You can spend your whole vacation in Dubrovnik and still be left with some things you haven’t seen or experienced. You can also spend 36 hours in Dubrovnik and see almost all the most important places and try some great things. It really depends on your preferences and how much time you want to spend sightseeing compared to just chilling and soaking up the vibe of this city.
Dubrovnik is a city packed with history, culture, and places to visit during your stay. Let’s say you have 36 hours in Dubrovnik and want to know what would be the best way to spend them in order to experience the authenticity of Dubrovnik. We have created this itinerary in order to help you make the most of this relatively short stay in Dubrovnik.
No worries, a lot can be done in just 36 hours.
Day 1: Arrival & Exploring the Old Town Let’s say that you are arriving in Dubrovnik in the morning, and leaving the next day after lunch. We already covered the topic of visiting Dubrovnik in just one day, and in this case, there is even more time to enjoy the atmosphere of the most famous destination in Croatia. The itinerary for 36 hours in Dubrovnik will be packed but we’ll do our best to balance the sightseeing with the periods of relaxation.
8:00 AM – Arrival & Check-In
As we said, you are arriving in Dubrovnik early in the morning. The first thing you do is check into your accommodation. Since it’s only a one night stay we suggest accommodation within or near the Old Town for easier and more convenient exploration.
Recommended hotels that are close to the Old Town: Hotel Excelsior, Hilton Imperial, Pucić Palace, or a boutique stay in Old Town.
Expect a bit higher prices when it comes to the accommodation near the Old Town but since it’s only 1 night, it won’t be too hard on your budget.
9:00 AM – Breakfast by the Adriatic
After you’ve checked in it’s time to enjoy a traditional Croatian breakfast at Gradska Kavana Arsenal or Taj Mahal (famous for Bosnian cuisine).
Start your day with a coffee and just enjoy the atmosphere of the Old Town early in the morning.
If you are visiting in summer, this is when the Old Town starts to get more and more crowded.
10:00 AM – Walk the City Walls
Although the walls open at 8:30 and we suggest doing this walk first thing in the morning, we’ll make an exception here and do it after breakfast. This is just one of the possibilities, if your schedule allows, start with the City Walls as soon as they open.
So we are starting with Dubrovnik’s famous City Walls (€40 entry fee).
This walk will take you around 1.5–2 hours , depending on your pace and how much time you want to spend enjoying one of the best views of Dubrovnik’s Old Town.
Consider buying a Dubrovnik Pass (Dubrovnik Card) that will make your exploration of all different places within the Old Town much more convenient and cheaper than buying standalone tickets.
Bring a hat and sun protection, especially if visiting in the summer months.
12:00 PM – Explore Old Town & Landmarks
After you’re done with the Dubrovnik City Walls, it’s time to experience Dubrovnik through its narrow stone alleys and some of the most famous locations in the Old Town.
Visit places such as:
Stradun (Main Street in Dubrovnik)Rector’s Palace Sponza Palace Dubrovnik Cathedral Jesuit Stairs (famous ‘Walk of Shame’ from Game of Thrones )
Unfortunately, some of these places will be a bit crowded, depending on the time of the year and whether there are cruise ships in the port or not, but go with the flow and don’t mind the eventual crowds.
1:30 PM – Seafood Lunch
By this hour we’re already done with the Old Town and the city walls. You have explored most of the places to visit within the Old Town and it’s time for lunch now. Dubrovnik is full of all kinds of restaurants serving many different kinds of dishes so pick one that you would like most. The only thing we suggest is that you try local food specialties while in Dubrovnik.
Have lunch at restaurants such as Nautika Restaurant (fine dining with sea views) or Konoba Dubrava for a traditional peka dish.
Try black risotto or grilled Adriatic fish .
3:00 PM – Afternoon Relaxation or Adventure
Since we did a lot of walking in the morning, it’s time to relax a bit. Or if you still haven’t had enough of the activity, we suggest doing one of the most popular activities in Dubrovnik – kayaking.
