5 Reasons Dubrovnik is Worth it

Dubrovnik Overview

Dubrovnik, now known by many as kings landing (for game of thrones fans), is a city that many travel bloggers have conflicting opinions on. Some call it the gem of the Adriatic while others call it an overcrowded unauthentic tourism hub. Who is right? Should you visit one of Croatia’s most famous cities?

Let me start by saying that I think both opinions of Dubrovnik are very accurate. It is in fact very touristy, it seems like everywhere you look you see cameras and people posing for selfies. Not that appealing, I know. That being said, the surrounding scenery is absolutely gorgeous. You can make the case that a lot of Croatia’s coastal towns and islands are also scenic, but Dubrovnik has a different feel to it. Here are 5 Reasons Dubrovnik is worth your time in Croatia.

1. Old Town

What makes Dubrovnik different from many other Croatian islands and coastal cities is the Old Town. The Old Town is a preserved medieval section of Dubrovnik that is surrounded by large protective walls. Dubrovnik has a long and interesting history dating back to the 7th century. The city was a prize possession for many powerful empires and flip flopped from an independent state to one under rule, several times over the next 1,000 years.

Walking around the Town is a unique experience. The cobble stone streets, the roughed up buildings, the narrow alleyways and the surrounding walls make you feel as though you have traveled back in time. Additionally, no cars are allowed inside which helps preserve the old authentic feel. I would also highly recommend getting a hotel inside the Old Town as opposed to outside of it. It will change the feel of Dubrovnik entirely for you. It is one thing to stop by and view a place but another to live in it. I thoroughly enjoyed eating dinner, drinking some wine and late night strolls around the old streets.

Is there a ton of sightseeing to do in the Old Town? Not really, but one could make the case that the entire town(which is pretty small) is the sight itself. Not too often do you get to walk and live in an authentic 14th century scene. You probably could see all of the Old Town in less than a day but again, Dubrovnik isn’t a stop for sightseeing; It is a stop made to appreciate the distinctive feel of living in a walled medieval city.

2. The Wall

While in Dubrovnik you just never seem to be able to get enough of the protective wall. What really makes the wall awesome is that you can actually walk on it and tour the city from a higher vantage point. Walking around takes about 1.5 hours but this can vary depending on how many pictures you stop to take. It’s hard not to make a ton of picture stops given the scene of the beautiful red roofed city on one side and the gorgeous blue Adriatic Waters on the other.

Tip: If you plan to do the wall and any of the other historical sights in the city, it is worthwhile to get the Dubrovnik pass. The pass gives you access to almost all main attractions and it costs only slightly more than the tickets to enter the wall.

3. The Sunsets

What do you get when you combine crystal blue waters, old town walls, and a red roofed city at 7 pm? Perfect sunsets. Croatia as a country, is known for its amazing sunsets but there may be no place nicer than Dubrovnik to witness this. I’ll let the pictures do the talking on this one.

4. The Cable Car Experience

The Cable Car Experience is a little pricey but well worth the money. A round trip lift ticket will cost you around 170 Kunas or about $25. The experience is pretty straight forward, a cable car takes you up to a mountain where you get a chance to see Dubrovnik and the surrounding Adriatic from above.

While waiting in line for the ride up, I was dreading the $25 I just paid; I thought it was going to be a waste. I was dead wrong. This ended up being hands down the best view of my entire Croatia trip. The key is to make it up 30-40 minutes before sunset (and bring some wine too!) so you can enjoy the stunning view. Expect longer lines about an hour before sunset since everyone is thinking along the same lines. Once you are at the top, find a spot on the mountain, take a seat, open up your wine (drinking outside is allowed in Croatia) and enjoy the breath taking views as the sun sets (sunset pictures above).

Once the sun sets, the fun doesn’t end. Most people head back after this but the views of the city lighting up as day turns into night, is pretty awesome. If you aren’t in a rush I would recommend sitting and enjoying the night sky. If you are with a significant other this is also one of Dubrovnik’s most romantic activities. The last cable car down is at midnight so there really is no rush to head back.

5. Game of Thrones

You knew it was coming. Game of Thrones! For all GOT fans Old Town is the home for Kings Landing. You can’t walk more than two minutes inside the town without seeing some GOT reference. They have GOT tours but if you do a little research before hand, you wont need this.

Here is the actual clip.

Dubrovnik Reaction

As I said at the start of the post, people have conflicting opinions on if Dubrovnik is worth the journey due to its touristy nature and time commitment to get to (a bus ride from split took about three hours). I normally hate touristy spots but I would say this one is definitely worth your time if you have 8-10 days or more day in Croatia. I would spend two nights here, arriving mid afternoon on the first day and leaving early morning on the third. There isn’t a ton of sight seeing and you could knock out the whole city in a day or less, but rushing it might ruin the enjoyable experience of living in a medieval city.

Earth's Corner City Rating: Dubrovnik

☆☆☆☆☆ 4/5