# Dubrovnik: Stone Walls, Island Swims and Oysters from Ston

> A practical guide to the walls and the Old Town, Lapad and Gruž, Lokrum and Cavtat, Pelješac wine and oysters, and Dubrovnik in the quiet months.

- **Section:** Travel Guides
- **Country:** Croatia
- **Published:** 2026-10-16
- **Author:** Voyage Editors
- **Publisher:** Voyage (https://thevoyage.gr)
- **Type:** practical travel guide, our own editorial writing
- **URL:** https://thevoyage.gr/en/destinations/dubrovnik

Stand at Pile Gate early in the morning and Stradun runs straight ahead of you, the shops and houses on either side rebuilt in one Baroque sweep after the earthquake of 1667. Above, the walls run for 1,940 metres around the whole Old Town, sixteen towers and three fortresses linked by a path you can walk, the sea on one side and the roofs of the Old Town on the other.

Dubrovnik rewards the traveller who mixes the stone city with the water around it. Spend the mornings inside the walls, the afternoons swimming off Lapad or wandering Lokrum among the peacocks, and the evenings over Pelješac red and a plate of black risotto. It is a small city with a short distance between everything, and it changes character with the seasons: grand and busy in summer, unhurried and local from late autumn to spring.

## The Areas

Most of Dubrovnik's sights are packed inside and just outside the walls, while the hotels and swimming spots spread west along the Lapad peninsula. Buses link every neighbourhood with the Old Town, so where you stay is mostly a question of mood.

- Old Town — the walled city between Pile Gate in the west and Ploče Gate in the east, closed to traffic and threaded by Stradun. Best for first-timers who want to step out of the door into the sights, though it is the busiest part of the city by day.
- Pile — just outside the western gate, beside Fort Lovrijenac and the main tourist information centre. Handy for buses (lines 1A, 1B and 3 stop here) and for walking straight into the Old Town.
- Ploče — east of the walls, home to Banje beach and its views of the walls and Lokrum, with the Lazareti cultural centre on Frana Supila. Good for swimmers who still want to walk into town.
- Gruž — the port district about 2.5 kilometres north-west of the Old Town, with the main bus station, the ferry and cruise harbour and a daily market of produce and fish. Practical for island hopping and early departures, and home to the former TUP factory, now a creative hub.
- Lapad and Babin Kuk — the leafy peninsula west of Gruž, about 3.5 kilometres from the Old Town, with a car-free promenade, pebble beaches and many of the city's hotels. Suits families and anyone who wants a beach holiday with the old city a bus ride away (line 6 to Lapad, line 7 to Babin Kuk).

## What to See and Do

Start with the walls, ideally as soon as they open. They reached their present extent in the mid-13th century and kept growing until 1660, when the last bastion, St Stephen's, was finished; in places they rise 25 metres. The walk takes in sixteen towers, three fortresses and six bastions, and the ticket also covers Fort Lovrijenac, the detached fortress on a 37-metre rock outside Pile Gate. Above its gate is carved Non bene pro toto libertas venditur auro, "Freedom is not sold for all the gold", and in July and August it becomes a stage for the Dubrovnik Summer Festival, Hamlet above all. Buy tickets at the entrance or in advance from the official webshop of the Society of Friends of Dubrovnik Antiquities; a ticket is good for one circuit, with no re-entry, and children under seven go free.

Back at street level, the Rector's Palace, once the seat of the Rector of the Dubrovnik Republic, now holds the Cultural History Museum. A single ticket costs €15, but the combined ticket for ten city museums and galleries, at €20 and valid for seven days, also covers the Maritime Museum, the archaeological exhibitions in Fort Revelin and the Museum of Modern Art; museum ticket offices take cards only. On Stradun, the Franciscan Monastery keeps a Romanesque cloister and a pharmacy established in 1317, one of the oldest still working anywhere. Sponza Palace, a 16th-century customs house and mint, now houses the Memorial Room of the Dubrovnik Defenders; go early, before it fills.

