What To Do In Dubrovnik If You Have Three Days

I’ve always been inexplicably drawn to Croatia, so when I found cheap flights to Dubrovnik in July, I started planning our Croatia itinerary with glee. We began with three days in Dubrovnik (four nights), then took a bus to Split, where we spent one night before sailing to Hvar for our final two nights.

Visiting Dubrovnik was a big deal for me. The destination been high on my bucket list since my friends came back from interrailing years ago and gushed about how beautiful it is. I was nervous that it wouldn’t live up to my expectations, but thankfully, it absolutely did.

I was also worried that having never watched Game of Thrones, some of the sights would be lost on me – but I needn’t have been apprehensive because there’s plenty of things to do in Dubrovnik whether you’re a GOT fan or not.

The historic Old City’s patchwork of red rooftops giving way to the clear Adriatic Sea were just a I’d pictured, and I loved exploring the generous smattering of sleepy islands just off Dubrovnik’s coast.

What to do in Dubrovnik: Three Day Itinerary

I did a lot of research about what to see in Dubrovnik before we left but nothing could have prepared me for the heat and crowds, and we had to change our plans a little. With this in mind, I’ve put together a three day Dubrovnik itinerary detailing what to do in Dubrovnik, plus which area to stay in Dubrovnik to save money and still be near the Old City, and a few tips for making the most of your few days in Dubrovnik.

I’ve also covered the best trips and excursions from Dubrovnik and other helpful Dubrovnik sightseeing tips. I hope it helps!

Day one

Your first day in Dubrovnik should be spent as you’d spend your first day in any new, unfamiliar city: exploring! Copy my route, documented below, to create your own Dubrovnik walking tour.

Explore the Old City

We entered the Old City walls though Pile Gate and ambled around down Stradun, which is said to be one of the most beautiful streets in Europe.

We then delved in to the impossibly narrow cobble-stone alleyways that feed off the main stretch, grabbing brunch at an outdoor cafe when our bellies started rumbling. The entire Old City is UNESCO protected, and I can see why.

The Venetian Baroque-style Church of Saint Blaise is one of the main landmarks within Dubrovnik’s city walls, as is the Church of St Ignatius of Loyola. Onofrio’s Fountain is just inside the main gate, and spits out clean drinking water.

If you want to be sure you don’t miss any of Dubrovnik’s top attractions, check out these city tours. I often do a tour on my first day in a new destination to help me get my bearings.

Cool off at a Dubrovnik beach

Be warned: Dubrovnik is heaving in July and walking around began to stress us out. Being a hot summer’s day, there was little breeze inside the city walls so we went to cool off at Banje Beach, which is a few minutes’ walk from Ploče Gate.

Unfortunately, everyone else had the same idea – this must be one of the top things to do in Dubrovnik when it’s hot! 

This was also when we learned our mistake in not packing beach shoes, because Dubrovnik’s beaches are all pebbly since they’re just little coves in the cliffside. Take note from the locals and buy a pair, because you’ll definitely need them.

Swimming in the sea in Dubrovnik took me back to writing stories in primary school, when ‘sparkly’ was my go-to adjective for describing water. The Croatian Adriatic legit sparkles, its surface dancing in the sunlight. It’s one of those sights that soothes the soul.

Grab a gelato

You absolutely have to eat as much gelato as possible while you’re in Dubrovnik, it’s delicious.

Walk the city walls

After we’d dried off, we grabbed a cone each and went to walk the city walls, which date back to the 13th Century.

I was surprised to find that the cost to enter Dubrovnik’s city walls is 200 Kunas each, which is around 30 Euro. Yes, it’s expensive, but it’s one of the things you HAVE to do in Dubrovnik if you want to see those iconic terracotta rooftops, so we bit the bullet and paid the fee. Good move, Croatia.

The city wall walk in Dubrovnik takes about an hour, but it was sweltering hot when we did it in the early afternoon so it might be best to wait until sunset for those gorgeous golden hour photos, or get up early and do it in the morning.

