10 Amazing Day Trips from Dubrovnik, Croatia

Information about Day trips from Dubrovnik with details about how to reach, what to see and suggested tours.

What’s better than a typical mediaeval travel destination? A mediaeval walled city that is also a beach destination. Now add a fantasy fiction element to it (like Game of Thrones or Star Wars), it turns into a heck of a prominent tourist destination. Yes, that’s exactly what Dubrovnik is – a part of literally every single Croatia itinerary.

Dubrovnik is situated in Croatia’s Adriatic Coast, it is a mediaeval walled city that rose to its peak after the restoration post the break up of Yugoslavia. The fact that it was a shooting location for King’s Landing on Game of Thrones helped Dubrovnik rise to its prominence. Not just Croatia, but Dubrovnik is the most popular tourist destination in the Mediterranean.

Dubrovnik – King’s Landing in Game of Thrones – Croatia Itinerary

No doubt Dubrovnik is spectacular, but it seriously suffers from over tourism. Thanks to Instagram, Dubrovnik has turned into something like a Disney Land for holiday goers. 

Just because it is extremely crowded, doesn’t mean you should miss out on Dubrovnik’s beauty. Try visiting it during shoulder months and avoid it in July and August. Plan a super smart Dubrovnik itinerary so that you find a way to avoid the crowds, especially day trippers.

Dubrovnik viewpoint – Croatia Road Trip Itinerary

Why Should You Consider a Day Trip from Dubrovnik?

If you do end up visiting Dubrovnik, you will be happy to know that it is situated in a spot that makes it easy to visit some of the nearby countries for a day trip. It is close to the Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina borders. When you’re done with your Game of Thrones tour in Dubrovnik, then try exploring the area around.

From Dubrovnik, you can easily visit the nearby Montenegro our favorite – Bosnia-Herzegovina, and many other amazing destinations within Croatia on some well planned day trips from Dubrovnik.

Dubrovnik isn’t far from Serbia and you can also visit it, but on a trip that’s longer than just a day trip otherwise it will be super rushed. The Balkans are lovely and you should try to explore this part of Europe by driving. We have an epic post about our road trip through the Balkans on our website that covers not just Dubrovnik but some other destinations that are on this list.

Our list of day trips to Dubrovnik has many options for nature lovers, wine connoisseurs and history enthusiasts. Yes, there is something for everyone on this list, so go ahead and find the one that suits you the most.

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PART 1: Day Trips from Dubrovnik to Bosnia-Herzegovina:

Kravice Waterfalls + Mostar (Bosnia & Herzegovina)

Kravice Waterfalls in Bosnia and Herzegovina – travel the Balkans

Dubrovnik tends to get very hot during summer, but a day of swimming in the spectacular Kravice Falls of Bosnia-Herzegovina will cool you down. While you’re there, head to the nearby historical town Mostar that is of a cultural significance and is gorgeous too.

Getting to Mostar is easy from Dubrovnik with buses frequently making the hasty 3 hour drive up to the historical city. Once in Mostar, the stunning Kravice Waterfalls are about an hour away. If you are driving like us, you can actually stop at the falls before heading into the city to explore Mostar.

Kravice Waterfalls, Bosnia & Herzegovina – Balkans Road Trip itinerary

While in Croatia, did you stop at the Plitvice Lakes? Did you yearn to swim in those inviting, turquoise waters? Did you want to take photos without the crowd of other tourists? Head to Kravice Falls to satiate all your needs. (Yes, our main profile picture on the blog has the Kravice Falls in the background)

The Kravice waterfalls are similar to Plitvice Lakes’ Mali Prštavac Slap in terms of beauty. They are both made of up many dreamy cascades that are surrounded by and lush forest, however, there is a feeling of calmness here as Kravice Falls are a little more hidden in the trees. Unlike Plitvice, you can actually swim here. (Yes, I can’t get over it)

Mostar is an old city that has many buildings still standing that are in the style of Ottoman Architecture including the Stari Most (the Old Bridge), the defensive towers erected on either side of the bridge, as well as in a large number of residential homes around the old city. If you are lucky enough to go at the end of July, you can witness the annual passage of young, Mostar men jumping off the Stari Most as part of a 450 year old tradition.

Mostar in Bosnia & Herzegovina – Travel to the Balkans

Lastly, don’t miss your chance to stop by the magnificent Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque. Here you can learn a little bit about Islam (as they accept anyone to enter it’s walls) and get an unbelievable view of Mostar from the top of the towering minaret.

