You’re visiting Dubrovnik and wondering what are the best day trips from Dubrovnik? This blog post is for you!
*Updated for 2025*
Are you one of the people who plan to see the King’s Landing anytime soon? I’m so excited for you to see Dubrovnik! There’s probably not a person in the world who hasn’t heard of Dubrovnik at this point.
>>> BEST 3-DAY DUBROVNIK ITINERARY (2025)
The jewel of the Adriatic coast, located in southern Croatia, is well-known for its medieval beauty. But, along side Dubrovnik, there are many amazing locations around Dubrovnik worth visiting!
Dubrovnik has always been popular and sought out by tourists, but when it became the prime filming spot for Game of Thrones, the popularity of the city skyrocketed, and now HERE WE ARE.
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SOME FACTS ABOUT DUBROVNIK
- Dubrovnik is connected to the rest of Croatia by the Pelješac Bridge, not by land.
- It’s on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites for the amazing and well-preserved old town and the incredibly unique city walls.
- Dubrovnik has hot and moderately dry summers, so be prepared for the extremely high temperatures if you decide to come in summer.
- Some of the most important sights you must see are the Walls of Dubrovnik, Stradun, Saint Blaise’s Church, Saint Ignatius Church, and the Cathedral of the Assumption.
BEST DAY TRIPS FROM DUBROVNIK
Even though there is a lot to see in Dubrovnik, the town is charming but still small, which means if you’re staying for longer than 3-4 days you might feel the need to get out of the city.
Here is my list of the best possible day trips from Dubrovnik which offer both tranquility away from the crowds of Dubrovnik and also active and exciting ways to spend your vacation in a new location for a day.
ELAPHITI ISLANDS
The moment you come to Dubrovnik you will notice islands all around it. Northwest of Dubrovnik there is a small archipelago of islands – the most popular islands being Lopud, Šipan, and Koločep.
ŠIPAN
Šipan is the largest of the three and the one that’s furthest away from Dubrovnik but it offers many different activities that could be perfect for your day trip.
If you find yourself on Šipan, go visit Stjepović Skočibuha castle and tower, as well as the Benedictine monastery complex. If you like being active, there are numerous walking and biking routes and many swimming spots.
Many amazing restaurants give you the opportunity to enjoy the delicious seafood Dalmatia offers. The most popular restaurant on Šipan is Bowa – but it’s pretty pricey so decide according to your budget. If the restaurant is in your budget, they even offer private boat tours from Dubrovnik to the restaurant.
KOLOČEP
Koločep is the smallest and the closest to Dubrovnik. As cars are not allowed on the island, you will have complete peace to enjoy your vacation.
People often choose Koločep (or Lopud) as their base because they feel calm and relaxed on the island, yet when they want to go to Dubrovnik all they have to do is get on a ferry or a private boat.
A must-see on Koločep is the Blue Cave – a unique natural phenomenon in the world.
LOPUD
Lopud is the last of the bigger islands of the Elaphites – it’s in between the 2 before mentioned – Koločep and Šipan, and it’s the most popular one out of the three. This island is one of my absolute favourite day trips from Dubrovnik.
On Lopud, you can find the most beautiful long, sandy beaches. The most prominent one is Šunj, and people come to Lopud specifically for the popular beach.
The food there is delicious, the restaurant Obala being one of the best restaurants on the island. Only one side of the island is populated and cars are not allowed, so the nature of the island is amazingly preserved.
A lot of celebrities tend to anchor their yachts near Lopud as it offers peace yet it’s a few minutes away from the Dubrovnik crowds.
READ HERE >>> HOW TO SPEND A PERFECT DAY ON LOPUD
HOW TO GET THERE
If you want to come to any of the three islands use a local ferry called „Postira“ or “Dora”, depending on which one is active. It stops at all three locations so you only have to pick the one you prefer, and it’s only 10 euros for a round trip!
You can also access them with private boat tours which are definitely a better option if it’s in your budget!
KOTOR, MONTENEGRO
When you’re already SO CLOSE, it would be a shame to miss out on Kotor.
Kotor, a coastal town in Montenegro, is one of the best day trips you could take from Dubrovnik. The town is located on the Bay of Kotor and offers almost indescribable views of both the town and the surrounding nature.
