The best ways of travelling from Dubrovnik to Split

The best ways of travelling from Dubrovnik to Split in 2025

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Every so often, I sit down and write one of these guides on one of the most travelled routes in Croatia. Many thousands of travellers make the journey from Dubrovnik to Split (or the return journey, from Split to Dubrovnik…or both!) during their stay in Croatia, so it makes sense that I write a guide to it. And about time for an update, for this guide is the first since the Peljesac Bridge was opened in 2022. So here’s the updated guide for 2025 for travelling from Dubrovnik to Split. (Or the reverse!)

The best ways of travelling from Dubrovnik to Split

Travelling from Dubrovnik to Split by Catamaran (but not ferry)

Let’s first get this out of the way – I say “…but not ferry” for there are no large ferry boats operating on the Dubrovnik to Split or Split to Dubrovnik route. Many years ago, Jadrolinija used to operate a long-distance ferry from Rijeka via Split to Dubrovnik, which was a much-loved sailing option. But this option is long gone, and there are no car ferries operating today.

So, what sailing options can you make use of? These days, three companies offer a catamaran that sails from Dubrovnik to Split – Jadrolinija, Kapetan Luka and TP Line. Jadrolinija has one boat sailing this route, whilst Kapetan Luka and TP Line have two boats each. All operators make stops at islands (and the mainland, in the case of one of Kapetan Luka’s routes) along the way. Whilst all operators and sailings are much of a muchness, it is important to note that some routes operate from Dubrovnik to Split in the morning, whilst some run in the afternoon. I would suggest which one you go for depends on what time you want to arrive in Split.

Jadrolinija’s Dubrovnik to Split catamaran

The following catamaran is operated by Jadrolinija. You can buy tickets for the sailing on their website.

Timetable

DailyOperates from 6.6.25 to 21.9.25Daily
7.45am↓Dubrovnik↑9.25pm
9.25am
9.40am		Korcula7.25pm
7.10pm 
10.50am
11.10am		Hvar5.55pm
5.35pm
11.55am
12.10pm		Bol (Brac)4.45pm
4.30pm
1.05pmSplit 3.30pm

Note: no sailing from Dubrovnik to Split on 6th June, and no sailing from Split to Dubrovnik on 21st September

Ticket Prices

RoutePrice 
Dubrovnik – Korcula/Korcula – Dubrovnik 

€25

Dubrovnik – Hvar/Hvar – Dubrovnik €48
Dubrovnik – Bol/Bol – Dubrovnik €48
Dubrovnik – Split/Split – Dubrovnik€48
Korcula – Hvar/Hvar – Korcula€23
Korcula – Bol/Bol – Korcula€27
Korcula – Split/Split – Korcula€27
Hvar – Bol/Bol – Hvar€25
Hvar – Split/Split – Hvar€25
Bol – Split/Split – Bol€23

TP Lines Dubrovnik to Split Catamaran Option 1

The following catamaran is operated by TP Line. Tickets can be purchased on their website.

Timetable

DailyOperates from 14.4.25 to 26.10.25Daily
8.05am↓Dubrovnik↑8.20pm
10.00am
10.10am		Korcula6.20pm
6.10pm 
11.40am
12.00pm		Hvar4.45pm
4.30pm
12.45pm
12.50pm		Milna (Brac)3.50pm
3.45pm
1.25pmSplit 3.10pm

Note: no sailing from Dubrovnik to Split on 14th April, and no sailing from Split to Dubrovnik on 26th October

Ticket Prices

RoutePrice 
Dubrovnik – Korcula/Korcula – Dubrovnik €25
Dubrovnik – Hvar/Hvar – Dubrovnik €48
Dubrovnik – Milna/Milna – Dubrovnik €48
Dubrovnik – Split/Split – Dubrovnik€48
Korcula – Hvar/Hvar – Korcula€25
Korcula – Milna/Milna – Korcula€25
Korcula – Split/Split – Korcula€25
Hvar – Milna/Milna – Hvar€15
Hvar – Split/Split – Hvar€25
Milna – Split/Split – Milna€10
Travelling from Dubrovnik to Split by catamaran - a TP Line catamaran near Dubrovnik
A TP Line catamaran near Dubrovnik

TP Lines Dubrovnik to Split Catamaran Option 2

Timetable

Daily9.5.25 – 12.10.25Daily
2.55pm↓Dubrovnik↑2.20pm
4.50pm
5.00pm		Korcula12.20pm
12.05pm
6.25pm
6.40pm		Hvar10.40am
10.20am
7.20pm
7.25pm		Milna (Brac)9.35am
9.30am
8.00pmSplit9.00am

Ticket Prices

RoutePrice 
Dubrovnik – Korcula/Korcula – Dubrovnik €25
Dubrovnik – Hvar/Hvar – Dubrovnik €48
Dubrovnik – Milna/Milna – Dubrovnik €48
Dubrovnik – Split/Split – Dubrovnik€48
Korcula – Hvar/Hvar – Korcula€25
Korcula – Milna/Milna – Korcula€25
Korcula – Split/Split – Korcula€25
Hvar – Milna/Milna – Hvar€15
Hvar – Split/Split – Hvar€25
Milna – Split/Split – Milna€10

Kapetan Luka Dubrovnik to Split Catamaran Option 1

The following catamaran is operated by Kapetan Luka. Tickets can be bought on their website.

Timetable

DailyOperates from 1.4.25 to 31.10.25Daily
3.30pm↓Dubrovnik↑12.30pm

4.50pm
4.55pm

Pomena (Mljet)11.10am
11.05am
5.30pm
5.40pm		Korcula10.30am
10.20am
6.50pm
7.00pm		Hvar9.10am
9.00am
7.30pm
7.35pm		Milna (Brac)8.30am
8.25am
8.00pmSplit8.00am

Ticket Prices

RoutePrice 
Dubrovnik – Pomena/Pomena – Dubrovnik€20
Dubrovnik – Korcula/Korcula – Dubrovnik €25
Dubrovnik – Hvar/Hvar – Dubrovnik €50
Dubrovnik – Milna/Milna – Dubrovnik €50
Dubrovnik – Split/Split – Dubrovnik€50 
Pomena – Korcula/Korcula – Pomena€20
Pomena – Hvar/Hvar – Pomena€25
Pomena – Milna/Milna – Pomena€25
Pomena – Split/Split – Pomena€30
Korcula – Hvar/Hvar – Korcula€25
Korcula – Milna/Milna – Korcula€25
Korcula – Split/Split – Korcula€30
Hvar – Milna/Milna – Hvar€15
Hvar – Split/Split – Hvar€25
Milna – Split/Split – Milna€10

Kapetan Luka Dubrovnik to Split Catamaran Option 2

The following catamaran is operated by Kapetan Luka. Tickets can be bought on their website.

