Dubrovnik
Restaurants and bars, museums and galleries, clubs, music, shopping and more...
The best Airbnb Croatia stays
Croatia Airbnb stays deliver incredible value for money, so why not go for somewhere with a wow factor? We've tracked down the coolest places on offer, from a 19th-century lighthouse to luxury beachside villas. Here are the most impressive Airbnb stays in Croatia. RECOMMENDED: more great hotels in Croatia
Aer Lingus launch new route between Cork and Dubrovnik
The flag carrier of Ireland, Aer Lingus, has announced new flights from Cork to Dubrovnik in summer 2019. From May 4, Aer Lingus will run direct flights to Dubrovnik twice weekly on Tuesdays and Saturdays. According to the Irish Examiner, the recently announced Dubrovnik connection from Cork is among the top-requested from passengers across the south of Ireland. 'We have a proven track record of servicing a broad array of European destinations from Cork and we are delighted to announce our new Cork summer schedule. Each new Aer Lingus route opens up new travel opportunities for the people of Cork for both leisure and business, and we remain committed to enhancing our offering from Cork Airport in the coming years.' said Aer Lingus strategy and planning officer, Greg Kaldahl. 'We are delighted to see the airline continuing to grow and invest in Cork with Nice and Dubrovnik flights now bookable for 2019, along with the commencement of a new year-round Lisbon route. This now brings to 23 the number of routes served by Aer Lingus from Cork Airport.'
Five brilliant Dubrovnik boat trips
Dubrovnik may be one of the hottest destinations in Europe at the moment, but there’s no getting around the fact that, in peak season, the city really suffers from its popularity as a cruise port. The solution? Visit Dubrovnik in spring or autumn. You can hit the waves on one of these excellent boat trips, admire this stunning coastal city from the sea, then return late in the afternoon to enjoy a sundowner. This article is sponsored by Dubrovnik Tourism Board and Croatia Full of Life.
Four fabulous Croatia sailing routes
Crystal-clear waters and hidden beaches that bask in the shade of scented pines. Incredibly well-preserved medieval towns and Roman architecture. Kilometres of pristine beach, sheer rock cliffs that suddenly stop to reveal calming, sheltered bays. Vibrant cities, romantic hamlets, shoreline bars and restaurants. World famous nightclubs and music festivals plus some of the best opportunities to catch big fish like tuna anywhere in Europe. These are just a few of the experiences you could sample if choosing to holiday in Croatia. With a coast that never seems to end, speckled with thousands of islands, undoubtedly one of the best ways to explore Croatia is by boat. Hiring a gulet yacht from Goolets offers you the opportunity to do so in groups of 8 to 36 people at a time. It's the perfect option for a family or group holiday of a lifetime or a business-based excursion which you and your accompanying travellers will never forget. With so many things to do, there are multiple options you could choose on such an excursion. Here are four suggested tour itineraries, tried and tested by local experts from Goolets that will ensure you get the most out of any sailing holiday in Croatia.
The best winter festivals in Croatia
Croatia's winter festivals are a great way to carouse with the locals. Heavily influenced by folkloric traditions and sacred religious holidays, they're local affairs with plenty of ceremonial pomp. Epic film festivals, religious holidays and magnificent carnivals: we've picked the best winter festivals in Croatia. RECOMMENDED: the best summer festivals in Croatia.
The best of Dubrovnik
The best Dubrovnik restaurants
Dubrovnik restaurants are beginning to offer the culinary quality and variety that should be expected of such a luxury destination. And dining in Dubrovnik needn't cost an arm and a leg: many places offers simple, wholesome dishes at wallet-friendly prices.
20 great things to do in Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a one-town tourist industry on its own, with endless things to do all year round. As stunning as the clear blue sea around it, the former centre of the independent Republic of Ragusa invites superlatives and attracts the lion's share of Croatia's visitors. Read on for our insider's guide to the best things to do in Dubrovnik.
Dubrovnik shopping guide
The Dubrovnik shopping arena is, thankfully, starting to be less dominated by the overpriced tourist shops that once dominated the city, and a few key stores are holding out against these tacky souvenir shops that line the main street of Stradun. Time Out discovers the best places to go shopping in Dubrovnik, from designer boutiques to open-air markets.
The best Dubrovnik bars
By day, Dubrovnik and its overcrowded Old Town seem the perfect place for sandal-wearing coffee-sippers. But by night, Dubrovnik bars spring to life, with a number of atmospheric spots serving up anything from fine Dalmatian wines to fancy cocktails. Dip in to our essential drinking guide.
The best restaurants in Dubrovnik
Azur
This superbly located newbie sits by the entrance of Buža II, and quickly went to number one on TripAdvisor in its very first season. Here you can tuck into a reasonably priced, Med-and-Asian-influenced main here – fragrant meatballs in a chicken-coconut broth, perhaps, or Adriatic prawn pouches on grilled aubergine in a red-curry-and-coconut sauce – before an afternoon's sunbathing or nightcap overlooking the waves. Starters include mussels in beer butter and chili, and Dalmatian tom yum soup.