For the view of it all, the Dubrovnik Cable Car climbs 778 metres of cable to an upper station 405 metres above the sea on Mount Srđ in about three and a half minutes. A return ticket costs €30 for adults and €8 for children aged four to twelve. It has run since 1969; this year it is open until the end of November (closing at 17:00, with maintenance closures on 10, 11 and 20 November) and closed from December to March. There is a restaurant at the top for a coffee with the Old Town spread out below.

## Islands and Day Trips

Lokrum lies about ten minutes by boat from the Old Port and is almost all forest: woodland covers about 90 per cent of the island. Benedictines were here by 1023, the French began a fortress in 1806 that Austria later enlarged, and in 1859 the island was bought by Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg, who landscaped it and most likely brought the peacocks that still strut its paths. The €30 ticket includes the reserve entrance and the return boat from the Luža office in the Old Port; arriving by water taxi does not reduce the fee. Bring a swimsuit: the island has four bathing spots reached only by sea, including the spot known as the Dead Sea.

Cavtat, 18 kilometres south, is the ancient Epidaurus, from which, the story goes, the refugees came who founded Dubrovnik; in the days of the Republic it was the second port after the city itself. Today it is a calm harbour town on the Rat peninsula, with the Račić family mausoleum and the house of the painter Vlaho Bukovac to visit. Libertas bus 10 runs there every 30 minutes, and regular boats run from the Old Town as well.

North-west, the Pelješac peninsula is the region's red wine country and Ston its gateway. The Walls of Ston, begun in 1333 and originally some seven kilometres long, join the town's two centres, with the Koruna fort in Mali Ston and the Veliki Kaštel beside the salt pans; tickets come from the same society that runs Dubrovnik's walls. Mali Ston is the home of the malostonska kamenica, the local oyster, and March is its month, celebrated with an Oyster Day when boats and farms open to visitors. Closer to the city, the Elaphiti islands of Koločep, Lopud and Šipan are a relaxed day by boat from Gruž; on Lopud, rent a bike or a kayak, or walk up to the Franciscan monastery for the view.

## What to Eat and Drink

Dubrovnik eats from the sea. Look for grilled squid, octopus salad and black risotto on every waterfront menu, and for the slower dishes of the region: pašticada, beef braised in wine and spices and served with gnocchi; peka, meat or seafood cooked under a bell-shaped lid with potatoes, herbs and olive oil; cuttlefish with broad beans; and menestra. For dessert there is rozata, a rose-scented caramel custard, Dubrovnik's own take on crème caramel, and rozolin, a rose liqueur.

The oysters of Mali Ston are best eaten raw, with a few drops of lemon. Drink Pelješac reds, Dingač and Postup, both from the Plavac Mali grape, or Malvasija Dubrovačka, a white from the Konavle valley whose grape is said to go back to the 14th century. On a hot day, locals stretch red wine with water and call it bevanda. In October, the Good Food Festival fills the city with tastings, cooking classes and wine pairings, and the Gruž market, best in the morning, is where to see the season's produce and fish.

## Getting There and Around

Dubrovnik Ruđer Bošković Airport is 22.5 kilometres from the city, about 30 to 35 minutes by road, though summer traffic can stretch that to an hour. The Platanus shuttle leaves about 30 minutes after every arrival and stops at Ploče Gate (about 30 minutes) and the Gruž bus station (about 35 minutes, 500 metres from the ferry port). It costs €10 one way or €15 return, the return valid for 15 days, and children under six ride free. Libertas public buses 11, 27 and 38 also serve the airport.

In town, Libertas runs the city buses. A single ride bought on the bus costs €2.50 and is cheaper from a kiosk; a 24-hour ticket costs €5.31. Lines 1A, 1B and 3 reach Pile, 6 goes to Lapad, 7 to Babin Kuk and 10 to Cavtat. The Old Town itself is car-free, and parking elsewhere is scarce, so a car is only worth having for Pelješac or Konavle. Boats run from the Old Port and Gruž to Lokrum, the Elaphiti islands and Cavtat. Inside the walls, carry rather than roll your suitcase; the residents will thank you.

## When to Go

Summer is the season of the Dubrovnik Summer Festival, held every July and August, with theatre and music on open-air stages around the walls; it is also the warmest and busiest time. Late spring and early autumn are calmer, and October adds the Good Food Festival and, this year, the Lumiart light festival.

