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Dubrovnik is an old city on the Adriatic Sea coast in the extreme south of Croatia. It is one of the most prominent tourist resorts of the Mediterranean, a seaport and the center of the Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its population was 43,770 in 2001. Dubrovnik is nicknamed "Pearl of the Adriatic" and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Understand

The city of Dubrovnik/Ragusa was built on maritime trade. In the Middle Ages it became the only city-state in the Adriatic to rival Venice. Supported by its wealth and skilled diplomacy, the city achieved a remarkable level of development during the 15th and 16th centuries. Furthermore, Dubrovnik was one of the centers of the development of the Croatian language and literature, home to many notable poets, playwrights, painters, mathematicians, physicists and other scholars.

Today Dubrovnik is the proudest feather in Croatia's tourist cap, an elite destination and one of the most beautiful towns in the Mediterranean. Dubrovnik used to be an independent republic, surviving mostly on trade. It managed to survive many centuries, with constant threats to its territory, particularly from the mighty Ottoman Empire and Venice. As early as 19th century, it was discovered by celebrities as a place to be seen. Royalty, presidents and diplomats have all favored the city. The late Pope John Paul II was a fan of Dubrovnik and was even made an honorary citizen. Out of the 15 top luxury hotels in Croatia, 9 are located in Dubrovnik.

Get in

By plane

Dubrovnik airport (IATA: DBV) (ICAO: LDDU), [1] is located about 20 km to the south of the city. There are flights from Zagreb for approximately 60 EUR round trip including taxes.

• Croatia Airlines [2] is the Croatian flag-carrier and Dubrovnik is one of its hub airports. Numerous flights operate both domestically (numerous times daily to Zagreb, seasonal to Osijek, Zadar and Pula) and internationally to the UK, Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Italy.

• Aer Lingus [3] flies from Dubrovnik to Dublin in the summer season.

• Hapag Lloyd Express [4] flies from Stuttgart, Hanover and Munich to Dubrovnik.

• Estonian Air [5] flies every Wednesday and Saturday from Dubrovnik to Tallinn.

• British Airways [6] fly from Gatwick at competitive rate.

• Thompsonfly [7] from Luton and Flybe [8] from Birmingham are good charter options.

• Easyjet [9] to Dubrovnik from London Gatwick, Liverpool, Berlin Schoenefeld, Paris Orly, Milan Malpensa and Geneva. Additionally they have routes from London Gatwick, Bristol, Milan Malpensa and Geneva to Split.

• Ryanair [10] from Stansted to Zadar, from which an 8 hour bus ride will get you to Dubrovnik.

EasyJet and Ryanair also fly to Bari in Italy from where there is an overnight Jadrolinija ferry to Dubrovnik.

Flights are also often available to Paris Charles De Gaulle, Frankfurt, Vienna, Amsterdam and other major European cities.

From the airport, taxis are available but not inexpensive (about 200kn). Reliable bus service to the Old City is available through Atlas, and meet all scheduled flights, with the drop off location in the Old City at Pile Gate or the bus station in Gruž. While there are a great many pensions and the tourist office at the Pile Gate location, most hotels (with the exception of the Hilton) are not located there. Pile Gate does happen to be major city bus stop though, with buses quickly taking people to nearly any location in the city including the main swath of hotels on Babin Kuk. Tickets can be bought on the bus or more cheaply from the news stands at Pile. Vendors will understand 'bus ticket' (or 'autobusne karte' in Croatian) as they see a great many tourists through this location.

By train

There is no train to Dubrovnik, although you can take a train to Split and then travel by bus to Dubrovnik. The bus station in Split is located right next to the train station on the wharf.

Alternatively, one can take the train from Sarajevo or Mostar which heads to Ploče on the Croatian coast, and travel the last section (under 2 hours) by bus. The scenery is spectaclar, and the trains aren't normally crowded. Ploče is the closest railhead to Dubrovnik.

By car

The trip from Split is a beautiful journey along the coastal roads through small, quaint villages and other tourist destinations. Just know that in the summer months the trip is likely to take several hours longer than anticipated. What looks like a short trip on a map can take six hours,

By bus

The new bus station is located in Kantafig, northern part of the city, a distance from the old city (near the northern approach and the Tudjman bridge), with domestic and international departures, as well as services heading to the airport (check times with Croatia Airlines). To get there, use the local bus service (operating around every 15 minutes, e.g. bus Nro 7) to take you into the Pile Gate (entrance to old town). The bus station has an enclosed waiting room, ticket office, and tourist information - though be advised of people trying to offer a private room in their home as accommodation as soon as you get off the bus - often these can be a good deal, though check the location with these people on a map before walking with them or you may be some distance from the bus station, or the old city.

