City guide: Dubrovnik, Croatia | Private jet charter
Dubrovnik is a UNESCO-listed fortress city dramatically located on the country’s Adriatic coast. Take the cable car to the top of Mount Srd and enjoy watching the sunset over the Adriatic; savour the fabulous local cuisine, island hop to Elafiti, Lokrum or Korcula and visit the city’s markets, galleries and museums.
Top five must-see sights and attractions
Cable car to Mount Srd
The four-minute cable car ride to the top of Mount Srd is unmissable, especially at sunset – and is only a short walk from the Old Town. Opened in 2010, it rises steeply above the Old Town affording spectacular views across Dubrovnik and the neighbouring islands. Stop for lunch or coffee at the appropriately named Panorama restaurant and enjoy the excellent food while you savour the vistas.
Dubrovnik beaches
Dubrovnik has plenty of small beaches and hidden coves to explore. The city’s main beach is called Banje and is close to Ploče Gate with delightful views across to the Old Town and Lokrum Island. There’s a café bar here, and deck chairs and parasols for hire. Often crowded in high season its proximity to the Excelsior and Argentina hotels make it a popular choice for tourists.
Locals tend to head for Sveti Jakov beach, a beautiful bay about a mile from the Old town. The bar and restaurant here are at beach level (shingles and pebbles).
Buža beach has a superb location next to the southern Old Town ramparts and is a great swimming and sunbathing spot. It’s not exactly a beach, rather a rocky promontory with concrete terraces from which you can dive into the sea.
City Walls walking tour
Enter by Pile Gate and either take the walk around the ramparts of this incredibly preserved ancient city, or join a guided tour. You’ll meander across the lime-stone paved streets and learn about the city’s churches, monasteries and palaces. The walk along the wall is around 1.2-miles long with beautiful views of the Adriatic below, and you’ll also visit the iconic Minčeta Tower, Rector’s Palace and Dubrovnik Cathedral.
Boat trip to Elafiti, Lokrum or Korcula islands
Dubrovnik has a wealth of treasures to visit, but we also recommend hopping on a taxi-boat in the Old Town quay to explore Dubrovnik’s beautiful offshore islands. Just a 15-minute sail is the uninhabited island of Lokrum with its rocky beaches, and verdant pines, palms and cypress trees. Explore the enigmatic medieval and Napoleonic ruins now overtaken by nature.
The Elafiti Islands are a small group to the north of Dubrovnik with sandy beaches. Lopud is the most famous and boasts beautiful beaches – including Šunj Bay – and a 15th-century Franciscan monastery.
Korcula is famous for being the birthplace of Marco Polo. Visit the museum dedicated to the explorer, and explore the city of Korčula’s cultural centre before heading to one of Lopud’s vineyards at Grk, Pošip, Plavac Mali or Maraština.
Gundulićeva Poljana market and Gruž market
Located in the heart of the Old Town in the Baroque square is Gundulićeva Poljana, behind the Church of St Blaise. Gundulićeva Poljana market is a smorgasbord of organic preserves and honeys, spices, veggies and dried and natural fruits. The home-made spirit (rakija) and local wine make great souvenirs and gifts. Head for the stalls near the Rector’s Palace for a range of oils and dried flowers.
Gruž market is near the port and the main bus station with its main draw the fabulous local produce. You may see farmers in traditional dress selling fruit, vegetables, eggs, cheeses and fish. The market is as popular as the Old Town market but with fewer tourists and held in the ruined garden of a villa.
Getting around
Dubrovnik International Airport is just 20km from the centre of Dubrovnik. Take a taxi to your hotel, but be aware that the Old Town is completely pedestrianised. Taxis and airport buses drop visitors at Pile Gate – the western entrance to the Old Town.
Explore the medieval area on foot and leave the car hire until you want to travel farther afield. Outside the Old Town, the local bus network is good and reliable, and there are plenty of taxis – locate them at Pile and Ploče gates.
Best time to visit
Spring – March can be rainy. April and May are better when the weather is warmer. June is generally warm and sunny.
Summer – July and August are the hottest months with warm hot days and evenings. But the city can feel overcrowded and prices are accordingly high.
Autumn – The weather in September and October varies from warm to chilly. Prices are lower and the crowds generally fewer.
Winter – December, January and February can be rainy and cold, but prices are low, tourists are fewer in number and hotel and flight deals more plentiful.
Final call
Dubrovnik is the perfect city break destination at any time of the year. Its idyllic Adriatic coastline location, combined with a wealth of cultural attractions, great beaches, a world-renowned summer festival, medieval architecture, superb nightlife and cuisine, and an attractive harbour, makes Dubrovnik an excellent choice for weekend getaways and longer stays.
For all your aircraft charter requirements to this beautiful fortress city, contact the team today.