Vjetrenica cave (Bosnia & Herzegovina)

Inside Vjetrenica Cave in Bosnia & Herzegovina

Did you ever see Planet Earth Documentary series and saw an albino cave salamander? I did too, and I actually thought that in my lifetime I’d never get to see an elusive rare creature like this. I was wrong, I saw one in Vjetrenica Cave in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Albino cave salamander or Human Fish in Vjetrenica Cave

Vjetrenica Cave is an interesting day trip from Dubrovnik and highly recommended if you are looking for a unique thing to do. For anyone who hasn’t rented a car to drive around Eastern Europe with, you will need to get to the small village of Zavala first or you can book a tour that will guide you from Dubrovnik to the cave.

Once at Vjetrenica Cave, there are hourly English-guided tours that will take you into the cave system and point out some fascinating sites to see. The cave is well-known for being home to some peculiar looking fish and is worth taking the trip to admire it’s magnificent natural beauty.

Walking inside Vjetrenica Cave, Bosnia-Herzegovina

Visiting Vjetrenica Cave was not a part of our list and honestly we did not even know of its existence. We lost our way on our way from Kravice Waterfalls to Montenegro, and ended up seeing a board for Vjetrenica Cave and decided to make a stop here. We were just in luck and arrived just 10 minutes before an English tour was going to start.

As mentioned earlier, Vjetrenica Cave is near Zavala; a quaint village recognized by its old stone masonry that makes up the majority of its architecture. The gem of Zavala is Zavala Monastery; a Serbian Orthodox monastery that overlooks the vast Popovo field.

PART 2: Day Trips from Dubrovnik to Montenegro:

Kotor Bay (Montenegro)

Enjoying an ice cream in Denovici, Kotor Bay in Montenegro

The beauty of traveling around Eastern Europe is that there are so many intriguing day trips that you can take not only within the country, but also to the enthralling neighboring countries. Montenegro’s beautiful flower shaped bay of Kotor is so lovely and so close to Dubrovnik, that it would be a shame not to make a side trip here.

As with most of the destinations on this list, you can easily hop on a bus that will take you south into Montenegro and arrive at Kotor in about three hours. If you are driving yourself however, consider taking a more scenic route along the coast to breathe in the glorious Adriatic Sea.

Kotor Bay viewpoint, Montenegro – Balkans Road Trip

For us, the joy of driving to Montenegro was almost as good as our time on its beaches, because the drive is full of viewpoints. The best part is that every single viewpoint has a parking place next to it so that you can stop and click photos.

A day trip to Kotor Bay (also known as Boka) is an ideal choice for those wanting to spend the day doing to fun outdoor activities such as hiking and kayaking; with the reward of impeccable views.

Kotor Bay at night, Montenegro – day trips from Dubrovnik

If you would like, you can also explore the old medieval town of Kotor and its impressive fortified walls that hug the city. Around this ancient city, there are many formidable churches and cathedrals that show off the romanesque architectural style however, you can also see a huge amount of Ottoman and Venetian influence within the town’s centre as well.

Kotor isn’t the only must-see city that rests on the coast of Boka, Perast is another great stop most notably for its proximity to two small islets that appear just off of it’s coast. Gospa od Škrpjela (Our Lady of the Rocks) and Sveti Đorđe (Saint George) are the sites of two impressive religious buildings; one being a Roman Catholic church and the other being a Benedictine Monastery.

Tara Canyon / River Rafting / Durmitor National Park (Montenegro)

Tara River Canyon near Zabljak and Durmitor National Park, Montenegro

Whether you are driving yourself around Eastern Europe or relying on tours and buses, Durmitor National Park is a day trip from Dubrovnik that you will not regret taking. It takes about three and a half hours to get drive to Durmitor. Getting here solo is much more difficult than other destinations on this list but there are a few day tour options that will help you visit Durmitor National Park.

Rafting on Tara River, Durmitor National Park, Montenegro

Looking for something exhilarating to do on your day trip? Try river rafting through the Tara River Canyon; the deepest canyon in all of Europe. We highly recommend you consider booking a river rafting tour on Tara River so that you can enjoy the spectacular beauty of Tara Gorge.