It is a fairly long journey, but it is possible to take a bus directly from Zagreb. These take up to 12 hours, and some run overnight, but the bad climate control on the buses and the cramped conditions make for an uncomfortable night. Alternatively, if you are already on the Dalmatian coast buses run directly and every hour from Split to Dubrovnik, a journey which takes 4 and a half hours and costs upwards of 100 kn, depending on the operator. Some busses follow the big high roads (eg. A1) while others use the low roads along the coast, which are more scenic but a bit slower.

Other international services operate to cities such as Trieste in Italy, and there are daily services to Mostar and Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herceg Novi and Kotor in Montenegro.

Costs As of Jan 2009, Kotor, Montenegro costs 100kn, Mostar, Bosnia costs ~78kn. The Airport bus costs 35kn. When travelling into Montenegro and the Airport sit on the right hand side (not behind driver) for best views, and vice-versa for the return. Travelling to Bosnia, sit on the left hand side (behind the driver) for best views.

A departure listing for the international bus station is available at the website of the city bus operator: [11]

On all intercity buses you pay a separate fee for luggage. This fee of 2 euro per piece of luggage is paid to the driver upon boarding. Some drivers are rather picky about being paid in exact change in the correct currency (sometimes a local currency, at other instances requesting to be paid in euros) and sometimes also refuse to be paid in small coins. So keep some change ready.

By boat

• Jadrolinija [12] runs ferries down the coast from Rijeka. Calling at Split, Stari Grad, Korčula and Sobra on the way. Journey time is up to twenty hours, so consider getting a cabin. The restaurant serves up some decent food at surprisingly reasonable prices, but bear in mind that the 22% tax is not included on the menu. There is nothing in the way of entertainment, so bring some entertaining company or a good book, although the journey is scenic and it is possible to entertain oneself simply marveling at the natural beauty of the coast.
• Jadrolinija [13] also offers nightly crossings to and from Bari, Italy but either the dull engine vibration or the swaying of the boat from high winds are likely to keep you awake.

Get around

The old town is completely pedestrianised and easily small enough to get around on foot - some of the streets are a little steep though!

By bus

If you are not staying in the Old Town it's relatively simple to catch just about any bus as just about every one leads to the Old Town; however, it is still best to consult a timetable of bus arrivals/departures which will help you be sure that you are in fact catching the right bus. Timetable available here [14]. It costs 8kn (just over 1 euro) for tickets bought at any kiosk,or 10kn bought on the bus; ticket valid for 1hr. At selected kiosks (including the international bus station) you can purchase a day pass for 25hr. This pass is valid for 24 hours of unlimited travel on the city bus network, starting from the first validation.

Car rental

There are several "brand name" car rental companies such as National, Budget, and Avis available at the Dubrovnik airport. Other options include:

• A Marker Car Rental-Dubrovnik, Tel +385(0)91 739 75 45 (info@carhiredubrovnik.com), [15]. Car hire Dubrovnik Airport and Downtown.

• Car,Van,Motorbike-Motorcycle,Scooter,Oldtimer and Buggy Rental-Pile Gate Old Town +385 (0) 91 739 75 45

• Kompas Rent a Car, Kardinala Stepinca 52, ☎ +385 (0) 20 436 541 (reservations@kompasrent.hr, fax: +385 (0) 20 436 571). edit

See

Dubrovnik was heavily bombed by the Montenegrin Navy during the war (1992 to 1995). Almost all of the damage has been covered over but if you look closely around the old town you can still see the damage from mortars in the cobblestone streets and bullet marks in the stone houses.

• Roland's Column. A slender stone flag staff of the legendary knight. Also known as Orlando's Column.

• Bell Tower

• Sponza Palace, Gothic Renaissance palace, one of the few buildings that has maintained its form from before the catastrophic 1667 earthquake. Hosts historic archives. Memorial room of defenders. Open 10AM-10PM. 20 KN

• Rector's Palace, Formerly the palace of the Major Council, now houses a museum dedicated to the city's history.