Timetable

DailyOperates from 1.6.25 to 25.09.25Daily
2.45pm↓Dubrovnik↑1.30pm
4.25pm
4.30pm		Pomena (Mljet)11.55am
11.50am
5.10pm
5.20pm		Korcula11.20am
11.10am
6.05pm
6.10pm		Sucuraj (Hvar)10.25am
10.20am
6.40pm
6.50pm		Makarska9.50am
9.40am
7.20pm
7.30pm		Bol (Brac)9.05am
8.55am
8.25pmSplit8.00am

Ticket Prices

RoutePrice 
Dubrovnik – Pomena/Pomena – Dubrovnik€20
Dubrovnik – Korcula/Korcula – Dubrovnik €25
Dubrovnik – Sucuraj/Sucuraj – Dubrovnik €25
Dubrovnik – Makarska/Makarska – Dubrovnik€45 
Dubrovnik – Bol/Bol – Dubrovnik €50 
Dubrovnik – Split/Split – Dubrovnik€50 
Pomena – Korcula/Korcula – Pomena€20
Pomena – Sucuraj/Sucuraj – Pomena€20 
Pomena – Makarska/Makarska – Pomena€25
Pomena – Bol/Bol – Pomena€25 
Pomena – Split/Split – Pomena€30 
Korcula – Sucuraj/Sucuraj – Korcula€25
Korcula – Makarska/Makarska – Korcula€25 
Korcula – Bol/Bol – Korcula€25 
Korcula – Split/Split – Korcula€30 
Sucuraj – Makarska/Makarska – Sucuraj€25
Sucuraj – Bol/Sucuraj – Hvar€20
Sucuraj – Split/Split – Sucuraj€20
Makarska – Bol/Bol – Makarska€20
Makarska – Split/Split – Makarska€20
Bol – Split/Split – Bol€20

For any of the above sailings, I would suggest you always pre-book tickets – at least a few days in advance if you can’t do so earlier – as the Dubrovnik to Split (or Split to Dubrovnik) catamaran is a popular route.

Travelling from Dubrovnik to Split by Bus

Travelling by bus from Dubrovnik to Split is a very easy, reliable and cheap option – and there are numerous buses operating on this route, year-round.

Journey time between the two takes around 4 to 4.5 hours. Although buses no longer go through that small slice of Bosnia, some buses make numerous stops along the way, which means a longer journey time. In the summer months, the coastal road can also be congested with holiday traffic, making the journey longer than expected. If you are travelling during the peak summer months, consider taking an early morning or later evening bus.

Dubrovnik Bus Station - Travelling from Dubrovnik to Split
Dubrovnik Bus Station

If a shorter journey time is important to you, take a bus that hardly makes any stops and uses the motorway (where it starts, near Ploce) instead!

A one-way bus ticket from Dubrovnik to Split in 2025 costs €20-€25.

  • Good to know: You can look up bus timetables and buy bus tickets on Traveling.com or on the Dubrovnik Bus Station website.
  • Good to know: Sit on the left-hand side of the bus (on the same side as the driver) to be closest to the amazing view!

Driving from Dubrovnik to Split

If you’re renting a car during travels in Croatia, making the drive from Dubrovnik to Split is relatively straightforward. As with travelling by bus, the fastest option is to take the A1 motorway (from where it starts, near Ploce) and zoom all the way up to Split! On the way to the motorway, you’ll drive part of the coastal road up and through the Peljesac Peninsula and across the Peljesac Bridge, so you’ll experience this charming part of south Dalmatia. Why not stop for a coffee? Perhaps in Ston, and you can then visit those town walls!

Or if you’re after something a bit more slower paced – and utterly beautiful – take the D8 coastal road all the way from Dubrovnik to Split. You’ll be rewarded with utterly gorgeous views all the way, and you’ll have plenty of opportunity to stop for coffee, lunch, some photos at a viewpoint and more along the way.

Travelling from Dubrovnik to Split - Croatia coastal road
Part of the coastal road

The motorway option takes around 3 hours, whilst the coastal road would take you 4 hours to drive, but that assumes no stops at all. During summer, the coastal road option can be slower (as we’ve mentioned for the bus option above) because of holiday traffic. Simply take it in your stride!

Do also be aware that if you use the motorway, you will need to pay a toll. Take a ticket just before entering the motorway and then pay at the toll on exit. For a regular-sized car, the motorway toll in 2025 will cost €7.30 from Dubrovnik to Split (entering at Karamatici and exiting at Dugopolje for Split). You can see prices for other vehicles on the Toll Rates section of the Croatian Motorways website.

Travelling from Dubrovnik to Split by Plane

If you want to make the journey from Dubrovnik to Split very, very quickly, travelling by plane is, of course, the best bet.

Trade Air operate flights year-round twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Flight time from Dubrovnik to Split is 55 minutes. A one-way ticket costs around €75 for a non-refundable ticket.]

Dubrovnik Airport
Dubrovnik Airport

Travelling from Dubrovnik to Split by Train

Impossible!

Let me elaborate – Dubrovnik has no train station, so there’s no way you can travel from Dubrovnik to Split by train! Use one of the options above instead.

Dubrovnik to Split by Private Transfer

If you fancy taking all the organisation of travelling from Dubrovnik to Split out of your hands, a private transfer may be the best choice for you. These are generally rather pricey – you are making a journey of over 200 kilometres, after all – but if there’s a small group of you plus luggage, you may find it easiest to opt for a transfer. Take a look at some of the private transfers available below:

Powered by GetYourGuide

So what’s the best way of travelling from Dubrovnik to Split?

Oh yes, I did promise to tell you that, didn’t I? If I said, “there’s no best way”, would you be really cross with me?

Well, if you have your own rental car, then you’ll be driving, of course, and this option gives you the most flexibility and possibility of exploring.

Flying is only possible twice a week, and I would only recommend this if you’re really pushed for time and perhaps are only travelling with a small amount of luggage. But it’s undoubtedly the fastest option.

Travelling by catamaran is a great way of experiencing sailing on the Adriatic, but it is a long journey from Dubrovnik to Split by sea. I would personally choose a catamaran if making overnight stops on one (or more) of the islands along the way.

So, call me old-fashioned, but I love the bus option! Sit back and relax, put some music on your headphones (or listen to the gorgeous Croatian music the bus driver has chosen) and watch the gorgeous view as you’re driven by. And this is the cheapest option!

Whatever way you choose for travelling from Dubrovnik to Split, enjoy your journey!

New Dubrovnik to Kotor Catamaran for 2025

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International ferry and catamaran services to Croatia are relatively few and far between – for a good number of years, unless you wanted to travel from Italy to Croatia, you were stuck! That’s why the news of a new line last year – the Budva to Dubrovnik catamaran – was excellent news for those looking to travel from or to another European country. The country in question being Montenegro! Now the same operator – Adriatic Lines – has announced a new for 2025! catamaran service from Dubrovnik to Kotor in Montenegro.