Nautika
Dubrovnik’s most prestigious culinary spot offers two panoramic terraces of starched white-tablecloth formality. Chef Mario Bunda insists on fresh, locally-sourced ingredients – shellfish feature in dishes from the Elafiti isles such as Lopud brodet with polenta and Šipan fisherman’s carpaccio, or there are lobster medallions from Vis. Diners can also opt between three kinds of menu.
Restaurant Amfora
Amfora is an excellent choice for both meat and fish lovers, its cuisine drawing its inspiration from the all areas of the Mediterranean while adding some Asian twists. Here you'll find a fusion of styles and influences, from Morocco to Lebanon, and all the way to the Adriatic coast. The menu changes twice a year. Currently it features a house-style traditional beef cheek "pašticada", cooked sous-vide for 48 hours. This technique is also used for some fish dishes. All pastas, gnocchi and breads are prepared in this kitchen. Fresh autochthonous ingredients are provided by the local produce market - the blue-fin tuna is line-caught. Meat is supplied from the small farms located in the continental part of Croatia. Premium specialities are made of black Slavonian pig and simmental beef. The wine list is long, andmainly local, while the olive oil is extra-virgin - note the bottle ofTorkul from Korčula on every table. The modern interior can host up to 40 guests, while the outdoor seating provides a view of an orchard and 32 more seats. Reservations are recommended in high season, especially for groups of six or more.
Konoba Dalmatino
For traditional food, served with finesse, and with a reasonable price tag, Dalmatino takes some beating. It's located in an old house that has been renovated to show the original stonework at its exposed best. The menu is as straightforwardly Dalmatian as the name of the restaurant, featuring plenty of local fish and fowl, although a lot of creativity has gone into the details – grilled fish might be served with a colour-coordinated array of Mediterranean vegetables instead of the usual blitva. A lot of effort goes into the desserts – for some, it's the Dalmatino cheesecake that deserves the superlatives; others swear by the chocolate mousse. The place is run by a South African of Korčulan descent, so it's no surprise that the wine list veers enthusiastically towards the fine whites from that island.
Fish restaurant Proto
The seafood-oriented Proto claims a tradition dating back to 1886. and it was here that Edward VIII entertained Wallis Simpson in the 1930s. As well as squid and lobster in simple, superbly balanced sauces, there's fresh shellfish from Ston up the coast. You can spend an enjoyable hour over the fish platter for two, and the extensive wine list covers just about every quality wine that Croatia has to offer - an award-winning sommelier is quick to offer up smart suggestions, pairing both domestic and international wines with meat and fish specialities. Recently refurbished and relaunched, Proto has been tastefully modernised, but keeps in with the antiquated elegance of the building. Beautiful old maps and antique oak panelling nod sympathetically to its past. The look is sealed with words of scribes: choice verses from local Dalmatian poets adorn the ceiling. Booking essential.
Where to drink in Dubrovnik
Buža II
The more well known of the cliff-face bars; tourists follow the 'Cold Drinks' sign from the open square of Rudjera Boškovića. Prices are a little steeper but you get a thatched roof and table service. Buža II also the same jaw-dropping view – if you can find a table in high season.
D'Vino
Opened in 2008, Dubrovnik's first real wine bar is presided over by Australian-Croatian Sasha and his friendly and informative team. D'Vino manages to stock more than 100 varieties, 76 available by the glass. Every decent Istrian, Slavonian and Dalmatian label is here, including Grgić Plavac Mali and Zlatan Plavac. The house wine begins at 25kn and the venue lays on wine tours. Savoury meat-and-cheese platters are tailor-made to complement the wine. It's a comfortable, modern, intimate space to enjoy a drink – with a few seats outside in summer.
Sunset Lounge
The titular sunset view is in full panorama here in the chic surroundings of the five-star Hotel Dubrovnik Palace. On a clear day you can see Mljet. Afternoons mean happy-hour drinks, evenings a piano player. Cocktails (60kn) comprise 35 standards, there are specialist Perković brandies (carob, fig, nut) and wines run from a basic 20kn to the best local labels rarely found by the glass.
Banje Beach restaurant, lounge & club
Occupying a lovely beachside location, guests travel by land and sea to get to Banje – there’s even a private pier to anchor your dingy, boat or yacht. During the day, this is a superb, seafood-orientated, fine dining Mediterranean restaurant. By night, Banje transforms into a clubby beachside cocktail bar. It's hired for fashion parties – but the place is far from intimidating and prices are reasonable.
Casablanca
Old film and beer ads brighten the space; posters promote long-forgotten Olympics and pool-table lightshades of coloured glass advertise Coors beer. Cocktails come in creamy or killer varieties, football or music videos are screened and staff buzz about in daft blue shirts with some bullshit motto on them. Recommended.