Winter is the quiet season, and a good one. From 1 November to 31 March the walls keep shorter winter hours but stay open every day except Christmas Day. The city's own festivals carry on: the Winter Festival brings lights, Christmas markets and concerts, and in early February Dubrovnik celebrates the feast of St Blaise, its patron saint, when the reliquaries of the cathedral treasury are carried through the streets. In recent years Lokrum has reopened in early February, with boats at weekends until April.

## Good to Know

- Croatia has used the euro since 1 January 2023. Museum ticket offices take cards only.
- Cruise ships set the rhythm of Old Town days. Dubrovnik welcomed 423 cruise calls and 571,134 cruise passengers in the first nine months of 2026, and the schedule is planned almost two years ahead. Check the Port of Dubrovnik arrivals list and save the walls and Stradun for early mornings, evenings or quiet days.
- The Dubrovnik Pass bundles most Old Town museums with unlimited bus rides; it is sold in one-, three- and seven-day versions.
- The Pile tourist information centre is open daily, and Gruž has one too.
- The Old Town is a special traffic zone: only vehicles with permits may enter.
- Swimming is mostly from pebbles and rocks. Sveti Jakov, a pebble cove east of Ploče, is quieter than Banje.

## Our Picks

- To see · City Walls — Old Town — 1,940 metres of path, sixteen towers and the sea on one side; go at opening time, and keep the ticket for Fort Lovrijenac.
- To see · Fort Lovrijenac — Pile — The fortress on a 37-metre rock outside the walls, and in summer the festival's stage for Hamlet.
- To see · Rector's Palace — Old Town — The seat of the old Republic, now the Cultural History Museum; the €20 ten-museum ticket covers it for seven days.
- To see · Franciscan Monastery — Stradun, Old Town — A Romanesque cloister and a pharmacy established in 1317.
- To see · Dubrovnik Cable Car — Mount Srđ — Three and a half minutes up to 405 metres, and the whole city laid out below.
- To walk · Lokrum — ten minutes from the Old Port — Forest paths, Maximilian's gardens, peacocks and rocky swims, with the boat included in the €30 ticket.
- To walk · Petka Hill — Lapad — The tourist board's viewpoint over the peninsula and the coast.
- To swim · Sveti Jakov — east of Ploče — A pebble cove that is quieter than the beaches closer to town.
- To drink · D'Vino Wine Bar — Palmotićeva 4a, Old Town — Croatian wines by the glass and in tasting flights, with Mediterranean platters.
- To eat · Gruž market — Gruž — Fresh produce, fish and local goods every day; go in the morning.

## Where to Stay

- Hotel Lero — between Gruž and Lapad — Close to Bellevue and Boninovo beaches and the Gruž market, with a bar, restaurant, spa, outdoor pool and a library. [Book](https://trvl.gr/en/stay-wh/ETG_7543999)
- Valamar Lacroma Hotel — Lapad peninsula — Within walking distance of the city centre, near Neptun beach, with indoor and outdoor pools, a spa and a diving club. [Book](https://trvl.gr/en/stay-wh/ETG_7545894)
- President Hotel, Valamar Collection — Lapad peninsula — A sophisticated but very comfortable hotel beside its own private beach, with indoor and outdoor pools, a spa and a children's playroom. [Book](https://trvl.gr/en/stay-wh/ETG_7536758)

## The Essence

Dubrovnik is best taken slowly and in layers: the walls at first light, a swim off the rocks at noon, a boat to Lokrum or a drive to the oyster beds of Mali Ston, and Stradun again in the evening. Come in the shoulder months or in winter and the city gives itself back to its people, and to you, with festivals, quiet streets and a glass of Plavac Mali waiting at the end of the day.