This catamaran can absolutely be used for a day trip from Dubrovnik to Kotor. With a journey time of 3 hours each way, you’ll be able to enjoy just over 5 hours in this historic city.

Dubrovnik to Kotor Catamaran
Kotor Bay

Dubrovnik to Kotor Catamaran Timetable

As with the Budva to Dubrovnik catamaran – which will return to operation in summer 2025 – this catamaran will start operating for the season in early June and run twice a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays, until the end of September. You can see the timetable below:

MondayWednesday2.6 – 30.9.25MondayWednesday
9.00am9.00am↓Dubrovnik↑8.30pm8.30pm
12.00pm12.00pm Kotor5.30pm5.30pm

Dubrovnik to Kotor Catamaran Prices and Tickets

For day trips from Dubrovnik to Kotor, travellers can take advantage of specially priced tickets. A return “day-trip” ticket costs €59 for adults and €29.50 for children aged from 3 years to 11 years. Children aged under 3 travel free.

If you’re travelling in the direction of Kotor to Dubrovnik, an adult ticket costs €50 one-way or €100 return whilst a child ticket costs €25 one-way and €50 return. A child ticket is valid for children aged from 3 years to 11 years. Again, children aged under 3 travel free.

An extra piece of luggage costs €5 per journey. Bikes are permitted (apart from electric bikes) and cost €10 one-way.

Tickets can be booked on adriatic-lines.com.

Other ways of getting from Dubrovnik to Kotor

Travelling by bus would be the main alternative way of going from Dubrovnik to Kotor. In the summer months, there are a number of buses per day including a few that would actually get you into Kotor earlier than the catamaran. Journey time by bus is around 2 and a half hours. However, during the busy summer months, you may find delays at the border crossing which would certainly add to the travel time. Travelling by catamaran would avoid the border crossing! Take a look at timetables and prices of bus journeys on GetByBus for a comparison.

You could of course also join an organised tour from Dubrovnik to Kotor – whether a shared group tour or a private tour. Take a look at some of the options below:

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The advantage of these tours is that you would also see other locations in Montenegro, such as Budva.

More info

Full details of this catamaran and the Dubrovnik to Budva catamaran can be found on Adriatic Lines’ Montenegro Ferry page, or on Adriatic Lines’ Faceebook page.

Travelling from Dubrovnik to Vienna without flying

Reader’s Question: Travelling from Dubrovnik to Vienna without flying

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Question…

Good day, We are going to Croatia in Spring.  We will be on a boat tour that finishes in Dubrovnik.  After Dubrovnik, we want to go to Vienna, Austria. Can you please advise us on options to get to Vienna, apart from flying?  Are there ways that are more scenic or relaxing?  We had wanted to take a scenic train, but rail travel seems to be logistically difficult and impractical.  
We know we can fly.  Any suggestions re trains, boats etc would be appreciated.
Thank you, 
– PZ

Answer…

Hello there, and thank you for your email and interesting question!

First thing first – as you may have found, Dubrovnik has no train station. So you definitely won’t be able to start the first part of your journey by train. 

View from Mount Srd, Dubrovnik
The view from Mount Srd, Dubrovnik

When in spring are you travelling? Hopefully it is from 1st April onwards as you will be able to use Kapetan Luka’s catamaran that sails from Dubrovnik to Split. Journey time is 5.5 hours, as the catamaran makes stops on the island of Mljet, Korcula, Hvar and Brac along the way. I know you had said that you will be on a boat tour prior to this journey, but perhaps you could make an overnight stop on one of these islands? And then continue with the catamaran after a day or two? This would mean buying two days worth of tickets, however, but this would make the journey more leisurely!

(If you are travelling before 1st April, then there are no catamarans operating yet from Dubrovnik to Split, and you will need to make the journey by bus.)

Once you reach Split, you can then start your rail journey. You will need to travel first to Zagreb – however, at this time of year there are generally only trains from Split to Zagreb in the morning (departure time at 8.01am). This means that you would definitely have to stay in the night in Split after arriving by catamaran. (Or bus, in fact.) Again, this is not a problem and makes your journey a bit less rushed. Stay close to the Diocletian’s Palace area of Split and you have fascinating sights, restaurants, cafes, shops and more right on your doorstep. (This area is also only a 10-15 minute walk from the train station in Split.)

The train to Zagreb from Split takes 8 hours and 19 minutes and gets you into Zagreb’s capital city at 4.20pm. There is then an option to travel directly on to Vienna that same day BUT it involves leaving on a train that departs at 4.30pm (meaning a transfer time of just 10 minutes…that’s cutting it way too fine, in my opinion!) and also involves travel via Hungary that requires THREE changes of train.

I would suggest another overnight in wonderful Zagreb (where there is so much to see and do!). You have a number of fine accommodation options within walking distance of Zagreb’s train station (called Zagreb Glavni Kolodvor), including the grand Esplanade Hotel which was built in the 1920s to accommodate Orient Express passengers. Other picks that aren’t 5 star hotels are also definitely available!

Travelling from Dubrovnik to Vienna without flying
The Vienna skyline

After staying the night in Zagreb, there is then a train at 7.05am that takes you to Graz in Austria, arriving at 11.22am. Technically, there is then an 11.26am departure for Vienna but – again – I feel this is too tight. There are departures to Vienna every hour at 26 minutes past (sometimes more than one train an hour) so you could push back to the next departure – 12.26pm – or even later (perhaps having lunch in Graz). The train from Graz to Vienna takes 2.5 – 3 hours.

You can look up Croatian Railway timetables – and buy tickets  – on the Croatian Railways website but you can only do so 2 months in advance. You can look up timetables and also buy tickets for trains from Zagreb to Austria on the Austrian Railways website.

Happy travelling from Dubrovnik to Vienna!

The best place for remote working at Christmas time? Dubrovnik!

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A study conducted by Privacy Journal has revealed the perhaps surprising news that Dubrovnik is the number one location for remote working at Christmas time, topping a list of forty-eight cities across the world. Judging all of the the cities on the list by criteria including connectivity, costs and prices, fun, shopping and festive atmosphere and safety, this southernmost Croatian city emerged as the winner, beating larger cities such as London, Amsterdam, Rome, Tokyo and even New York.

How was the study into remote working at Christmas conducted?

Individual elements across the five previously mentioned criteria were researched for each city, awarding each a score between 1 (best) to 48 (worst).

