Dubrovnik 7-day itinerary

Walk the 2km walls at opening time. The Minčeta Tower, Revelin Fortress, and Bokar Fortress punctuate the route with the Old Town rooftops and Adriatic alternating below. Allow 90 minutes for the full circuit with photo stops.

Explore the Old Town — Rector's Palace, Franciscan Monastery pharmacy, Cathedral of the Assumption, and the steep residential lanes. War Photo Limited gallery is a powerful exhibition of conflict photography worth an hour.

Find Buža Bar through the unmarked hole in the south wall — cliff terraces above the open sea with sunset views. After dark, walk to the Old Port for harbour-side dinner with Pelješac wine.

Ferry to Lokrum island (15 minutes) — an uninhabited reserve with pine forests, a Benedictine monastery ruin, peacocks, and the saltwater Dead Sea lake. Swim in the crystal-clear water at rocky coves along the south coast. Explore the botanical gardens planted by Archduke Maximilian in the 19th century.

Swim in the Dead Sea — a saltwater lake in the island's interior connected to the ocean by an underwater channel. The water is warmer and calmer than the open sea. Snorkel along the south coast for the clearest water and most marine life.

Return by ferry and eat at the Old Port — grilled catch of the day, black risotto, or octopus peka. The harbour restaurants are at their best in the evening when the fortress walls are illuminated.

Cable car to Mount Srđ (412m) for the definitive Dubrovnik panorama. The Fort Imperial museum tells the story of the 1991 siege — shells rained on the city for months. The exhibit is sobering and essential context for understanding modern Dubrovnik.

Explore the city through the lens of its most famous filming locations — the Jesuit Stairs (Walk of Shame), Lovrijenac Fortress (Red Keep), Minčeta Tower (House of the Undying), and Trsteno Arboretum gardens (Tyrell Gardens, a short bus ride). Whether or not you are a fan, the locations reveal parts of the city you might otherwise miss.

Paddle along the base of the city walls at sunset — the most spectacular perspective of Dubrovnik. The walls reflected in calm evening water, the Lovrijenac fortress silhouetted against the sky, and the harbour lights coming on as you return. No kayaking experience is needed.

Take the morning ferry to the Elafiti Islands — car-free, pine-forested islands northwest of Dubrovnik. Start at Koločep for forest trails and secluded swimming coves, then hop to Lopud on the next ferry.

Walk 15 minutes across Lopud to Šunj Beach — a sandy crescent in a sheltered bay with turquoise water. One of the few sandy beaches in the Dubrovnik area and utterly beautiful. Swim, sunbathe, and eat at the simple beach restaurant.

Eat at a harbour-side restaurant on Lopud before taking the evening ferry back to Dubrovnik. The island pace of life — no cars, no rush — is a wonderful contrast to the crowds of the Old Town.

Rent a car or join a tour to the Pelješac Peninsula — a long mountainous finger of land famous for Croatia's best red wine. The drive north along the coast passes the town of Ston with its 5km medieval walls (the second-longest fortification in the world after the Great Wall) and salt pans that have operated since Roman times. Walk a section of the Ston walls before continuing.

Continue to the Dingač wine region — Croatia's first protected wine designation, where Plavac Mali grapes grow on impossibly steep south-facing slopes above the Adriatic. Visit a family winery (Matuško, Bura, or Kiridžija) for a tasting of Dingač and Postup wines — powerful, full-bodied reds with character that rivals their more famous Mediterranean counterparts. The vineyards themselves, clinging to near-vertical hillsides above the sea, are an extraordinary sight.

Drive back via Trsteno and visit the Trsteno Arboretum — a Renaissance garden with ancient plane trees, aqueducts, and Mediterranean plant collections overlooking the sea. This was the Tyrell Gardens in Game of Thrones. Return to Dubrovnik for a late dinner.

Cross the border into Montenegro (2 hours) and drive around the Bay of Kotor — the southernmost fjord in Europe. The road follows the water past small fishing villages, medieval churches, and the town of Perast with its two tiny islands. The scenery is extraordinary — mountains rising vertically from the still, dark water of the inner bay.

Explore Kotor's medieval old town — compact, atmospheric, and ringed by massive walls. Climb the 1,350 steps to the San Giovanni fortress for one of the most dramatic viewpoints in the Balkans — the entire bay laid out below with mountains on every side. The climb is steep and takes 60–90 minutes but the panorama justifies every step.

Stop in Perast on the return — a tiny Baroque town on the bay with two island churches you can visit by taxi boat. Our Lady of the Rocks is an artificial island built by local fishermen over centuries of dropping rocks around a sacred painting. Eat fresh fish at a waterfront restaurant before driving back to Dubrovnik.

Spend your final morning at Banje Beach — the main beach east of the Old Town with views of the walls and Lokrum island. The water is clean and deep, the pebble beach has sun-lounger rentals, and the view of the fortress walls from the water is stunning. A final Adriatic swim to close out your Dubrovnik week.

Visit the Gundulić Square morning market for lavender, honey, olive oil, and local liqueurs. Walk the Old Town lanes one final time — discover details you missed in the stonework, window boxes, and hidden courtyards. The side streets north of the Stradun are the least visited and the most atmospheric.

End your week with dinner at the Old Port — watch the boats, the fortress lights, and the evening promenade from your table. Order a final glass of Dingač wine and grilled Adriatic fish. Dubrovnik airport is 20 minutes away; the bus station connects to Split, Montenegro, and beyond.