## Hotels in this guide

- Hotel Lero, Dubrovnik (4★): https://trvl.gr/en/stay-wh/ETG_7543999
- Valamar Lacroma Hotel, Dubrovnik (4★): https://trvl.gr/en/stay-wh/ETG_7545894
- President Hotel, Valamar Collection, Dubrovnik (5★): https://trvl.gr/en/stay-wh/ETG_7536758

## Sources

- Stradun shops and houses rebuilt in Baroque style after 1667 earthquake; Pile gate west, Ploče gate east; buses 1A,1B,3 Pile, 6 Lapad, 7 Babin Kuk; Gruž ~2.5 km NW, Lapad ~3.5 km; Lazareti on Frana Supila; carry suitcases; Lokrum 10 min by boat; Franciscan monastery Placa 2, Romanesque cloister; Dubrovnik Pass museums + buses, 1/3/7 days; reliquaries carried in Feast of St Blaise; Libertas kiosk cheaper than on-board: https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Dubrovnik (checked 2026-10-16)
- Walls 1940 m long, 16 towers, 3 fortresses, 6 bastions, up to 25 m high, present extent mid-13th c., last bastion St Stephen 1660: https://citywallsdubrovnik.hr/the-city-walls/?lang=en (checked 2026-10-16)
- Walls ticket includes Lovrijenac; open daily except Christmas Day; winter 1 Nov–31 Mar; under 7 free; one tour, no re-entry; official webshop: https://citywallsdubrovnik.hr/faq/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Lovrijenac on 37 m rock; Summer Festival stage, Hamlet; inscription Non bene pro toto libertas venditur auro: https://citywallsdubrovnik.hr/lovrjenac-fortress/?lang=en (checked 2026-10-16)
- Walls of Ston: originally 7000 m, building from 1333, Koruna fort in Mali Ston, Veliki Kaštel near salt pans; managed by the same society: https://citywallsdubrovnik.hr/walls-of-ston/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Museum prices: 10 museums €20 valid 7 days, Rector's Palace €15, list of included museums; POS-only payment: https://www.dumus.hr/en/entrance-tickets/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Rector's Palace seat of Rector, museum; Franciscan pharmacy est. 1317; Sponza 16th-c. customs house and mint, Memorial Room of Defenders, go early; cable car views, restaurant at top: https://experiencedubrovnik.com/en/dubrovnik/nezaobilazne-atrakcije (checked 2026-10-16)
- Cable car prices €30/€17 adult, €8 child 4–12; monthly hours, closed Dec–Mar (Jan–Mar and Dec), Nov 09–17, closures 10, 11, 20 Nov 2026: https://www.dubrovnikcablecar.com/timetable-and-prices (checked 2026-10-16)
- Cable car upper station 405 m, line 778.2 m, ride 3:30: https://www.dubrovnikcablecar.com/technical-details (checked 2026-10-16)
- Cable car built 1969: https://www.dubrovnikcablecar.com/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Lokrum ticket €30 incl. reserve and return boat, Luža ticket office in Old Port, own transport does not reduce fee; forest ~90%: https://www.lokrum.hr/en/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Lokrum Benedictines 1023, French fortress 1806 expanded 1835, Maximilian bought 1859, horticultural landscaping: https://www.lokrum.hr/en/cultural-heritage (checked 2026-10-16)
- Lokrum peacocks introduced mid-19th c., most likely under Maximilian: https://www.lokrum.hr/en/animal-kingdom (checked 2026-10-16)
- Lokrum reopened 1 Feb 2025, weekend boats until 1 April: https://www.lokrum.hr/en/news/welcome-to-lokrum-the-island-reopens (checked 2026-10-16)
- Beaches: Banje (Ploče), Sveti Jakov quieter pebble cove, Lapad bay, 4 Lokrum bathing spots incl. Dead Sea, sea access only: https://experiencedubrovnik.com/en/dubrovnik-for/sun-seekers (checked 2026-10-16)
- Lapad suburb west, promenade, many hotels, Petka Hill viewpoint; Gruž port, daily market go in morning, transport hub, TUP creative hub; Elaphiti Koločep, Lopud, Šipan, Lopud bike/kayak, Franciscan monastery: https://experiencedubrovnik.com/en/dubrovnik/izvan-zidina (checked 2026-10-16)