In the category of connectivity, factors such as broadband speeds, number of co-working spaces and availability of free Wi-Fi in the city were considered. Costs of course included accommodation (AirBnB) costs, transport costs, and the average price of wine and beer. The fun category took a look at how many restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops and nightlife options were available per capita. The most important category for Christmastime – “shopping and festive atmosphere” – took a look at how many shopping centres and gift shops per capita existed, as well as taking a look at the Google search volume for the terms “Christmas markets”, “Christmas in…” and “Christmas lights in…”. And the safety category of course judged just that for each city.

Whilst Dubrovnik emerged the overall winner, the other cities in the top ten were (in order from two to ten) Prague, Krakow, Budapest, Edinburgh, Bruges, Kyoto, Warsaaw, London and Bratislava.

Dubrovnik has been revealed as the best place for remote working at Christmas time (map)

What did Dubrovnik score highly on?

Whilst Dubrovnik can’t compete with some of the larger cities in elements such as the number of coworking spaces and internet speeds, it did very well on most nightlife venues, culinary options, coffee shops and gift shops (all marked per capita). In fact, the city was number one for the “fun” category which includes all of these elements!

Dubrovnik also placed second in the shopping and festive atmosphere category (behind the mighty London!) and third in the category of safety. This is no surprise, surely – Dubrovnik and Croatia are very safe for visitors.

What else is so good about Dubrovnik at Christmas time?

Well, Dubrovnik is a true gem of a destination in summertime, there’s no denying that and its many visitors delight in its gorgeous scenery, excellent sights, lovely beaches, coastal day trips and more.

But the city is expanding its tourist offering, doing its best to entice visitors year-round.

Whilst you can’t dive into the Adriatic in winter, you can still enjoy many restaurants, cafes, and wine bars in the Old Town and the rest of the city. The city’s many sights are of course open (most, understandably, with reduced opening hours) and the Old Town Walls look just as majestic! And if you think Stradun and the other Old Town streets look magical in summer, just imagine them adorned with twinkly Christmas lights. (Below is a little preview.)

Dubrovnik the best place for remote working at Christmas time - a decorated Stradun

But what about Christmas? Well, it’s the wonderful Dubrovnik Winter Festival that will cover that aspect of December fun. Now in its 11th year, the festival will start on 30th November 2024 and run until 6th January 2025. The festival is actually a multi-event celebration, with many different components on the four weeks of the programme.

Amongst the festival’s highlights are city tours in English every Saturday morning at 9.30am – followed by a folklore performance at 11.30am in front of St Blaise’s Church; Santa Claus appearing at the Rector’s Palace; workshops and special exhibitions at some of Dubrovnik’s museums and galleries; many, many concerts; a retro fair on 14th & 15th December; fun at what is called “North Pole Station” on Luza Square; Dubrovnik restaurants participating in “Days of Codfish” (cod – bakalar – being a typical winter dish); a Christmas market and much, much more.

New Year’s Eve will also be massively celebrated, with day-long celebrations. These will culminate with the usual free evening concert on Stradun to see in the New Year – this year Italian singer Zucchero and famed Croatian singer Tony Cetinski will be performing.

New Year celebrations on Stadun, Dubrovnik
New Year celebrations on Stadun, Dubrovnik (Credit: Dubrovnik Winter Festival)

Getting to Dubrovnik in winter

If you’re not already in this fine city working hard and doing all of your (no doubt) excellent remote work, this year it’s easier than ever to reach Dubrovnik in winter. That’s largely in part down to Ryanair who in 2024 introduced year-round flights to this southern Croatian city. At this time of year, they operate flights twice a week – on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Otherwise, consider flights with Croatia Airlines by flying via Zagreb.

Will you be visiting Dubrovnik – for remote working or not – this winter?

T

Croatia in Winter: What would you do?

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The leaves are turning brown and/or a-falling, the rain keeps lashing down the days are definitely getting shorter and it’s almost the end of October. Do you know what this means? Well, sure Halloween in a second or two, but in other news – it’s almost winter! So there’s no time like the present to think ahead and consider Croatia in winter. But what would you do when visiting this fine country during the coldest months of the year? I’d love to hear your thoughts but in the meantime – here’s what I’d do!

Croatia in Winter: December

Let’s jump right in and talk about Christmas! I mean, what else is there to talk about in December…right?!

One of the biggest draws in Croatia during this month is the spectacular Advent in Zagreb Christmas fair and market that takes place in Croatia’s capital city each year. This year’s event will take place from 30th November 2024 to 7th January 2025, so December will be absolute prime time to attend. It’s often mentioned in the press as being one of the best Christmas markets in Europe and would be an excellent alternative to some of the more famous Christmas markets held in Germany and Austria. Advent in Zagreb was also voted “Best Christmas Market” in 2016, 2017 and 2018 by European Best Destinations.

City Break in Croatia - Advent in Zagreb

But what’s actually at Advent in Zagreb? Zagreb’s main square, Trg ban Jelacic, is obviously adorned with a giant Christmas tree that stands proudly for the duration of the festival. Here, too, you will find little stalls selling Christmas trinkets, delicious treats and piping hot drinks. Madusevac Fountain in the same square also houses the four advent candles that are lit in the countdown to Christmas.

There will be a large-scale ice rink – normally in front of the grand Art Pavillion – where you will be able to skate until late at night. On New Year’s Eve, you can normally even skate until the early hours!

The main square in Zagreb, Trg ban Jelacic, during Advent in Zagreb (Copyright: Julien Duval)
The main square in Zagreb, Trg ban Jelacic, during Advent in Zagreb
(Copyright: Julien Duval)

The magical Gric tunnel in the city is also a must, normally being decked out in full Christmas decor.

Christmas food and drink will of course be readily available. Two of the best places to try out local Chrismassy delights are at Fuliranje on Trg Strossmayer and in Zrinjevac Park. Both will have all manner of stalls selling excellent quality, hearty winter grub and warming drinks.

There are also concerts galore at venues across the city – both indoor and outdoor – with some being ticketed affairs and others open to all. Fuliranje, as mentioned above, has live music through its Advent run.

Kids will be fully catered for as well with all sorts of fun activities being held in December, and Advent very often also hosts events for our four-legged friends too

C

Really, a few days or a week-long break in Zagreb in December would be ideal to take in the full Advent in Zagreb experience.

Note: this year’s Advent in Zagreb calendar has yet to be announced, but it will be soon. Keep an eye on their website – and this one! – to

Alternative: Head to one of Croatia’s other larger towns and cities – such as Split, Dubrovnik, Pula or Zadar – for New Year’s Eve. Experience the festive and lively countdown to midnight on the Croatian coast, with live music, fireworks and a general all-around brilliant atmosphere.

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Croatia in Winter: January

I know what it’s like in January. The madness of Christmas and New Year’s has died down, you’re cold and tired and just want to wrap up warm. But maybe you’re a tiny bit miserable and fed up with the weather and decide that January should actually involve a bit of fun.

