Best Things To Do In Dubrovnik Old Town a.k.a. King’s Landing

Dubrovnik is the southernmost town in Croatia on the Dalmatian coast. I have not visited an old town as charming and beautiful as Dubrovnik. Sure, it was crowded even in early June. But even with people thronging the old town, the King’s Landing was a fantastic end to our two-week trip to Croatia. Touristy, crowded, yet my favorite city in Croatia. If you are staying in the old town of Dubrovnik and want to figure the best things to do in Dubrovnik old town, you have come to the right place.

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When to visit Dubrovnik

Do note that the HBO Game of Thrones series has made Dubrovnik exceptionally popular in Croatia. When cruise ships are in port, little Dubrovnik becomes especially congested with tourists. Check the cruise schedules and make plans accordingly. It’s best to spend time in the old town of Dubrovnik in the evenings or on days when no ships are in port.

The best time to visit Dubrovnik is from April to mid-June, and mid-September to mid-October. Summer months of July and August can get exceptionally crowded and hotel prices peak. Whereas you will enjoy an uncrowded city break if you visit Dubrovnik in spring. It is also a good choice amongst warm European cities to visit in October.

Things to do in Dubrovnik old town

Dubrovnik is full of history. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the old town is perfectly preserved. I hope the orange roofs of the old town and the blue colours of the Adriatic Sea lure you to book a trip! This well-preserved old town comes up often while figuring whether to visit Split or Dubrovnik on the Dalmatian coast.

Walking the walls tops the list of what to do in Dubrovnik

Walking the old town walls has to be the highlight amongst what to do in Dubrovnik’s old town. The entrance to the old town walls is on the side of Pile Gate. The views of the Adriatic Sea, the islands glimmering like green jewels and the old town itself are quite breathtaking.

Built in the 10th century and later modified, these walls – as high as 6 meters and up to 6 meters thick – provided a formidable defense against invaders. The walk is about 2 kilometers. Here you see the Lokrum island in the distance and the Revelin Fortress. And of course, the old town spread out.

We were staying in the old town itself, so easy to get up early and not have to jostle with the crowds. Croatia weather in June when we visited was not too hot. It was sunny in the morning but the crowds were less than they would be in the evening. You come upon gems like these from the wall fortifications!

This is a top shot of Buza Bar. It would make for a great location to spend your 21st birthday in Europe. With such a location, is it any wonder that its nearly impossible to get a table after 5 pm each evening. With a child in tow, we didn’t bother haggling for a table. The old town has a great vibe as the evening progresses and there are so many cafes/bars to have a good time.

So you go walk the walls of an old town expecting good views. And sometimes your high expectations get beaten! Despite it feeling like noon at 830 in the morning, walking the walls offered incredible panorama shots.

You can opt for a 2-hour walking tour of the City Walls and learn how the city became one of the most advanced maritime republics.

Take the cable car to go up the Srd Hill

Take the cable car up the Srd Hill for some spectacular views of the old town and the Adriatic Sea.

There is enough and more time to take good photos so you needn’t hurry up taking photos from the cable car.

At the top is Fort Imperijal, which was built in the early 19th century when Dubrovnik was controlled by the French (and Napoleon) as a means of defending Dubrovnik. Go to the rooftop of the Fort for lovely sunset views.

To the east, you can see hills stretching all the way to Montenegro.

Game of Thrones locations

If you are a Game of Thrones fan like me, you would immediately note the King’s Landing in the old town of Dubrovnik. The outer walls of Dubrovnik look as if they were built for this TV series. The only other place I can think of with such recognisable GoT filming locations is Northern Ireland.

Dubrovnik provides several iconic Game of Thrones filming locations in Croatia. You can see most of the Game of Thrones Dubrovnik locations by yourself. Or opt for an Game of Thrones Croatia tour.