The tour we’re talking about starts from Dubrovnik. The tour includes a drive to a river camp along Tara river where you will eat breakfast. After rafting instructions, you’re ready to go and enjoy the beauty of Tara River as it forms small waterfalls. There will be many swimming and photo opportunities. 

At the end of the 25 KM rafting experience, you will get to indulge in a warm shower and enjoy river side lunch. Post lunch, you will be driven back to Dubrovnik.

If you are not too excited about discovering the canyon from below, there are numerous caves and viewpoints that you can find while trekking around the gorge. You can also do a zipline over the canyon, which surely looks scary but fun.

Black Lake – Durmitor National Park near Žabljak, Montenegro

Durmitor National Park itself is made up of the Dinaric Alps, a few other impressive canyons, and 18 glacial lakes. Black Lake is the largest and most visited of the lakes, luring tourists in with its mirror-like surface that reflects the breathtaking landscape surrounding it.

While Montenegro’s Kotor bay gets all the attention, I enjoyed my time more in Durmitor National Park. Given a chance, I’d prefer to go back to the relaxing mountains of this national park.

PART 3: Day Trips from Dubrovnik within Croatia 

Mljet National Park (Croatia)

Saint Mary Monastery – Mljet National Park, Croatia

Choosing to take a day trip from Dubrovnik to Mljet is a superb idea and it is one of the easiest destinations to get to due to how close it is. All you need to do is hop on a catamaran and in about two hours you will arrive to Mljet Island. Alternatively, you can book an all inclusive day trip to Mljet that starts from your hotel and make this visit even easier. 

If you are looking for a day trip where you can bask in the glorious nature of Croatia, Mljet has just that. Once you get to Sobra harbour, immediately you will notice the dense greenery surrounding you and will be led down a hiking trail to Mljet National Park. You will most likely want to catch the bus to take you to the other side of the island, specifically to the lakes known as Veliko and Malo Jezero.

These are two saltwater lakes that are connected by a small bridge called Mali Most. Here you can rent kayaks that you can take out onto the lakes; choose to paddle for a little work out or just relax and go with the current.

Next to the bridge is a ferry port where you can take a boat to the islet called Sveta Marija in the middle of Veliko Jezero, which is the large lake. On this isle, you can visit the romanesque Monastery and Church that was built in the 12th century in the name of St. Mary.

Elaphiti Islands (Croatia)

Elaphati island is not one island but a group of islands near Dubrovnik. These islands are collectively called the Elaphatis and are connected to Dubrovnik via daily ferries. 

Sipan Island of the Elaphiti Islands group – easy day trip from Dubrovnik, Croatia

Out of all the Elaphiti Islands, there are three main islands that are the biggest ones. They are Koločep, Šipan and Lopud. You can decide to go to just one of them or some of them based on your preference. 

Koločep is the closest to Dubrovnik, just 5 KMs from the harbor at Gruž. Koločep is known for its old buildings and churches that were built between the 9th and 11th centuries.

Lopud Island is the middle island in terms of both distance and size. It is known for its sandy beaches. It has the Lafodia hotel. If you’re looking to relax on a nice beach, then Lopud island is the place for you.

Šipan is the farthest and the largest island our of the three main islands. It has several quite bays and beaches, so you will get a nice break here from Dubrovnik’s madness. 

Dubrovnik can get a little crazy with crowds during the summer. If you’re looking to enjoy the best of Adriatic coast’s beaches, then a visit to the Elaphiti islands makes total sense.

Korčula Island (Croatia)

Are you in search for a relaxing, beachy day? Consider heading to Korcula Island (a.k.a. Korčula). Travellers getting around Eastern Europe by foot can take a ferry directly from Dubrovnik, however, the schedule changes frequently and the direct ferries do not run all year round.

Korčula Island – day trips from Dubrovnik, Croatia

If you cannot find a direct ferry or you are driving, you can easily take a ferry from Orebic on the Peljesac Peninsula. It is only about a 2 hour drive up the coast and you can enjoy the incredible views of the Adriatic coastline.

Alternatively, you can book a tour to avoid the hassle of managing your transport to Korcula Island and back to Dubrovnik. Below are some tours that go from Dubrovnik to Korčula:

• Korčula Day trip with wine tasting + visit to Ston: this tour includes a visit to the town Ston and Korčula Island with an inclusion of Croatian red wine tasting experience.
• Korčula Island visit with Ston and Potomje + Wine Tasting: this tour is available in English and Spanish. The vineyards of Peljesac peninsula are famous and you will taste wine in one of the wineries of Potomje.