The Croatian coast will be too cold and blustery for January and, anyway, it’s not like you can head down to the beach during this month. So why not explore parts of the Croatian interior for a true wintery experience?

One of the best places to head to would be the Plitvice Lakes. A truly glorious location any time of year, winter makes the whole park rather magical and you may well be lucky to experience frozen waterfalls and very snowy paths and walkways. Make sure you bring your waterproof hiking boots and padded winter jacket!

Winter in Croatia - Plitvice Lakes in Winter
The Plitvice Lakes in winter…complete with frozen waterfalls!

The park has reduced opening hours and limited trails at this time of year, but that’s no problem as you will still be able to do a good amount of exploring and see many of the main lakes and waterfalls. Visitor numbers will also be severely reduced from what they are in the peak summer months, and you may even feel like you have the park to yourself at times.

Spend a few days in the Plitvice Lakes region and explore some of the other attractions too. There are some very helpful suggestions on the websites of the Plitvice Lakes Tourist Board and Plitvice Valleys. And make sure you book yourself into a cosy B&B or guesthouse in the region and indulge in some hearty grub – the Licka Kuca restaurant is ideal for this.

If you want to do more exploring of the Croatian inland in winter, consider the Gorski Kotar region too. Yes, this mountainous region can get very snowy during the coldest months of the year, so this option is perhaps for the braver (and for the true winter lovers) amongst you. But you’ll be rewarded with a fabulous winter experience.

Winter in Croatia - Gorski Kotar
A very snowy scene in Gorski Kotar

Alternative: Croatia’s ski resorts – which are few and far between, let’s face it – start to open for the season in January. Whilst most of them offer not much more than fun for a few hours of skiing and snow play up a mountain, this activity would certainly be unusual enough (i.e. a must-try!) when visiting Croatia in January. Take a look at our Skiing in Croatia section for details of what ski resorts to head to.

Croatia in Winter: February

We’ve done Christmas, we’ve done snow fun so what shall we turn to in February? Love, of course!

There’s no getting around it – February is the month of love with the the arrival of the magical or tiresome (depending on your point of view) Valentine’s Day in the middle of the month. So why not choose Croatia to whisk your other half to for a romantic mini-break at one of the country’s top hotels. Better still, pick a hotel with a luxury spa and excellent dining options and you will both enjoy a relaxing, restful and romantic little break.

Our top choice would be the Grand Hotel Brioni in Pula. With an expansive spa offering multiple treatments, a sauna, an indoor swimming pool (there is an outdoor one too, of course, for the warmer months!) and multiple restaurants you will find plenty to do during your stay. But the fascinating sights of Pula are just a stone’s throw away too.

Winter in Croatia - Grand Hotel Brioni, Pula
The indoor pool at the Grand Hotel Brioni
(Copyright: Matthew Shaw)
The sauna at the Grand Hotel Brioni

Another option would be the Hotel Esplanade in Zagreb. A historic hotel, first opened in 1925 to accommodate guests travelling on the Orient Express, the Hotel Esplanade offers smart, luxury rooms, a lovely spa centre and exquisite cuisine at Zinfandel’s.

Or if you fancy exploring the gem that is Dubrovnik’s Old Town as part of your romantic getaway, consider the very fine Hotel Excelsior. With stunning views out to the Adriatic Sea and overlooking the Old Town itself, you will be able to enjoy 850 square metres of spa and three restaurants. Make sure you make time to have a coffee on the outdoor terrace.

So that’s my suggestions for winter in Croatia. Now I’m going to throw it over to you – what would you do for winter in Croatia?

New Budva to Dubrovnik Catamaran Service

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There are not many international ferry services connecting Croatia with its neighbouring (or near neighbouring countries). In fact, there generally only exist services from Italy to Croatia with a number of ferry and catamaran routes sailing to towns in Istria, and to Zadar, Split and Dubrovnik. But as of this summer, a new Montenegro to Croatia service – a Budva to Dubrovnik catamaran – is in operation that will assist travellers with a quick connection, or a day trip, in either direction.

New Budva to Dubrovnik Catamaran Service - Adriatic Lines catamaran
Credit: Adriatic Lines

A big advantage of using this catamaran is being able to avoid the busy traffic at the Croatia – Montenegro road border during the summer months. And with a journey time of just two hours, this catamaran is also quicker than travelling by bus.

Budva to Dubrovnik Catamaran Timetable

Operated by Adriatic Lines, who also run services from Istrian towns to Venice, the new Budva to Dubrovnik catamaran is already in operation and will run until the end of September 2024.

In peak season, the catamaran runs twice a day six times a week whilst in second half of September the timetable switches and the catamaran will run twice daily four times week. Take a look at the timetable below:

SaturdaySunday 29 & 30.06.24Saturday  Sunday 
7.00am5.30pm8.00am3.00pm↓Dubrovnik↑11.45am10.15pm12.45pm7.45pm
9.00am7.30pm 10.00am 5.00pm Budva9.45am8.15pm 10.45am5.45pm 
Monday
Wednesday
Saturday		Tuesday
Friday
Sunday		From 01.07.24
to 12.09.24		Monday
Wednesday
Saturday		Tuesday
Friday
Sunday
8.00am3.00pm7.00am5.30pm↓Dubrovnik↑12.45pm7.45pm11.45am10.15pm
10.00am5.00pm9.00am7.30pm Budva10.45am5.45pm 9.45am8.15pm 
Monday
Wednesday		Tuesday
Friday		From 13.09.24
to 27.09.24		Monday
Wednesday		Tuesday
Friday
8.00am3.00pm7.00am5.30pm↓Dubrovnik↑12.45pm7.45pm11.45am10.15pm
10.00am5.00pm9.00am7.30pm Budva10.45am5.45pm 9.45am8.15pm 

Budva to Dubrovnik Catamaran Prices and Tickets

A one-way ticket costs €55 for adults or €27.50 for children aged 7 to 13 years old. Children aged 6 and under travel free.

Travellers can take advantage of a special day return priced at €69 for adults or €34.50 for children. This includes departures from Dubrovnik at 7am or 8am, or from Budva at 9.45am.

Bicycles are permitted at an additional cost of €10 whilst an additional piece of luggage costs €5.

You can purchase tickets on the Adriatic Lines website.

As this is an international journey, don’t forget your passport!

Other ways of getting from Budva to Dubrovnik

As a comparison, let’s take a look at alternatives for making the journey. Or rather, alternative for unless you have a hire car, travelling by bus is the only option that is available to you.

There are several buses per day in either direction – so bus betters the catamaran in frequency – but travelling by bus is slower. The bus journey between Budva and Dubrovnik takes between 2 hours 30 minutes and 3 hours 15 minutes, depending on which bus you take.