Same as Dubrovnik, Kotor is also included in UNESCO’S World Heritage Sites list for its beautiful well-preserved city walls.
The old town is so charming it will permanently stay on your mind.
What you must do in Kotor is thoroughly explore the Old Town, and afterward hike up to the Fortress of Kotor. The Fortress offers incredible views of the whole Bay which will leave you speechless.
The hike is around 45 minutes uphill but trust me it is worth it. It’s one of the most beautiful views I’ve seen.
HOW TO GET THERE
The easiest and most beautiful way would be by car – the roads go along the coast so your drive would be around 2 hours of amazing views.
If you don’t have a car it’s easy to rent it in Dubrovnik or just take a bus. Buses run daily and there are around 8 buses a day from Dubrovnik to Kotor.
KORCULA
If you’ve heard of Dubrovnik, you must have heard of Korcula as well.
The city of Korcula can be found on the Croatian island of the same name. It’s a 2-hour drive away from Dubrovnik and it’s one of Croatia’s most beautiful islands.
Korcula has an incredibly beautiful old town which you MUST visit. The medieval old town looks fairly similar to Dubrovnik’s and Kotor’s.
The most important building of Korčula’s old town is St. Mark’s Cathedral. Also, Marko Polo’s alleged birth house can be found on Korčula and it has incredible views of the island and clear, blue sea.
>>> KORCULA: BEST THINGS TO DO ON THE ISLAND
The island also offers many sports activities like windsurfing, kayaking, and cycling so travelers who prefer an active vacation will be very pleased with their choice of Korčula.
For those who prefer relaxing, the most beautiful beaches like Bilin Zal Beach and Vaja Beach await you.
HOW TO GET THERE
One of the options is to take a ferry from Dubrovnik to Korčula. Unfortunately, you can’t find them all year round as they are operating from April to October only.
Another way is to take a bus that goes from Dubrovnik to Korčula. They go more often and all year round, so they are the better option.
You can also take a private tour to Pelješac and Korčula for only 70 euros!
STON
When you think about a jam-packed location, Ston is the complete opposite of that. The small town is situated on the Pelješac peninsula, only around 60 kilometers from Dubrovnik.
Although not a huge tourist attraction, Ston still has a lot to offer. It is home to one of the longest preserved fortification systems in the world, second only to the Great Wall of China.
>>> HOW TO SPEND THE BEST DAY IN STON, CROATIA – A GUIDE
The walls of Ston today are 5.5 km long (in their time they were 7 km) and they connect Ston to Mali Ston. After exploring the walls (40 kn/ 5 euros) go to Mali Ston for lunch.
Mali Ston is well-known for growing oysters and mussels! Not only can you enjoy them in a restaurant, you can take a boat tour of the oyster farms there and even taste them straight out of the sea!
HOW TO GET THERE
there are regular bus lines to get to Ston and Mali Ston. Every bus from Dubrovnik going to Korčula stops in Ston and Mali Ston. If you have a car, you can reach it easily in an hour, or just book a guided tour from Dubrovnik.
HVAR
Hvar, Croatia’s most popular and most expensive island, is a must-see if you are visiting Croatia. The island is located in southern Croatia and it’s approximately 3 hours away from Dubrovnik.
The charming island offers historical sights like St. Stephen’s Square and St. Stephen’s Cathedral but it also charms you with the clear water and cobbled streets full of local restaurants offering Mediterranean food.
When on Hvar, use the time to explore the pebbled beaches like Bonj, Mekicevica, or Pokonji Dol.
No matter what you choose to do during the day, make sure you end your day by catching the sunset on The Fortica Fortress. The Fortress provides you with an incredible view of the city of Hvar and Pakleni islands.
HOW TO GET THERE
The Jadrolinija has ferries that go from Dubrovnik to Hvar during the season. The price for one ticket is around 35 euros and the ferry ride lasts about 3 hours.
These are my top 5 favorite day trips from Dubrovnik when you need a break from the city!
I’m sure you will absolutely love Dubrovnik but make sure you don’t miss out on some amazing and under-rated destinations nearby.
Love this post! I have never been to Croatia (my Euro travels always seem to happen in winter) but when I finally go on a summer Euro trip, Croatia will be at the top of the list!
thanks! you should totally come, you will have a great time 🙂