• War Photo Limited. An exhibition center of war and conflict photography. Exhibits change during the season. Stunning images by world renowned photo journalists. Open 9-21

• Pile Gate, (Old town). edit

• Placa Stradun, (Old town). The Stradun (Placa) is the central street of the city of Dubrovnik edit

• Big Onofrio´s Fountain. In the entrance of the old town edit

• Old Port, (Old town). edit

• Old City Walls. 8-19. Walk on the walls around the old town, great views edit

• Fort Lovrijenac. The monumental fort rises above 37 meters high rock. It changed roles in the course of history. The main purpose of its construction was defense, and the main idea was to protect the freedom of Dubrovnik. edit

Churches

• Franciscan Monastery, with Baroque Church, is housing a beautiful Romanesque cloister and the third oldest pharmacy in the world.

• Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Supposedly, the original church was built with money donated by Richard the Lionhearted who survived shipwreck on his way home from the Third Crusade. The current Roman Baroque cathedral dates from the 18th Century.

• Church of Saint Blaise (Crkva Svetog Vlaha). Baroque Church dedicated to the city's patron saint.

• Church of St. Ignatius and the Jesuit College. Beautiful Baroque church located on a small hill within the old city.

• Dominican Monastery, This is an exceptionally valuable historic complex, which, besides its religious purpose, also represents the important artistic treasury of ancient Dubrovnik. Open 9AM-6PM.

• Church of St. Sebastian

• Serbian Orhodox Church and Museum of Icons

Museums

• Franciscan Monastery Museum Open:9AM-6PM Entrance fee:30 Kn
• Sigurata Convent Museum Open: upon request Entrance fee:10 KN
• Synagogue and Jewish Museum Open :10AM-8PM Entrance fee:15 KN
• Dominican Monastery Museum Open :9AM-6PM Entrance fee : 20 KN
• The Sponza Palace Museum (Museum of the State Archives)
• The Rector`s Palace Museum Open:9AM-6PM Entrance fee:40 KN
• The Treasury of Cathedral Open: 9AM-6PM Entrance fee:10 KN
• Maritime Museum Open:9AM-6PM Entrance fee:40 KN
• The Home of Marin Drzic
• The Museum of Icons (Serbian Ortodox Church) Open:9AM-2PM Entrance fee:10 KN
• The Etnographic Museum (Rupe Granary) Open:9AM-6PM Entrance fee :40 KN

Do

• Dubrovnik Summer Festival, [16]. Music and theatre festival held since 1950 from 10th July to 25th August.

• Walk down the Stradun and enjoy a drink at a cafe on the main through fair of the old town.

• Dubrovnik Film Festival, [17]. International film festival held since May 2003.

• Libertas Film Festival, [18]. Film festival held from August 25-30.

• Julian Rachlin and Friends Festival, [19]. Festival of chamber music

• Walk the City walls. The main entrance to the city walls is near Pile Gate. Open:8AM-7PM. Entrance fee: 50 KN adults, 30 KN children.

• Dubrovnik Tourist Guide,Walking tours in the Old Town and other tailor-made tours in Dubrovnik region. Led by a Dubrovnik-born man named Denis, these tours can be tailor-made for you. Denis is a licensed tour guide in Dubrovnik and you can book him directly E-mail : denisdubrovnik@yahoo.com

• Visit the Fortress Lovrijenac. It was an essential fortification to the defense of the city from both ground and sea attacks. In order to prevent possible mutiny by the commander of the fortress, the walls facing the city are only 60 cm thick compared to those exposed to enemy fire which were 12m thick!. Above the entrance to the fortress is an inscription that says "Non bene pro toto libertas venditur auro" which translates to "Freedom is not sold for all the gold in the world".

• Climb Mt. Srđ. This 412 m (1350 ft) peak has excellent views of the city of Dubrovnik, the harbor, and the Dubrovnik Highlands region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The top of the hill has a modern radio tower, some older fortifications damaged in the war, and a memorial to some of the war dead.

• Take a ferry to Lokrum, which houses a monastery, a fort with great views of Dubrovnik, botanical gardens, and a naturist beach.
• Lazareti (arl@du.htnet.hr), Frana Supila 8 (Ploce, just out side of the east entrance to the Old town), ☎ 385 20 324 633, [20]. Old quarantine hospital serves as a cultural center for concerts, exhibitions, workshops, theater, film, night clubs and literature. The concert hall/bar is a very cozy place with a decent sound system. Gallery Galeriya Tutunplok is open daily 12PM-9PM. Films and theater showings range from 20-40KN Concerts cost 40-100 KN. A nightclub is open here from 10PM to 4AM and will cost you about 30 KN. edit