Visit Lovrijenac Fortress

This is the classic view of Fort Lovrijenac or St. Lawrence Fortress, that you come upon while walking the walls. This 14-century fortress is built on a 37 m high sea rock. Initially built to defend the western part of Dubrovnik’s Old Town, it was established as a defensive position for the whole city.

This fortress – also called Dubrovnik’s Gibraltar – is outside the western wall of the old town. It now stages world-class theatre and summer festivals. You can visit this Fortress daily from 8 AM until 7 PM. Take a Game of Thrones tour that includes a visit to Fort Lovrijenac.

Explore the Franciscan Monastery

Franciscan Monastery is one of the oldest functioning pharmacies in Europe, in operation since 1391. You can go inside and see their plethora of old medicines and exhibits.

The courtyard inside the monastery is very pretty and free to enter. You need to pay a small sum to visit the museum and the pharmacy. The museum/pharmacy is a single room with some religious artifacts, jewellery and an old pharmacy counter.

See the places of interest in Dubrovnik old town sans tourists

I woke up at 6 am one morning to see the streets and buildings sans tourists. Walk with me along the main street and sights of Dubrovnik’s old town.

The Stradun or Placa is the main artery of the old town, always bustling with tourists and locals. It connects the Pile Gate and the Ploce Gate and is 292 meters in length. What you are seeing ahead is the Ploce Gate.

The Cathedral currently standing dates from 1673 to replace the original 12th-century cathedral which was destroyed by the earthquake.

You can see the Orlando’s Column on the right – a favorite meeting place of the locals.

Nearby is Rector’s Palace, built-in 1441, which is now a city museum packed with valuable and historical exhibits. The museum also holds interesting music concerts.

Sponza Palace was constructed in 1522. It houses interesting city archives on the first floor. It also houses a permanent exhibition named “Memorial Room of the Dubrovnik Defenders” for citizens who lost their lives during the war between 1991-1995.

You come upon the Onofrio’s Fountain as you look for the side entrance at one corner of Pile Gate. This large fountain was built in 1438 as part of a water-supply system that involved bringing water from a well 12 km away. Only 16 carved masks remain, with water dribbling from their mouths into a drainage pool.

You will never find Pile Gate this empty during the day! The gate contains a statue of St Blaise, Dubrovnik’s patron saint.

I was randomly pointing my iPhone up here when I realized what street this is. I didn’t take the Game of Thrones tour in Dubrovnik but did read a lot about the locations for most of the filming. This was the street where Cersei’s ‘walk of shame‘ was partly filmed.

Whether you are a GoT fan like me or not, you have a fab time in Dubrovnik!

What more to do in Dubrovnik (outside the old town)

Visiting the Lokrum island, spending a day at the beach, and a kayaking adventure are some of the best things to do in Dubrovnik besides the old town attractions.

Visit Lokrum Island

Lokrum island is one of the popular day trips from Dubrovnik. The island has plenty of pine, cypress, and olive trees to provide shade on hot sunny days. During summer months, there is a ferry leaving each half-hour from Dubrovnik’s Old Port to Lokrum. Alternatively, you can book this tour of Lokrum island that includes relaxing on St. Jacob Beach and discovering Betina Cave.

Spend a day at the beach in Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik’s main beach is one of the prettiest in the country, thanks to its spectacular views of Old Town. Banje Beach sits just south of the city walls, a five-minute walk from Ploče Gate. Sulic Beach is far less popular than Banje Beach, but it’s much more atmospheric. The tiny beach sits in a medieval nook, tucked away below Lovrijenac. 

Sveti Jakov is a slightly less touristy beach, only because of its distance from Old Town. It can still be reached on foot, just follow the road to Banje Beach, but keep walking another 15 minutes. Pasjaca Beach sits just outside of Dubrovnik, and makes for a wonderful day trip from King’s Landing. It’s a 30-minute drive south to the beach’s small parking lot.

Go for a kayaking adventure

This fun activity should be on the list of things to do in Dubrovnik for the adventurous. We took a 3-hour sea kayaking tour in the evening. There are at least 7 or 8 companies outside Pile Gate, that run kayaking tours around Dubrovnik. It is easy to book a day or sunset kayaking tour.