Option 1: Lokrum Island – Take a 15-minute boat ride and explore the monastery, peacocks, and swimming spots of this beautiful island near Dubrovnik.Option 2: Kayaking Tour – Explore hidden places on the Dubrovnik coastline and experience the city from a different perspective.
6:00 PM – Sunset from Mount Srđ
Some of the best sunsets we have ever seen were Dubrovnik ones. Since we do a lot of photography work for our Love and Ventures project in Dubrovnik, we often shoot at sunset times and many photoshoots are from the place with the best sunset over Dubrovnik – Srđ Hill.
Take the Dubrovnik Cable Car (cca €27 round trip) for a breathtaking sunset over the city and nearby Elaphite Islands.
Enjoy a drink at Panorama Restaurant while enjoying the view.
8:00 PM – Dinner in Old Town
Returning back to the town after the magical sunset. It’s time for dinner at this moment and again, you can choose any of the many restaurants in Dubrovnik.
For an elegant meal, book a table at 360° Dubrovnik (Michelin-starred restaurant with a view).
For a peaceful, local experience, try Konoba Jezuite .
10:00 PM – Drinks & Nightlife
Have cocktails at Buža Bar (a cliffside bar with sea views and a great atmosphere).
If you want to experience Dubrovnik’s nightlife, visit Culture Club Revelin , offering a unique party experience in a club located inside a medieval fortress.
Day 2: Morning Adventure & Departure We hope you haven’t been partying too much and still have some energy left since we have more things to see and do on a second day in Dubrovnik. First things first, you need to check out of your accommodation since we’ll be spending most of this part of the day in the exploration as well. Check with the accommodation whether you can leave your belongings there while you explore Dubrovnik.
7:30 AM – Morning Walk & Breakfast
Dubrovnik is most beautiful early in the morning. We don’t count how many coffees we had on Stradun at these hours and just a simple coffee in Dubrovnik early in the morning can be one of the most memorable experiences. We suggest that you walk a bit through the Old Town at this time and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere.
Walk through the still quiet streets of Old Town before the crowds arrive.
Have a light breakfast and drink a cup of coffee.
8:30 AM – Kayaking or Beach Time
You can’t escape kayaking. You shouldn’t. It’s one of the best activities in Dubrovnik and there are many tours throughout the day. But same as yesterday, you have the option to either go on a kayaking tour (or any other tour in the city) or just relax at one of the many beaches in Dubrovnik.
If you didn’t kayak yesterday, book a morning sea kayaking tour in Dubrovnik.
Or you can just relax at Banje Beach , Dubrovnik’s most famous beach not far away from the Old Town.
10:30 AM – Visit Fort Lovrijenac
Explore the impressive fortress located just outside the city walls.
Perfect place to visit if you are a Game of Thrones fan.
You need to climb some stairs before you reach Lovrijenac, but the view will be worth the climb.
12:00 PM – Final Lunch Before Departure
Enjoy a farewell meal at Orsan Yachting Club (seafood by the marina) or Pantarul (modern Mediterranean cuisine).
Try a local wine or rakija before heading onward with your journey (and not driving yourself).
1:30 PM – Departure
Head to wherever you’re headed and have a safe and pleasant journey. If you are staying in Croatia for a little while longer, head toward our blog and explore other topics that might help you discover some of the most popular as well as some hidden places in Croatia.
Before You Venture To Dubrovnik As you can see, a lot can be seen in just 36 hours in Dubrovnik . This is just a suggestion of the itinerary, and your experience might be completely different, depending on your preferences or some other things like crowds in Dubrovnik and such. For example, you can leave the visit to the city walls for the first thing on the second day and enjoy the experience in the relatively peaceful atmosphere. Or if you’re not a fan of the museums and such places, you can always opt for some other experience.
Enjoy your stay in Dubrovnik.