Sailing

Dubrovnik is an excellent starting point for exploring southern Adriatic coast primarily Elaphite islands, Korcula, Pelješac and Mljet. There are many charter agencies where you can charter a sailing or motor yacht which are based in Dubrovnik. Majority of them operate from ACI marina Dubrovnik (42°40,3’ N 18°07,6’ E) which is based in Komolac. When you charter a yacht through charter agency and arrive to designated marina there are a few things that need to be done. The most important thing is the yacht check in (usually Saturday around 04:00 PM). Take your time doing yacht check in. Familiarize yourself with the chartered yacht and with the yacht equipment. The rule of thumb is: the more time you take for the yacht check in, the less time you will need for the yacht check out. After that you have to do the shopping for the charter vacation. Don't neglect the groceries shopping because the sea is unpredictable and you don't want to get stuck on the boat without anything to eat or drink. You can do the shopping in a marina (although the prices are usually much higher there) or you can order from yacht provisioning services who usually deliver the products to the marina at no extra fee. In Jam Yacht Supply online provisioning catalog you can order from a large selection of groceries and other products months in advance and everything you order awaits for you in the marina. This is convenient because it takes the load of you and the things you must do when you arrive at the marina for your sailing holiday.

Some of charter agencies operating from Dubrovnik:

• Adria Coral
• Aurora Maris
• Discover Dubrovnik
• Ultra Sailing
• Way point

Learn

Dubrovnik has a number of educational institutions.

• The University of Dubrovnik, [21].

• Nautical College

• Tourist College

• University Centre for Postgraduate Studies of the University of Zagreb, [22].

• Institute of History of the Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences

• Learn Croatian at the Centre for Foreign Languages, University of Zagreb (Zagreb & Dubrovnik classes) [23].

• American College of Management and Technology, [24].

Work

Buy

There are many local artisans who specialize in domestic crafts. Popular purchases include: handmade tablecloths, linens, and napkins. Many merchants claim that the necktie was invented in Croatia; at least one excellent store has offerings ranging from roughly US $60-$450 each. Another local specialty is little dolls dressed in local garb.

Keep in mind, there are very few ATMs outside the Old Town. Indeed many locals will profess ignorance if asked directions to the nearest "bankomat" or "banka". Nearly all ATMs also only offer Croation currency. Given that many budget accommodation options are a long way outside the Old Town, you might want to get cash before you arrive.

Eat

There is a wide range of restaurants in the Old Town, mostly offering a very similar menu of local seafood and some meat dishes. The cuisine may not be very imaginative, but it is usually of good quality and very fresh. There are a few pizzerias, mostly wood-fired and quite acceptable. The Kraš chocolate sold at stores is delicious. Remember that Dubrovnik, more so than the rest of Croatia, is well aware of its status as a tourist hot-spot, and prices reflect that knowledge. Finding true value in the Old Town of Dubrovnik is very difficult, and finding a meal outside of it can be nearly impossible.

Budget

• Pizzeria Tomato Directly on Pile Gate-Bus Station

• Fresh* within the old city (Vetraniceva 4 - 8th street from Pile Gate), [25]. Serves wraps and smoothies for under 5 euro.

• Nishta, Prijeko bb, tel: 098-1867440. Experience Dubrovnik's first (and only) vegetarian restaurant. [26]

• Taj Mahal, within the old city. Offers a variety of Bosnian/Eastern cuisine such as Cevapcici u lepinji, baklava, and tufahi. The wait can be quite long, and vegetarian options are often sold out.

• Lokanda Peskarija, in the old city, in the old harbour, traditional Dalmatian appetizers and meals, you get your meal in a large black pot, in fisherman's style.

• Marco Polo, near St.Blaise church, Lučarica: good traditional food served in a small outdoor courtyard.

• Mea Culpa Široka Street, One of the best pizzerias on what is becoming a 'pizza street'.

• Poklisar in the old harbour. Limited but good menu, including pizza - and some very enjoyable live piano music.

• Spaghetteria Toni, in the old city. Small Italian style restaurant, with a wide variety of pasta.

Mid-range

There is a variety of good, well priced restaurants around the city depending on your personal preferences. Examples include:

• Restaurant Dubravka on Pile Gate. With the best sea view in Dubrovnik.High quality service and food.

• Arka, in Old Town. Has some good vegetarian options (the baked moussaka is excellent).

• Domino Steak House. One of the best for a variety of ways of serving steak.

• Proto Siroko Ulica, Old Town, a bit up-market, but good sea-food.

• Belvedere, in Lapad.

• Konoba Konavoka, in Uvala Lapad.