The best view is from the highest point on the city wall walk, at Minceta Fortress and from Fort  Lovrijenac. The walls make a full loop, so it’s impossible to miss anything. This is something you can’t afford to miss off your Dubrovnik itinerary.

Drink in a cliff bar

We spied plenty of cliff bars from the walls overlooking the coast, the most well-known being Buza Bar. These famous bars in Dubrovnik can be pricey, so lots of backpackers just buy beers in the shops and take them to the cliffside for sundowners.

Ride the cable car

A ride on the cable car is one of the top things to do in Dubrovnik but if you’re on a budget, you might not want to fork out the fee.

We skipped the cable car, deciding that the view from Dubrovnik’s city wall walk was good enough for us. If you’re trying to save money on a trip to Dubrovnik, I recommend only doing one of these things.

Dine in the City Harbour

You’ll definitely stumble upon the City Harbour at some point while you explore the Old City, and this is a good place to have dinner in the evening. It’s a Dubrovnik must-see – and I can see why!

Alternatively, book a sunset dinner cruise – got to be one of the most romantic things to do in Dubrovnik!

If you’re short on time, the above itinerary will let you see Dubrovnik in a day.

Day two

Find the best beaches in Dubrovnik

If you’re visiting Dubrovnik in the busy summer months, you might find that the crowds leave you itching to escape the city on your second day. We were craving some beach time and a quick google told me that the best beaches in Dubrovnik were to be found on Lapad peninsula.

We walked from our accommodation to Solotuda Beach, stopping at a small beach called Mandrac Beach. This one felt very local, with just a little kiosk selling cold drinks.

Not the type to loll on a beach all day? If you’re looking for adventure activities in Dubrovnik, take a look at the below options which you can book ahead of your trip online.

Go to one of Dubrovnik’s chic beach bars

From there, you can follow a walking trail to some glam beach bars like Copacabana and Coral Beach Club, and a few fancy hotels. The unique Cave Bar at Hotel More is in this area too.

We walked right around the cliff on this side of Lapad to the small coves closer to the main ‘strip’, where metal steps into the sea are perched haphazardly in the rocks, turning the cliffside’s ledges into popular makeshift sunbathing spots. Our patch was in front of Levante restaurant, which looked like a lovely place to eat.

Catch happy hour at a cocktail bar

You can keep walking to Lapad’s strip and get there in time for happy hour. Caffe Promenade has a huge cocktail menu, so obviously we did our best to work our way through that.

Take a Game of Thrones tour

If you’re one of the hordes of GOT fans who visit Croatia looking for the most famous GOT filming locations, you might want to skip the beach on your second day and take one of these Dubrovnik Game of Thrones tours instead.

Day three

For your final day in Dubrovnik, I recommend doing a boat trip or day trip from Dubrovnik to see some of the surrounding area.

The best boat trips in Dubrovnik

We planned a cruise around the Elaphite Islands, an archipelago just off the coast. The cost is pretty reasonable for a trip that takes all day and includes lunch on the boat.

You set sail from Gruž harbour, and visit three different islands – the only ones which are inhabited today. It was lovely to get away from the tourist rabbles in Dubrovnik and see village life in Croatia.

Island hopping in Croatia is one of the most popular ways to travel in this destination and you shouldn’t have any trouble finding an island that suits you.

Koločep

On the first island, we spent some time exploring, passing fairytale houses with trays of tomatoes laid out to dry in the sun, ladies selling lavender and peeling rowing boats bobbing at the port.

Check hotel prices on Kolocep

 Šipan

This tiny island is full of picturesque churches and has a pretty port. I’m told the opposite side of the island is a beautiful, sleepy place to spend a few days sipping locally made wine if you really want to get away from it all.

Check hotel prices on Sipan

Lopud

On Lopud, which is the most touristy of the Elaphite Islands, we took golf buggy taxis to the sandy beach on the other side of the island. Trust me, after a few days hobbling over the stones on Dubrovnik’s beaches, you’ll happily travel for some sand!

Beware though – the left corner of the sandy beach on Lopud is a nudist beach!

