Dubrovnik, Croatia | Where We Be

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Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik is certainly deserving of all the high
praise heaped upon it -- but it's best explored in
the "off hours" if you want to avoid the worst of
the tourist crowds. We suggest starting early
and finishing late. Take a siesta midday when
the crowds are at their worst -- or alternatively,
explore the less-visited museums included as
part of your Dubrovnik Pass -- which, by the
way, you should definitely purchase, since it's
essentially the same cost as a city wall walk, the
one thing you'll most certainly want to do here.

We did our wall walk at 8 am, just as soon as the
walls opened. Similarly, we explored Lovrijenac
Fort (aka the "Red Keep" from Game of Thrones)
at 8 am and had the place literally to ourselves.
Pro tip: don't believe the hours Google shows --
instead, ask a local. Our hotel receptionist told
us the fort opened at 8 am -- but the websites
all said 9 am, which explains why no one else
was there but us. Taking a contrarian approach
(e.g., eating and touring at off hours) makes
things much more pleasant in this mega-popular
city and lets the city retain its undeniable charm.

Lovrijenac Fort as seen from the walls
of Dubrovnik on a sunny morning

It's hard to stop taking pictures of this amazing cliffside
fortress -- sometimes called "Dubrovnik's Gibraltar"

As you walk counterclockwise, as required, you'll get
your best views of Lovrijenac Fort (aka the "Red Keep")

Some of the best scenery happens right at the beginning of the walk

As of 2025, a one-day Dubrovnik Pass
costs €40 and a three-day pass €50

If you start early (or late), you'll share the wall walk with just a handful of others

Lovrijenac Fort ("The Red Keep")

We happened to walk the walls just as a half-marathon was getting underway

Here you can see people enjoying their breakfsat at a fine restaurant

This majestic city of white stone and red roofs is something to behold

Domes, cupolas, spires, and red roofs galore

Enjoying a quiet moment along the way

At the top of this photo, you can see just how narrow the wall walk
can be -- which is why it's best done before the tour groups arrive

Continuing on, you'll get the chance to explore other parts of the city

Most people begin their wall walk at the Pile Gate entrance.
The entire wall walk takes about two hours at a leisurely pace.

View of the Stradun, the main street

There's plenty of beautiful architecture to enjoy

A lone kayak gives perspective on just how formidible these walls are

We enjoyed window shopping at some of the "Game of Thrones" stores

We think one of the best things about Dubrovnik is dining
al fresco -- but bring your credit card -- it's expensive here

Around the midpoint of the walk, you can visit two museums located right on the walls -- the Pulitico Studio
(a locally famous artist's studio) and the Maritime Museum. Both are included as part of your pass.

The gelato at Peppino's is amazing -- and the perfect way to finish a meal

Exploring around 7 am also let us capture the city streets empty of most tourists

Anyone familiar with "Game of Thrones" will recognize these
stairs as the site where Cersei disrobes for her Walk of Shame

We got up early on our last day specifically to capture this
photo of the Jesuit Stairs free of people (no small feat)

Outside the city walls is pretty too -- this is the Grand Hotel Imperial

From here you can see all of Dubrovnik laid out before you

Bits of green grow here and there, but mostly what you'll see is thick white stone

The triangular-shaped fortress has three terraces -- this is the top level

We never expected to have the entire "Red Keep" to ourselves for nearly an hour!

It doesn't take a lot of imagination to feel like you're
walking through the Red Keep of King's Landing here

The walls are massively thick -- nearly forty feet thick where they face the sea

Numerous scenes from "Game of Thrones" were filmed here,
including Joffrey’s name day tourney (Episode 2 in Season 4)