Bus companies operating this route include Croatia Bus and Bozur.

Burger Fest heads to Dubrovnik

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If you’re a fan of gourmet burgers (who isn’t?!) and are heading to Dubrovnik later this month, you’ll be delighted by the news that the popular gastro festival Burger Fest will be held there from 20th to 30th June 2024. A mix of incredibly tasty good, top quality drinks and a great atmosphere, it’s absolutely the place to head to during these summer days.

Brought to you by the same people behind the incredibly popular Burger Fest in Zagreb – which is enjoyed by over 150,000 people every year – and the Pizza Festival in Dubrovnik – where over 100,000 pizzas were eaten during the event (that’s some hungry people!) it is now the turn of the tasty burger to shine in Dubrovnik. This also follows burger festivals held in other towns and cities in Croatia, including Zadar, Pula, Varazdin and Bjelovar, which has really enabled Burger Fest to up the game in the local burger scene.

Burger Fest Dubrovnik, 20th - 30th June 2024
Burger Fest Dubrovnik, 20th - 30th June 2024

So what’s on the cards for Burger Fest in Dubrovnik? Held at the Lazareti events space in the heart of the city, there will be specialities prepared by Institut za burger (Burger Institute) by Mate Jankovic, Chef’s Burger by Ivan Pazanin, Guloso Burgers&More, Picnic – mingle&fun, kDogs, Kenova by Branko Kusovac and Beg’s Plant Based.

Hit burgers incoming at Dubrovnik’s Burger Fest

Trust us, that’s quite a list! Burgers crafted by Mate Jankovic have been declared the best at previous burger festivals, and his meat and vegan burger options are sure to delight the Dubrovnik crowds.

The “Crispy Kapula” burger by Chef’s Burger/Ivan Pazanin is another previous festival favourite that’s delighted the hungry masses.

Dubrovnik brand Guloso Burgers&More will be showing what the locals can do with their burger offerings, including the “Cheesy Special” – pure beef topped with two types of cheese, caramelised onions and a special Guloso sauce made from 11 secret ingredients. I mean, my mouth’s just watering at the thought of this one!

A burger by Kenova, Burger Fest Dubrovnik, 20th - 30th June 2024
A burger by Kenova

But then I’d equally go for Kenova’s “Blue Cheese” burger which is made up of beef, cheddar, BBQ blue cheese sauce, caramelised onions, bacon, iceberg lettuce and pickles. YUM!

A burger by Picnic - mingle&fun, Burger Fest Dubrovnik, 20th - 30th June 2024
Picnic – mingle&fun’s tasty dishes

Zadar will be represented by Picnic – mingle&fun whose specialities include the Blackie burger, the prawn burger, the Snow Burger and the Frenchie burger.

If you love burgers but meat isn’t your thing at all, then you need to try Beg’s Plant Based offerings, made by chef Eduard Beg. For example, his Beg’s Chicky Burger consists of a plant-based brioche bun filled with Amaze Food’s chicken that’s been marinated in agave syrup with tzatziki sauce, fresh cucumbers and iceberg salad.

kDog will be offering something entirely different – American-style corn dogs (a hot dog dipped in batter and deep fried) and and a half hot dog half cheese dish. And they also offer tasty desserts with their brioche filled with soft serve ice cream speciality.

To wash down all this burger goodness, a great range of drinks will be provided Beer&Cocktail Bar and Gingle Bells. And to add to the atmosphere, DJs will be spinning tunes all throughout the festival.

Come down to Lazareti in Dubrovnik to see what the amazingly successful Burger Fest is all about! Entry is free.

Burger Fest
20th – 30th June 2024
Lazareti
Dubrovnik
www.facebook.com/BurgerFestivalHR
www.instagram.com/burgerfestivalhr

Lazareti in Dubrovnik
Lazareti in Dubrovnik

Split to Dubrovnik Catamaran 2024

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As we’re at the time of year that the Dalmatian coastal catamarans – those that operate from Split to Dubrovnik and Dubrovnik to Split – start operating, I thought I’d give a little round-up of those such services. I know they’re certainly popular with travellers! In this post, you’ll find timetables for all the Split to Dubrovnik catamaran services operating in 2024.

TP Line has just started its Split to Dubrovnik catamaran service

As of last Friday, 26th April 2024, TP Line has started operating its coastal catamaran which runs from Split to Milna on the island of Brac, Hvar Town, Korcula Town, Pomena on the island of Mljet and Dubrovnik. (And does the return journey too, of course!)

Split to Dubrovnik catamaran
Credit: TP Line

This is a service that departs Split in the morning, meaning you can make it to Dubrovnik for the mid-afternoon. For the reverse journey, you leave Dubrovnik in the mid-afternoon and arrive in Split just in time for dinner.

The timetable for this service in both directions is shown below:

SplitMilna (Brac)HvarKorculaPomena (Mljet)Dubrovnik
Daydeparturearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival
Monday – Sunday
(Daily)		9.15am9.45am | 9.50am10.30am | 10.45am12.10pm | 12.20pm1pm | 1.05pm2.35pm
Service runs from 26th April to 27th September 2024
DubrovnikPomena (Mljet)KorculaHvarMilna (Brac)Split
Daydeparturearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival
Monday – Sunday
(Daily)		3.15pm4.45pm | 4.50pm5,30pm | 5.40pm6.55pm | 7.10pm7.50pm | 7.55pm8.30pm
Service runs from 26th April to 27th September 2024

Tickets cost €48 for adults or €24 for children aged 3 to 12 whilst children under the age of 3 travel free. These prices are for the full Split to Dubrovnik or Dubrovnik to Split portion of the journey as well as for Milna – Dubrovnik/Dubrovnik – Milna and Hvar – Dubrovnik/Dubrovnik – Hvar. Other prices apply for the other portions; you can see these on the TP Line website where you can also buy tickets.

TP Line also operate several other catamaran routes along the Croatian coast include Dubrovnik – Sobra (Mljet) – Korcula – Ubli (Lastovo) and Dubrovnik – Sipan – Sobra (Mljet) – Polace (Mljet) – Korcula – Ubli (Lastovo).

Kapetan Luka’s service has already been running for a month

Kapetan Luka operate two popular Split to Dubrovnik catamaran services, and their most popular one has already been operating daily for the past month!

