely time there with your parents. Lovely!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Oh that’s excellent. May is a great time to visit. I hope you have the best time and my Croatia series of posts can be helpful for your planning 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  10. Dubrovnik has such wonderful architecture, interesting passageways and expansive seaside views ~ looks like an amazing place to visit! Thanks for sharing, Hannah 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thanks Phil, it’s a truly incredible city and I absolutely loved exploring it 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  11. Looks awesome! Croatia is high on my list so I’m bookmarking this itinerary to help with the planning.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. So glad this might be helpful Diana – lots more Croatia posts coming up! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  12. Great read. I was in Dubrovnik pre-Covid, loved it there, your photos took me back!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It’s such an incredible city isn’t it, thanks very much for reading 🙂

      Like

  13. Absolutely stunning! I would just love walking and photographing all the beautiful architecture. How special to always take a trip with your parents.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I kept getting distracted doing exactly that! 🙂

      Like

  14. You’ve done such a wonderful job putting together this itinerary for everyone to enjoy! Your photos and descriptions are fantastic. Dubrovnik certainly looks like it has a lot to offer the traveler. Love the picture of the fort with the water and boats in the foreground.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thank you so much Linda – Dubrovnik is a truly beautiful city and I’d recommend it to anyone thinking about visiting 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  15. Wow what an incredible city and you have laid out how best to see it. Really great and well thought through itinerary! 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thanks so much Meg, it was an amazing visit, I loved Dubrovnik. Definitely in my top 5 European city breaks 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  16. I loved Dubrovnik when I visited and also loved the peacocks at Lokrum island.

    Like

  17. Beautiful Hannah! You look beautiful 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you so much Jyothi, that’s so kind of you to say 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  18. Dubrovnik looks fabulous and I’m impressed with the lack of people in your shots. I know you said you got up early, but still…
    Croatia is high on the list.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Haha the lack of people wasn’t easy! Patience and early mornings required – although not that early. Most of the empty shots are taken at around 8am before the Cruise Ships descend.

      Liked by 1 person

  19. What a lovely tradition of having annual trips with your parents. Dubrovnik appears to have heaps of charm and beauty, with a lot of history to boot. We will be heading to Croatia at the end of next week, but we are not going to either Dubrovnik or Split. We’ll have a week in Zagreb where one of my lifelong friends is speaking at a literary conference, followed by some much needed time by the sea in Zadar. Hopefully we can fit a short trip to Plitvice NP somewhere in between. Great article, Hannah!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks so much for your comment Leighton – Croatia is a beautiful country and I’d love to visit more of the northern area of the country next time. Plitvice looks truly special so I hope you make it there 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  20. Dubrovnik looks so enchanting. I love the views from the city walls. Good call on going right when it opens to avoid the crowds and take some stunning shots. And what a beautiful spot to watch the sunset.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It was such a beautiful walled city, and magical with all the red rooves and no traffic allowed within the walls. We loved it!

      Liked by 1 person

  21. What a nice write-up on Dubrovnik! We missed several of the places you featured her. Now I wish I had read this before we went last year! I have posts coming on Split, Hvar and Dubrovnik. I will definitely link to your post on Dubrovnik.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks so much for reading Julia, and I’m glad you enjoyed the write up. I also have posts on Split and Hvar coming up so it will be interesting to see the things we did the same and different – there’s always too much to see in a place isn’t there 🙂

      Like

  22. Years ago (I think it was 2001) my brother and his wife visited Dubrovnik and couldn’t get enough of how beautiful it is there. And your photos prove it! The walk on the city walls, the beautiful streets and buildings like the cathedral and fort make me wish I was there (with an ice cream in hand). And then there’s always those stunning sunset photos! Looking forward to reading more about your visit.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It is just beautiful, and I bet in 2001 it was largely free from the crazy crowds given the absence of cruiseships back then. We had the best time in Croatia, so lots more posts coming up for sure 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  23. […] Island was one of the highlights of my recent stay in Dubrovnik. It’s absolutely beautiful and a designated nature reserve meaning it offers the perfect […]

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  24. This is a fantastic itinerary! I remember spending around 2 days in Dubrovnik as well and absolutely loved it – our itinerary was similar to yours but with more getting lost in Dubrovnik’s streets ahah! It was quite busy when we went, but still very enjoyable!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It’s sooo busy isn’t it, but still completely beautiful and magical even with all the people!! 2 days is a great amount of time to see all of the Old Town 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  25. afreesoul

    Thanks for your complete itinerary. Dubrovnik looks amazing, love your pictures. And the sunset from Mount Srd looks like a must-do to me!
    I’m gonna put Croatia on top of my next holiday destination! ☺️

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks so much for your lovely comment, and I really hope you make it to Croatia as it’s a beautiful country full of so many amazing things to do 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  26. I spent a weekend in the old town once when I lived in Europe. It was winter, so not many tourists, but so fascinating to walk the wall and narrow streets. Awesome sunset photo!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I bet it was incredible to see it in winter without all the crowds – how special!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. The shopkeepers and people at the outdoor farmers market were appreciative and more willing to chat. I bought some fruit from a woman at the market and then we talked a bit. Then she threw a couple more oranges into my bag. I think she was overcharging me at first, then felt guilty about it!

        Liked by 1 person

  27. […] visiting Dubrovnik, one of the most popular day trips is to cruise around the Elaphiti Islands just off the coast. The […]

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  28. […] next stop in my Croatia series is a day we spent from Dubrovnik eating and drinking in the Peljesac Peninsula, Croatia’s wine growing region. We did this as […]

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  29. […] our recent trip to Croatia, one of my favourite experiences of the whole holiday was walking the Dubrovnik Old Town City Walls. However, ahead of walking them, we struggled to find helpful information […]

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  30. […] we had to fit it in to our itinerary and see it for ourselves! Given it is just 20 miles outside of Dubrovnik, we decided to use one of our days there to explore this wonderful […]

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  31. […] now heading to the second base of the trip – Split (having already taken you on visits to Dubrovnik, Trsteno, Peljesac, Lokrum and […]

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  32. Anonymous

    As of June 2024 the Fort is included as part of the Dubrovnik pass so no need to pay 15 euro extra. Thanks for the itinerary!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you so much for letting me know, I’ll update the post

      Like

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About the author

Hi! My name is Hannah, I’m a travel blogger from the UK who fits travel around a full time (and full on) job. In this blog I share my adventures around the world and hopefully help you to find some inspiration for destinations, things to do or places to stay. Thanks for stopping by – stay safe and happy travelling.

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