Check hotel prices on Lopud

I’ve compiled book-ahead tours featuring some of the most popular islands to visit from Dubrovnik below.

What to do in Dubrovnik if you have longer than three days

Got another day to spend in Dubrovnik? Most people catch a boat to Lokrum, the verdant island visible from Dubrovnik’s city walls. Alternatively, you can easily book a tour to Montenegro or Bosnia and Herzegovina from Dubrovnik.

Check out this selection of the best day trips from Dubrovnik.

Where to stay in Dubrovnik

Staying within Dubrovnik’s city walls can be crazy expensive, especially in high season, so we found accommodation in Lapad, a more residential area about 3km northwest of Dubrovnik.

We stayed at Guest House Ava, which was owned by a lovely lady who had cold local beers and homemade biscuits waiting for our arrival. Her son actually picked us up from the airport for a small fee, because there’s no sign outside the guesthouse so could be difficult to find if you arrive alone. The owner even gave us a lift to the bus station when we checked out to catch our bus to Split! The Number 6 bus runs in and out of Dubrovnik from Babin Kuk, it stops just outside Dubrovnik’s main gate.

If you’re looking for somewhere special in Lapad, Hotel Lapad is a popular choice, as is Hotel Dubrovnik Palace.

In Dubrovnik’s Old Town itself, The City Palace Guest House offers ideal accommodation for budget travellers and you should definitely check out Villa Dubrovnik or Hotel Exelsior if you’re not on a budget.

You can search for accommodation in Dubrovnik using the booking.com map below.

Booking.com

Where to eat in Dubrovnik

I hate to say it, but we really weren’t impressed with the food in Croatia, although there is good seafood to be found. Our best meal was actually on the first night in Orsan Restaurant in Lapad, which is rated high on TripAdvisor so it’s best to make a reservation. Their black risotto is excellent and you can watch the sun set over the marina.

For grab-and-go food, Tutto Bene has outlets dotted around and it does great pizza slices. We also had a delicious Mexican meal in the Old City at a restaurant called Mex Cantina Bona Fide. Authentic, I know.

Price-wise, most main meals we ate cost between 85 and 180 Kuna.

Croatian cuisine is better if you have a little local insight. Check out these foodie tours and gourmet activities to do in Dubrovnik if you’d like to learn about (and sample) some of the best food in Croatia.

Where to drink in Dubrovnik

There are plenty of bars spilling onto the cobblestones all over Dubrovnik’s Old City. Lapad’s main strip is a little cheaper, and there are some good happy hour deals.

Getting around in Croatia

If you’re visiting Dubrovnik while travelling around Croatia, check out this Croatia itinerary for an in-depth guide.

Buses are relatively cheap, considering that Croatia in general can be an expensive place to visit. In high season, it’s best to book your bus tickets in advance.

Check out Bookaway’s options for getting from Split to Dubrovnik.

Sailing is definitely the best mode of transport in Croatia, mainly because there are countless islands just off the Dalmation coast that are begging to be explored. We took ferries and catamarans to our island destinations, all booked a day in advance. In low season, that might not be necessary.

If you’re looking to book a real sailing adventure, check out G Adventures, who run small group tours around Croatia and Montenegro.

More than once during our Croatia trip, I wish we’d hired a car to get around – partly to avoid waiting around for buses and partly because the coastal drives are so gorgeous, I wanted to ask the bus driver to stop every few metres so I climb out and take pictures. If you’re planning a multi-stop trip in Croatia, you should check prices for car hire.

One day guide to Split, Croatia

My guide to Hvar, Croatia

Save on your Croatia trip with my Travel Resources page: the best companies to book with!

Not sure how much time to spend in Dubrovnik? We found that four nights in Dubrovnik was plenty of time to explore this magnificent ancient city, and were happy to head to Split on our final day, safe in the knowledge that we’d ‘done’ Dubrovnik.

Is Croatia on your travel bucket list, and what would you do with three days in Dubrovnik? Did you find any decent places to eat there? Let me know in the comments! I hope you’ve found this Dubrovnik travel guide helpful!

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All photographs were taken on my Olympus Pen E-PL7.

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