Best attractions in Dubrovnik
Rector's Palace
The most historic monument in Dubrovnik, the Rector's Palace was rebuilt twice. The first, by Onofrio della Cava of fountain fame, was in Venetian-Gothic style, visible in the window design once you ascend the grand staircase to the Rector's living quarters. Thereafter Florentine Michelozzo Michelozzi was responsible for the loggia façade. On the ground floor, either side of a courtyard, are the prison and courtrooms of the Ragusa Republic, and a glittering display of medieval church art. Upstairs, where each Rector resided for his month's stint, is a strange assortment of items: sedan chairs, carriages, magistrates' robes and wigs, portraits of local notables and Ivo Rudenjak's beautifully carved bookcase. One curiosity is the clocks, some set at quarter to six, the time in the evening when Napoleon's troops entered in 1806. The same ticket is valid for the Archeological Collection, a small but attractive collection of medieval carvings as the Rector's Palace) right by Ploče gate.
Sponza Palace
The attractive, 16th-century former customs house and Ragusa mint is used to house the extensive state archives. Several rooms off the arcaded groundfloor courtyard are used to display photocopies of the archives' most treasured historical documents. A small room opposite the ticket office holds the Memorial Room of the Dubrovnik Defenders. Covering the 12 months from October 1991 (although keen to point out that isolated attacks continued until the summer of 1995), the exhibition contains portraits of the 300 defenders and civilians who died during the siege and the tattered remnant of the Croatian flag that flew atop strategic Mount Srđ.
City Walls
The first thing any visitor should fork out for is entrance up to the City Walls. The main one is by the Pile Gate. Arrowed up towards the Adriatic side, you're soon scaling staircases to allow you a sublime view of the blue, blue sea to one side and people's red-tiled roofs, terraces and washing lines to the other. There are a couple of cafes towards the harbour end, where you turn and head towards the thicker, inland-facing walls. You can also choose to head out here, near the Old Port. As well as giving you a perspective on Dubrovnik, you can see how intricate a job this was. Remember to pack a hat and sun cream.
Dominican Monastery
Between the Sponza Palace and the Ploče Gate, this monastery is best known for its late Gothic cloisters and late 15th-century paintings of the Dubrovnik School in the museum – in particular masterpieces by Nikola Božidarević, including his Our Lady with the Saints. On the walls of the monastery church are a beautiful wooden crucifix by Paolo Veneziano from 1358 and a painting by renowned fin-de-siècle artist Vlaho Bukovac from Cavtat, The Miracle of St Dominic.
The best hotels in Dubrovnik
Sheraton Dubrovnik Riviera Hotel
The superlative hotel chain Sheraton have added another top hotel to thier portfolio. Just a few minutes' drive from the bustling town centre, this 240-room and 11-suite resort is elegant, calm and spacious.
Villa Dubrovnik
The major reopening of a couple of years ago, the Villa Dubrovnik is a stunningly located, superbly appointed former three-star, set on a rocky outcrop a complimentary boat journey from the Old Town. Breakfasts and sunset cocktails take in the magnificent view – no wonder the hotel's slogan is 'Romance Forever'. Far enough away (1.5km/one mile) from the Old Town crowds to warrant a handy water shuttle service there and back five times a day, the summer-only Villa Dubrovnik allows tranquillity and isolation. All of the property's 56 rooms, set on descending terraces, have sea and Old-Town views, and all are beautifully appointed with access to a stretch of private beach, and pools indoor and out. For many, the most attractive facility, at sunset at least, is the Bar Giardino, a verdant, panoramic terrace and the ideal spot for a cocktail before the last boat to town. The Mediterranean flavours of the Restaurant Pjerin may just force you to stay, all the same. In the end, it comes down to detail: the bed linen of Egyptian cotton, the teakwood sea terrace and the goose-liver terrine with fresh black truffles on the room-service menu.
Hotel Dubrovnik Palace
This ten-floor, 308-room luxury hotel reconfigured in 2004 was conceived in 1972, set in woodland paths at the tip of Lapad, in full view of the Elafiti isles. Today this is what everyone sees from their balcony, from the four bars, three restaurants, four pools and gym. Saunas, massage treatments and beauty procedures are on offer at the energy clinic spa. Also of note are the Lanterna Glorijet poolside bar and the Sunset Lounge cocktail bar.
Kazbek Hotel
Opened in 2008, this conversion of the Zamanje family villa (1573) is now a five-star hotel of a dozen rooms, one suite, three restaurants and a beautiful outdoor pool with a bar beside it. A speedboat and yacht are on hand for guests' use.
Valamar Lacroma Dubrovnik
For once the slogan is right: this is indulgence on a grand scale. Here in lush Babin kuk is a state-of-the-art hotel with the Ragusa spa and its dizzying array of treatments (free with a minimum fournight stay), pools indoor and out (and separate kids' pool), fine dining Langosto luxury restaurant, cocktails in four bars – plus, of course, the guest rooms, 385 in all, plus 16 suites. There are also any number of conference facilities.
Hotel Bellevue
Dubrovnik has more than its fair share of cliff-hugging, sun-trap hotels and this particular feat of engineering is one of the more outstanding examples. The venue, cut into the cliff facing the sea, has been expensively refurbished to feature local woods and granite. All rooms have a sea view, as do the spa and highly rated Vapor restaurant. The Nevera Beach restaurant occupies a man-made cave right beside the private beach.