This tour took approximately 3 hours with one long stop. About 7.5 km of kayaking, in a double kayak with my husband at the back and my daughter sitting in the middle (20 kg more for us to pull!). A lot of exercise and a whole lot of fun!

Exertion apart, this was one of our best Dubrovnik experiences. A great way to feel up, close and personal with the Adriatic Sea, see the walls from outside, see some of the spots around the old town including the Lokrum island and get the adrenalin going. 

Tip: Bring your own sunscreen and camera for the kayak tour. Kayaking company does give a small plastic jar that can keep your camera and shades dry. There is also a large dry-bag available with them, for all your valuables.

We explored Dubrovnik on our own except for the kayaking tour, but there are some great Dubrovnik tours that you can consider. Check out some of the best tours:

Dubrovnik City Pass

Wondering if the Dubrovnik City Pass is worth it? Yes, absolutely. Even if you are visiting Dubrovnik for 1 day or 2 days and are planning to walk the old town walls, buy the City Pass. Besides the historic walls, you can enjoy access to several museums, galleries, plus unlimited public transportation. Do note that each attraction included in the pass allows for a one-time visit only. You can buy the Dubrovnik City Pass for 1-7 days.

The City Pass will be activated with the first visit to any cultural sight included or by the first use of public transport. For us, living within the old town, the free public transport was not of much use. But the access to several attractions like the old town walls, Fort Lovrijenac, etc made ot worthwhile.

Day Trips from Dubrovnik Croatia

We flew out of Dubrovnik Croatia after spending 2 full days. But if you are staying in Dubrovnik for more than 2 days, I would recommend one of the popular day trips from Dubrovnik. Either visit Mostar, a charming city in Bosnia. Or spend a day exploring the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro. If you have rented a car, either of these day trips are easy to do by yourself.

This full-day tour from Dubrovnik combines the city of Mostar with the beautiful Kravica Waterfalls. Or consider this Boat Cruise around Kotor Bay – this full day tour to Montenegro combines the Old Town of Kotor and the charming town of Perast.

Where to stay in Dubrovnik

We stayed in the old town of Dubrovnik so the places of interest were close by. But there are many areas where you can stay in Dubrovnik. If you are looking for luxury, Hotel Dubrovnik Palace and Hilton Imperial Palace are preferred choices in this segment. The Pucic Palace located in the centre of Dubrovnik old town is more in the mid-range option.

If you are looking for a resort stay outside Dubrovnik’s city center with a beach and endless ocean views, Sun Gardens is a good choice. This is a great family resort in Croatia.

If you have more time to spend in Dubrovnik and want to get away from the summer crowds in Dubrovnik, the coastal town of Cavtat is a good option.

Dubrovnik’s old town is the most expensive neighborhood in Dubrovnik. Food and drinks are expensive here. Booking central accommodation in Dubrovnik in peak season can cost more than double what it does in popular Montenegrin cities like Budva and Kotor. Comparing the expense to stay and eat out plus activities, some folks on a budget prefer Montenegro as compared to Croatia.

Planning a trip to Croatia?

See this 2-week Croatia itinerary, suited for a family trip

Inclined towards city sightseeing? Read how to spend one day in Zagreb and 1 day in Split Croatia. Do see the comparison between Split and Dubrovnik. Don’t miss out on the Must-See GoT Locations in Croatia.

Also a day trip to Ston and Mali Ston in Croatia

You must visit one of the national parks in Croatia: Plitvice and Krka being the famous ones. See this travel guide on Plitvice Lakes.

Croatia is famous for its islands. Check out these posts on best things to do in Hvar island and Vis island Travel Guide. 

There are over 1000 islands across the Dalmatian coast, here is a guide on the best Croatian islands for families.

[This post was originally published in 2018, and last updated in May 2025.]

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