Splurge

• Porat restaurant & terrace - Restaurant in Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik hotel with warm Mediterranean colors and spacious terrace, just outside the Pile gate. Offers international and Croatian cuisine

• Nautika - Restaurant located just outside the Pile gate to the Old City, on the waterfront. Great views of the sea and Old City. In the evening the main courses start at 200 KN, and the starters are at a similar price.

• Gils, Sv. Dominika bb, 20 000 Dubrovnik, tel: +358 20 32 2222, fax: +358 20 32 2220, info@gilsdubrovnik.com. Restaurant located near the Ploce gate. A new and rather over the top pretentious venue located in the Old town of Dubrovnik with nice views of the old harbour. The restaurant offers ultra modern French cuisine and a wine & digestive cellar, while the lounge bar promises fresh cocktails and funky DJ music.

Drink

The most popular hard alcohol in Croatia is home made rakija. This is a very strong distilled drink made from a variety of fruits. Examples include sljivovica (made from plums), "loza" (made from grapes), and "orahovica" (made with walnuts). All are quite strong and, like most hard liquors, have an unappealing taste to some people while others find them quite enjoyable.

There are many excellent local wines from both the Peljesac Peninsula and Konavle and it is often less expensive than soft drinks like Coca Cola. However, be careful when purchasing wine from unlicensed dealers (though the price is very attractive with some being as low as 10kn or 1.5 euro per liter) as it can sometimes be of low quality.

• Buža, Iza Mura. Found by following a sign that simply says ‘cold drinks’ you enter through a hole in the wall on the south side of the Old Town. The tables and chairs are set out on the side of the cliff and the beers are served in bottles and plastic cups. This is lovely in the evening, when the sun is setting and you gaze over at island of Lokrum. Eclectic chilled out music plays unobtrusively in the background. There isn’t much in the way of shelter (apart from some palm leaves) so this won’t open in bad weather.

There are numerous cafes throughout the Old Town and the entire city with prices varying according to the location (particularly, those located on the Stradun are by far the most expensive but you are paying for the ambiance as well). The cafes (or cafe bars) serve a wide variety of drinks all day and

• Fresh*, [27]. Fresh* is 'the favoured drinking and hookup spot for the backpacker set'- New York Times. Check out their 1kn Happy Hour. Indulge in 3 litre beer and cocktail towers. Free internet and wifi access.

• Club Latino is really the only dance club/lounge in Dubrovnik and it is located right outside of the Old Town, by the Pile gate.

• Lazareti - if you are into house, tech-house and techno music and clubbing, you'll enjoy Lazareti on the eastern entrance of the Old Town, by the Ploce gate. Also, during the summer, there are lot of electronic music happenings there and on the open air around the city.

• Nonenina, [28]. Nonenina is a bar is the ideal place to rest after a visit to the rich cultural and historical inheritage of Dubrovnik. As the daylight smoothnes, Nonenina becomes a spot for an evening visit. A lounge bar, chill out music, professional service, the view at Dubrovnik’s exceptional architecture, comfortable seats are only a part of the atmosphere that you will experience in Nonenina.

• EastWest, Frana Supila bb (At the beach at the Ploce gate), ☎ +385 20 412 220 (info@ew-dubrovnik.com), [29]. Beach club and night club. In the day you can have drinks in the lounge chairs, at night you can party in the nightclub. free entrance until midnight.
• D'vino Wine Bar, Palmoticeva 4a, ☎ +385(0)20321223, [30]. D'Vino Wine Bar has an impressive selection of fine domestic and imported wine available by the glass, bottle, and in tasting servings. With over 100, D’Vino has the largest selection of wines by the glass in Dubrovnik. It has a very intimate, romantic atmosphere, which is a change of pace from other bars in the city. Email: dvino@columis.net
• Smuuti Bar - The best place to get breakfast in Dubrovnik's Old Town. Enjoy fresh fruit salad, musli, smoothies, vegetable & fruit juices, coffee, tea and homemade cakes. We are located on Palmoticeva 5 (the third street on the left when entering the old town from Pile gate). Telephone: +385(0)981867440. Email: info@nishtarestaurant.com.

Sleep

Visitors on a budget in Dubrovnik need to remember two important points at all times:

• Prices are higher than they would be in most other places in Croatia, simply because you're staying in Dubrovnik
• Most private room options claim to be very close to the Old Town. One notorious guesthouse advertises itself as being 20 minutes' walk from the Pile Gate. In reality, the walk itself may be about 25-30 minutes, excluding a very steep hill climb. The total distance is thus closer to 45-50 minutes. Many accommodation providers will take it very personally if a guest reviews their experience negatively - abusive Emails and phone calls are not uncommon.