There is an abundance of beaches on this island. You can go swimming, partake in watersports activities, or taste some local cuisine at the seaside restaurants. Korcula is also a great choice for those who enjoy cycling; there are many places where you can rent a bicycle to traverse around the island.

Korčula Island near Dubrovnik, Croatia

With all this being said, Korcula Island is more than just a beach-filled destination. It is rich in cultural history and offers many archaeological sites and museums that you can visit around the island.

Pelješac Peninsula (Croatia)

Pelješac Peninsula, Croatia

Peljesac is a peninsula that includes the area starting around Ston all the way to the small town of Lovište. You could easily spend a week or two exploring all of the charming towns on Peljesac but if you are short on time, you can at least take a day trip from Dubrovnik.

There are a few places that you should stop at on your visit to the Peljesac Peninsula with the first one only about an hours drive away; and that place is Ston.

The most common thing to see is the aptly named Walls of Ston, which are reminiscent of the Great Wall of China. While exploring these walls and fortresses that are connected by it, you can also take in the scenery of Peljesac and the rolling hills that cover it.

Orebic is another popular destination on the Peljesac Peninsula and is about two hours away from Dubrovnik. Many people have chosen Orebic as their summer destination due to the picturesque beaches that are around this town.

Lastly, if you want to get to the very tip of Peljesac, you will find yourself in Loviste. Loviste is a calm seaside town that is only about 20 minutes away from Orebic. Most travellers like to come here for the quiet seclusion and to go sailing around the cove.

Krka National Park (Croatia)

KRKA National Park in Early Summer – Croatia Itinerary

Truth be told, this might not be the most accessible day trip from Dubrovnik if you are not driving around like us. To get to Krka National Park, you need to once again drive through Neum so make sure you have your passport and visa documents on you to avoid any delays. Driving from Dubrovnik should only take you about 3 and a half hours which is worth it as you are driving to paradise.

The main attractions of Krka National Park are the massive Krka Waterfalls. There are a total of seven waterfalls that sit along the Krka river with the most popular being Skradinski Buk.

A semi hidden swimming spot in Krka National Park, Croatia

You can hike around the whole park and take in all the lush scenery that has become the home for a ton of unique flora and fauna. Another key site to see on your day trip to Krka National park is the Visovac Monastery which is located in the middle of Krka river, only a boat ride away from Skradinski Buk. Even if you choose not to go out to see it in person, it is just as intriguing to view it from afar.

Split (Croatia)

Sunset in Split town – Day trips from Dubrovnik

The distance between Split and Dubrovnik is a bit further than the previous suggestions but it is still possible to take a day trip here using your own car or van. A bus ride will take you about 4 and a half hours whereas you can save an extra hour by driving yourself.

Considering the transport time, this trip is recommended for those who are have their own transport. Keep in mind, you have to cross through Neum which is part of Bosnia so make sure to have any documents that you need for the border crossings.

If you have a little more than just a day, then you can also take a ferry that will connect you from Dubrovnik to Split in 4 and a half hours for a unique experience. It is the same amount of time that the bus takes.

Split town at night – Day trips from Dubrovnik

Split itself is the second largest city in Croatia, so there is no shortage of cool things to see in and around this city. Split has amazing beaches, so you can relax and enjoy the sea.

Much like other parts of Eastern Europe, you can see the influence of the ages that made their mark on Split. This is especially evident in the diverse architecture that ranges from ancient to modern.

There are a few notable buildings to stop at starting with Diocletian’s Palace; a Roman Fortress that was built in the early 4th century AD to be the resting place of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. While there, you can visit the Cathedral of Saint Domnius; the Mausoleum of Diocletian and the oldest catholic cathedral in the world that uses most of its original structure.

Lastly, the Ivan Meštrović Gallery; an art piece in itself that was built in the early 1930’s to be the summer villa for Ivan Meštrović and his family. Nowadays, the structure is used to display all of Meštrović’s most profound work and is a brilliant example of 20th-century Croatian art.

Other than exploring the old architecture, some other fun things to do in Split are to spend the afternoon hiking around Marjan Park and find unreal views of the city; get up close and personal with the Adriatic sea while scuba diving; and take part in a food tour as you discover the secrets of Old Split, the charming centre of town.

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