Kapetan Luka catamaran
A Kapetan Luka catamaran sails past Korcula

Their services also runs from Split to Milna on the island of Brac, Hvar Town, Korcula Town, Pomena on the island of Mljet and Dubrovnik. The timetable is shown below:

SplitMilna (Brac)HvarKorculaPomena (Mljet)Dubrovnik
Daydeparturearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival
Monday – Sunday
(Daily)		8.00am8.25am | 8.30am9.00am | 9.10am10.20am | 10.30am11.05am | 11.10am12.35pm
Service runs from 1st April to 31st October 2024
DubrovnikPomena (Mljet)KorculaHvarMilna (Brac)Split
Daydeparturearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival
Monday – Sunday
(Daily)		3.00pm4.20pm | 4.25pm5.00pm | 5.10pm6.30pm | 6.40pm7.15pm | 7.20pm7.45pm
Service runs from 1st April to 31st October 2024

As you can see, you can use this service from Kapetan Luka to make the journey from Split to Dubrovnik in time for lunch, with plenty of time for exploring in the afternoon.

This catamaran costs €50 for adults for the full Split to Dubrovnik or Dubrovnik to Split portion as well as for Milna – Dubrovnik/Dubrovnik – Milna and Hvar – Dubrovnik/Dubrovnik – Hvar. Other prices apply for the other legs of the journey.

The same company also have another Split to Dubrovnik catamaran that starts operating for the year in June. This service runs from Split – Bol – Makarksa – Korcula Town – Pomena on the island of Mljet – Dubrovnik. You can see the timetable below:

SplitBol (Brac)MakarskaKorculaPomena (Mljet)Dubrovnik
Daydeparturearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival
Monday – Sunday
(Daily)		8.45am9.35am | 9.45am10.20am | 10.30am11.40am | 11.50am12.20pm | 12.30pm2.05pm
Service runs from 10th June to 22nd September 2024
DubrovnikPomena (Mljet)KorculaMakarskaBol (Brac)Split
Daydeparturearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival
Monday – Sunday
(Daily)		3.05pm5.00pm | 5.10pm5.50pm | 6.00pm7.15pm | 7.25pm8.00pm | 8.10pm9.10pm
Service runs from 10th June to 22nd September 2024

Tickets for Kapetan Luka‘s coastal routes can be purchased on their website.

Jadrolinija’s Split to Dubrovnik catamaran starts in June

The main ferry and catamaran company in Croatia, Jadrolinija, of course also have a Split to Dubrovnik catamaran. However, their service only starts in June, running for the peak summer months. For completeness, I thought I would also add it here so you can get your Split to Dubrovnik catamaran info all on one page!

Split to Dubrovnik catamaran - Jelena
Credit: Jadrolinija

This is certainly a popular route as it connects some of the top destinations in Croatia: Split – Bol – Hvar Town – Korcula Town – Dubrovnik. This service travels from Split to Dubrovnik in the afternoon/evening, and from Dubrovnik to Split in the morning. That means lunch on the Riva in Split!

You can see the timetable below:

SplitBol (Brac)Hvar TownKorcula TownDubrovnik
Daydeparturearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival
Monday – Sunday
(Daily)		3.30pm4.30pm | 4.45pm5.35pm | 5.55pm7.10pm | 7.25pm9.25pm
Service runs from 7th June to 22nd September 2024
DubrovnikKorcula TownHvar TownBol (Brac)Split
Daydeparturearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival
Monday – Sunday
(Daily)		7.00am9.00am | 9.15am10.30am | 10.50am11.40am | 11.55am12.55pm
Service runs from 7th June to 22nd September 2024

Adult tickets cost €45 for Split to Dubrovnik/Dubrovnik to Split as well as Hvar to Dubrovnik/Dubrovnik to Hvar. Other prices apply to the other legs of the journey.

You can buy tickets on the Jadrolinija website.

What’s all this talk of catamarans? What about the ferry?

There is no longer a slow ferry between Split and Dubrovnik, one that would be able to take cars as well as passengers. This was a service run by Jadrolinija in the past – for decades, in fact – although it hasn’t operated for almost ten years now and was being run at a loss towards the end of its time. Actually a coastal service that originated Rijeka, I’m sure this would be welcomed by many travellers these days. But, suffice to say, there is no coastal ferry service between Split and Dubrovnik.

If you have a car, you will need to drive down or up the coastline!

New Ryanair base in Dubrovnik from April 2024

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New ways of getting to Croatia is always exciting news, and a major airline opening a new base in Croatia is doubly so! As of April 2024, there will be a new Ryanair base in Dubrovnik which is fantastic news for all travellers hoping to visit this exceedingly charming Croatian city in summer 2024…and even later in the year. (Read on for more details of that!)

New Ryanair base in Dubrovnik

New connections to the UK and Ireland

Travellers from the UK will be delighted with the fact that as of 2nd April 2024, Ryanair will be running no less than six flights a week to this southern Croatian city. Flights will operate from Tuesday to Sunday each week and at present are bookable up until the end of October. However, this route is intended to operate year-round which is fantastic – a wonderful way of opening up Dubrovnik to visitors during the late autumn and winter, for it is a delightful city year-round.

Ryanair’s Manchester to Dubrovnik route will also commence in April, on Thursday 4th. This route will fly twice a week – on Mondays and Thursdays – up until 24th October.

And there will be flights from Dublin aplenty too! With a couple of flights a week from 19th March (on Tuesdays and Wednesdays), things start in earnest on 31st March when the airline will be operating daily flights to Dubrovnik. Again, these flights are currently bookable up until the end of October, but the Dublin – Dubrovnik route is also intended to be a year-round one.

Flights from Germany to Dubrovnik

Ryanair will also be launching a number of connections from various German airports to Dubrovnik in April.

Flights from Berlin Brandenburg airport will operate twice a week from 3rd April 2024, flying on Wednesdays and Sundays. From Dusseldorf Weeze Airport, they will also operate twice a week – this time from 2nd April 2024, flying on Tuesdays and Saturdays. These flight details will also be the case from Memmingen Airport, whilst from Karlsruhe / Baden Baden there will also be twice weekly flights, commencing on 5th April 2024 and operating on Mondays and Fridays.

Connections from Italy to Dubrovnik with Ryanair

Despite the physical proximity between Italy and Croatia – it’s just the Adriatic Sea between them, after all – many travellers are thankful for the existence of flight connections between the two countries to make the journey over just a short hop. And here’s a couple of new Ryanair connections that will help!

There will be five flights a week from Rome Fiumicino Airport from 3rd April 2024, with flights operating from Wednesdays to Sundays. Milan Bergamo will see twice-weekly flights from 2nd April 2024, operating on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

More flights from Europe to Dubrovnik

The flights mentioned above are just the tip of the iceberg!

There will be a fantastic three connections from Poland to Dubrovnik with Ryanair. Flights from Krakow will commence on 2nd April 2024, flying on Tuesdays and Saturdays, whilst from Poznan there will be flights on Mondays and Thursdays starting from 4th April 2024. From Wroclaw it’s a case of twice-weekly flights as well – from 3rd April 2024, running on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Vienna will be connected with Ryanair flights to Dubrovnik four days a week from 31st March 2024, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The Vienna – Dubrovnik route is also intended to be a year-round one. Great news for our Viennese pals…but how about combining a Christmas visit to Vienna and Dubrovnik in winter 2024? How lovely would that be?