Dubrovnik is steeped in stunning architecture and sculptural detail, and boasts spectacular churches, monasteries, museums, fountain. Apartments serve as an ideal home base to tour the city or to go further afield.

• Apartments Dubrovnik : info@europapart.eu

Contact

With the influx of tourists Internet cafes are becoming increasing popular. Half hour rate are relatively inexpensive at appoximately 10-20Kn (1.5-3 Euro)

Stay safe

Dubrovnik is a very safe city, though the usual precautions should be taken to protect yourself from robbery.

Stay legal:

• Previously Croatia had laws forbidding scuba-diving without a pre-paid license. Check if this law is still in effect.
• When entering a port, it is international protocol to hoist a flag meaning "Ready for inspection by customs." However, Croatia did not adopt this custom, so it may be advisable to inquire what is the equivalent signal before sailing to a Croatian port.

In Croatia you are always required to have your headlights on while operating a motor vehicle (car, scooter, etc.)

If you are stranded, have car troubles, or need help contact HAK - Hrvatski Autoklub, (+385 1 987), [61].

The streets in the old town can be quite slippery as they've been smoothed down for centuries by people walking over them. Be careful, especially after a couple of beers!

Although Dubrovnik is a safe travel destination, it should be advised that there are allegations that young blond female tourists have been targeted for abductions in Dubrovnik by men identifying themselves as police, and that police response to these reports has been inadequate, with police even initially falsely denying receiving any reports of attempted abductions.[62] Although some of these reports predate the disappearance and death of Australian tourist Britt Lapthorne, they have received much publicity since, causing the alleged victims to be vilified as "drunken tourists" by the police and by some locals who consider the allegations slanderous. The police, who initially denied the alleged victims' ability to provide accurate sketches, have themselves subsequently identified sketches of suspects to be members of the police force whom they claim encountered alleged victims while carrying out supposedly innocent duties of an unspecified nature, but even the alleged victims are cautious about jumping to such conclusions regarding the identities of the men allegedly involved. Various police accounts of the information provided to them have also been demonstrated to be erroneous. [63] Unfortunately the true state of affairs remain unclear.

Cope

Re: Bedbugs. You can't get hydrocortisone here, so bring your own.

The Old Town can be comparatively difficult to navigate on first appearances, as it really is a warren of little streets. There are, however, signs at the entrances to many of these streets advertising what businesses (shops, restaurants, accommodation etc) are to be found in that direction.

That being said, some of these signs appear to be either intentionally misleading or woefully out of date. For example, there is no office of any bus company within the Old Town, despite what the signs may say. Sadly, locals seem to take perverse pleasure in giving tourists bad directions as well, and are often rude and unapologetic when the same tourist returns later to point out the problem.

Get out

• There are many destinations within Croatia that can be accessed from Dubrovnik with popular attractions including Split and the Plitvice Lakes National Park as well as the capital, Zagreb which is approximately a 10 hour drive away.

• A popular shopping destination for locals, Neum in Bosnia offers many cheap goods for frugal travellers. Buses heading between Split and Dubrovnik will often stop for a short while here to collect supplies etc.

• Montenegro Daily buses operates from Dubrovnik through to Kotor Budva or Herceg Novi (Atlas and Adriatic Explore agency ca 400 Kuna). Busses departs around 8am and the bus arrives back around 5-6pm, making it possible to do a day trip from Dubrovnik to see the spectacular scenery in Montenegro and the city of Kotor. There are also additional local buses which operate through to Herceg Novi, but check times.

• Ston is known for oysters and old salt ponds still in use. (Atlas, Adriatic Explore)
• Trsteno 15. century summer residence with renaissance garden.(Atlas, Adriatic Explore)
• Mostar in Bosnia makes a good two day trip by bus from Dubrovnik (Atlas and AdriaticExplore). The ride will take about 3 hours.The city has a much stronger Turkish feel as opposed to Dubrovnik's Venetian.

• Sarajevo is worth visiting as it is considered by some as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.

• A boat trip to the Elaphiti Islands (Kolocep, Sipan, Lopud) is well worth while, with plenty of places to swim, fish or relax

• Medugorje Visit the Shrine of Medugorje for a religious experience. (Adriatic Expore)

• Mljet island. Green island with lakes and monestries.
• Go on a wine tasting tour (Atlas agency)

Credit to Wikitravel. Based on work by Candace and Gordan Sabic, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others.

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