- Cavtat = ancient Epidaurus, residents fled to found Dubrovnik, second seaport of the Republic, Rat peninsula; Račić mausoleum and Bukovac house listed: https://visit.cavtat-konavle.com/en/cavtat (checked 2026-10-16)
- Cavtat 18 km, bus 10 every 30 minutes: https://visit.cavtat-konavle.com/en/arrival (checked 2026-10-16)
- Regular boats from Old City and Gruž to Elaphites, Lokrum, Cavtat; parking limited; Old City access restricted: https://experiencedubrovnik.com/en/plan-your-trip-2/getting-around-the-city (checked 2026-10-16)
- Food and wine: squid, octopus salad, black risotto, pašticada with gnocchi, peka, menestra, cuttlefish with fava beans, rozata, rozolin, bevanda; Dingač and Postup Plavac Mali on Pelješac; Malvasija Dubrovačka Konavle, 14th c.; Good Food Festival every October: https://experiencedubrovnik.com/en/dubrovnik-for/wine-and-food-lovers (checked 2026-10-16)
- Mali Ston oyster (malostonska kamenica) best raw with lemon; March oyster month, Oyster Day with boat/farm visits: https://www.ostrea.hr/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Summer Festival every July and August; St Blaise in February, patron saint; Winter Festival lights, markets, concerts: https://experiencedubrovnik.com/en/dubrovnik-for/festival-junkies (checked 2026-10-16)
- Lumiart Oct 2026; Pile TIC open daily; Gruž TIC; special traffic regime zone in Old City: https://experiencedubrovnik.com/en/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Airport Ruđer Bošković 22.5 km, 30–35 min, up to 1 h in summer; Platanus shuttle; Libertas lines 11, 27, 38: https://www.dbv.hr/hr/kako-do-nas/54 (checked 2026-10-16)
- Platanus shuttle €10 / €15 return valid 15 days, under 6 free, ~30 min after every arrival, stops Ploče gate ~30 min, Gruž bus station ~35 min, 500 m from ferry port: https://www.platanus.hr/shuttle-bus (checked 2026-10-16)
- Libertas single ticket on bus €2.50, 24-hour ticket €5.31: https://www.libertasdubrovnik.hr/en/price-list (checked 2026-10-16)
- Croatia joined euro area 1 January 2023: https://www.ecb.europa.eu/euro/changeover/croatia/html/index.en.html (checked 2026-10-16)
- 423 cruise calls, 571,134 passengers Jan–Sep 2026; schedules planned almost two years ahead; arrivals schedule online: https://www.portdubrovnik.hr/index.php/en/component/content/article/dubrovnik-successfully-manages-its-cruise-season?catid=16&Itemid=375 (checked 2026-10-16)
- D'Vino Wine Bar: Palmotićeva 4a, Old Town; Croatian wines by glass, bottle and tasting; platters; open daily 10:00–02:00: https://www.dvino.net/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Hotel Lero: Iva Vojnovića 14; near Bellevue Beach, Boninovo Beach, Gruž Open Market; bar, restaurant, spa, outdoor pool, library (official description): https://trvl.gr/api/hotels/ETG_7543999 (checked 2026-10-16)
- Valamar Lacroma: Iva Dulčića 34; walking distance from centre; near Neptun Beach; indoor & outdoor pools, spa, diving club (official description): https://trvl.gr/api/hotels/ETG_7545894 (checked 2026-10-16)
- President Hotel, Valamar Collection: Iva Dulčića 142; 'sophisticated but very comfortable'; private beach; indoor & outdoor pools, spa, playroom (official description): https://trvl.gr/api/hotels/ETG_7536758 (checked 2026-10-16)

## Photo credits

- Aerial view of Dubrovnik Old Town and its walls on the Adriatic: photo by Geio Tischler (Unsplash, Unsplash License)
- Fort Lovrijenac on its rocky cliff above the sea: photo by Hugo Martin (Unsplash, Unsplash License)
- Old Town walls and a beach on the Adriatic in Dubrovnik: photo by Hans-Jürgen Weinhardt (Unsplash, Unsplash License)
- Narrow stone alleyway with potted plants in Dubrovnik Old Town: photo by Kevin Charit (Unsplash, Unsplash License)