Paris Beauvais Airport will see two Ryanair flights a week to Dubrovnik from 5th April 2024, operating on Mondays and Fridays.

Flights from Brussels Charleroi Airport to Dubrovnik will commence on 4th April 2024, operating on Mondays and Thursdays.

Our Nordic friends won’t be missing out! There will be flights two times a week from Oslo Torp and Stockholm Arlanda to Dubrovnik from 3rd April 2024, whilst flights from Helsinki to Dubrovnik will commence on 5th April 2024.

More info on the new Ryanair base in Dubrovnik

Head to Ryanair‘s website for more details of these flights…and to book your tickets too, of course! To welcome these new flights to Dubrovnik, flights are currently being offered from €29.99 one-way.

Do take a look at our Flights to Croatia 2024 page for details of all flights from the UK and Ireland to all over Croatia, and also our Getting to Dubrovnik page for details of flights from Europe and further beyond.

You may also find taking a look at Dubrovnik Airport‘s website helpful in planning your travel to the city.

Spotlight on: Old Town Walls, Dubrovnik

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In the first of a regular series looking at some of Croatia’s most famous – and perhaps lesser-known – sights in more detail, today we’re taking a look at the Old Town Walls, Dubrovnik. These famed walls run for a length of 1,940 metres around the Old Town part of Dubrovnik and are 25 metres tall at their highest point. In the interior, the walls have a thickness of between 4 metres and 6 metres, whilst on the portion facing out over the Adriatic Sea, they are 1.5 metres to 3 metres thick.

Old Town Walls Dubrovnik
A “close-up” look at the Old Town Walls Dubrovnik

The walls are stunning to experience for yourself in real life and have a fascinating history. They have protected Dubrovnik during a number of attacks over the centuries and served as excellent protection during the Homeland War in Croatia in the early 1990s. The walls also withstood an incredibly powerful earthquake in 1667 (when 2,000 locals are estimated to have died, and many of the Old Town buildings were destroyed) and were barely damaged.

History of the Old Town Walls, Dubrovnik

Portions of the walls were first constructed in the 13th century, with the basic shape fully outlined by the 14th century. The walls were continuously added to over the subsequent centuries, with considerable work on the walls undertaken in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Many builders and architects contributed to the construction of the walls and their elements over time, including Juraj Dalmatinac (who worked on Minceta Fortress) who is famous for his work in Sibenik.

Features of the Old Town Walls, Dubrovnik

As we’ve mentioned, the walls run for 1,940 metres in length and include a number of towers, fortresses and gates, and we’ll take a look at some of the best ones here.

Minceta Fortress, completed in 1464, was the main point of defence on the land side of Dubrovnik and is in fact the northernmost point of the Walls as well as the highest point. (So be sure to climb for some fantastic views!) The Tower was originally built in a rectangular shape in the 14th century but was then changed to be a round tower in the mid-15th century.

Top Sights in Croatia - Dubrovnik Old Town
A view over the rooftops of Dubrovnik Old Town from Minceta Tower

Pile Gate is the main entrance into the Old Town on the western side and stands where Pile Fortress used to be, which was torn down in 1818. As you approach this gate you will cross a 15th-century, triple-arched stone bridge. Above the gate itself you will notice a statue of St. Blaise, Dubrovnik’s patron saint, that was sculpted by the famous Croatian sculptor Ivan Mestrovic; the gate itself actually consists of two gates, and outer and an inner one which were built at different times.

Pile Gate, Old Town Walls Dubrovnik
Pile Gate with the stone bridge approaching it

On the western side of the Old Town is Ploce Gate which also consists of an outer and an inner gate and a stone bridge on its approach; again, this gate was constructed in the 15th century. Be sure to check out a gorgeous view of the harbour when you cross this bridge!

Next to Ploce Gate is Revelin Fortress which is also adjacent to the Old Town port. This fortress was constructed in the late 16th century to protect the city from attacks from Venice which were considered heightened at the time. These days, the fortress is home to Club Revelin – what an amazing place to do some partying!

St John’s Fortress to the southeast of the Old Town harbour stood to protect the city from attacks from the sea. Completed in 1557, today this amazing building is home to the Dubrovnik Aquarium and the Maritime Museum.

St John Fortress, Old Town Walls Dubrovnik
St John Fortress

The circular Bokar Fortress stands to protect Pile Gate and the harbour just below. Completed in 1570, this fortress was used as an ammunition store and also to test canon range.

Lovrijenac Fortress stands separate to the town walls – but you will get an excellent view of this fortress when you make the walk on them, and a ticket to the town walls also includes a visit here. This was likely the most important defence of the city, given its position 40 metres up on these cliffs. Originally built in the 14th century – likely on the site of a previous fort, which existed perhaps as early as the 10th century – this triangular-shaped fortress was strengthened and changed over the centuries and also needed restoring after the 1667 earthquake. Amazing, the walls of the fortress that face the sea are 12 metres thick, but much, much less so on the side facing inland. Lovirjenac “plays” the Red Keep of King’s Landing in Game of Thrones.

Lovrijenac Fortress, Dubrovnik
Lovrijenac Fortress

Visiting the Old Town Walls

Getting There

Obviously, the Old Town Walls completely surround the Old Town (the clue is in the name!) so once you’re in Dubrovnik, make your way over to the Old Town.

You can obviously marvel at the walls from many a spot inside and outside of the Old Town. In fact, walking around the outside of them – on the land side, of course – is one way of appreciating the magnitude of the walls and the level of protection they bestowed on the town. Should you get a chance, opting for a spot of sea kayaking in Dubrovnik is another fantastic way of seeing the walls, this time from sea level (of course!). Again, you can imagine how imposing the walls would have been to potential marauders.

Entry & Tickets

There are entrances up to the Town Walls by both Pile and Ploce gates, and you can buy tickets for the walls at both of these locations. Personally, we like entering at Pile Gate to make the walk around on the sea side first before heading inland and marvelling at all the pretty orange rooftops. It is also possible to buy tickets online on the Society of Friends of Dubrovnik Antiquities website. Tickets cost €35 for adults and €15 for children under 18 (2023 prices). This includes entry to Lovrenjac Fortress as well.

Old Town Walls Dubrovnik

More info

You can learn more about the walls on the Society of Friends of Dubrovnik Antiquities website. This society was formed in 1952 to protect, preserve and promote the walls. The same society also looks after the stunning town walls in Ston.

Take a look at our Dubrovnik Old Town Photos gallery to see the sights visible on and from the walls.