Dubrovnik travel info

Eight in the morning, up the steps by the Pile Gate onto the walls, and below you is nothing but orange roof tiles. On one side the cliff drops straight into deep blue sea; on the other, the polished marble of the Stradun cuts the town in a straight line. The full circuit, about 2 km, takes two hours at an easy pace, and the stone heats up as the sun climbs. That's why everyone goes up at opening time.

No cars get inside the walls. Most of the lanes are stairs, and cats slip through gaps strung with laundry. By day the Stradun is packed with cruise passengers and tour groups, but once the ships leave after six, the mood changes. A beer at one of the bars clinging to the rocks outside the walls as the sun goes down, a plate of black cuttlefish risotto in the old town. Lokrum, an island full of wandering peacocks, is a short boat ride away, and Kotor in Montenegro is around two hours south by road.

Most visitors fly in directly from Europe or connect through Zagreb or a European hub. Croatia has used the euro and been in Schengen since 2023, which makes it easy to fold into a wider Europe trip. July and August are hot, pricey and crowded, though. Come in May, June or September and the sea is still warm and the lanes have room to breathe.

Dubrovnik Airport (Čilipi) (DBV)

Connecting via Zagreb Airport (ZAG)