City Walls, Dalmatian Fare, and a Day Trip to Calypso’s Island

After surviving Montenegro’s drivers, I was relieved to finally turn the corner and find Dubrovnik’s beautiful Old Town below us.

Welcome to Dubrovnik

This was the last stop of our Alps/Balkans road trip, so we planned to drive the car down to the Old Town, drop off our luggage, then drive over to return the car. Easier said than done.

In early June, Dubrovnik’s traffic was a nightmare. As we edged closer to the Old Town, it was clear that finding parking would be no small feat.

Fast-forward through two hours of getting stuck down a one-way street with multiple cars behind us, parking meters not taking any type of card or currency, a [probably] illegal parking spot, and frayed nerves, we were finally making our way down the hundreds of steps with our luggage.

We stayed in an Airbnb in the Old Town. Our instructions were to meet the host’s father in front of the main Cathedral. When we got there, Bruno looked at our luggage. “It’s a good thing you don’t have a lot,” he said. “It’s 920 stairs to your apartment.”

“Not a problem,” Sean said cheerily.

“Oh, it’s a problem,” the old man insisted.

Sweaty and exhausted, we made our way up to the (thankfully) well air-conditioned apartment. Here, Bruno proceeded to give us the lay of the land in equal parts fatherly advice and light sexism.

Bruno’s Advice for Surviving Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik is very expensive in comparison to other places in the Balkans. To save some money in Old Town, Bruno recommended heading to the local market, Konzum, tucked into one of the alleys near the Cathedral. We stocked up on wine, cheese, and eggs for breakfast. Bottled water, he said, was also a waste. We found that tap water was safe to drink and tasted fresher than bottled.

Bruno had one more piece of advice.

“You are the woman. I will show you the kitchen.” Gently pushing Sean aside, Bruno waved an array of pans, pots, and utensils at me. Sean and I both love to cook, but when we are traveling, it’s Sean who takes on most of the cooking duties.

“Thank you,” I replied. I saw a smirk spread over my husband’s face. I’m usually pretty outspoken, but it didn’t seem prudent to get into an argument about gender roles with our host’s 80 year old father. That said, finding a place with a kitchen can save you some money in a city that’s known for its inflated prices.

Staying in Old Town

Having only stayed in Dubrovnik’s old town, I don’t have a recommendation about whether or not this was the best idea. However, I can tell you some of the pros and the cons:

At least in the summer, it was not convenient to have a car if you are staying in the old town. Everything we wanted to do was accessible by walking (or boat). Both parking and driving was a nightmare. Bruno actually laughed at us when we mentioned that we still needed to return our car. If you stay outside of the city, I would recommend taking an Uber or taxi to get to the old town, though it may give you more freedom to check out the outskirts. Some of the best restaurants seemed to be outside of town.

We usually love to wake up early before anyone else is around and walk around— it’s one of the reasons we try to stay in the heart of a city if we can. However, in Dubrovnik’s old city, the vendors seemed irked that we were in the way. On the other hand, it was nice to be in such close proximity to the cliff bars, restaurants, and the city walls.

Day Trip to Mljet: An Island Fit for a Goddess

If you want to escape the crowds of Dubrovnik, I highly recommend taking a trip to one of Croatia’s nearby islands. The closest island for a day trip is Lokrum. You can access this island from old town by ferry or even kayak!

Based on a recommendation from a friend, we ultimately decided on Mljet. Mljet is an island best known for being the home of the Greek goddess Calypso, where Odysseus spent seven years. After a few hours on the island, it was easy to see what (besides a beautiful goddess) might have kept Odysseus captive for so long.

We took a ferry from Dubrovnik’s ferry port to Mljet, which took about an hour. Once on the island, you can rent a car or a scooter from Mini Brum, located right at the ferry port in Sobra.

The best part of our entire trip was riding our scooters from one end of the island to the other. Mljet is the greenest of the Croatian islands. It’s also the least touristy. As we explored the island, it often felt like we were the only ones there! After the chaos and crowds of Dubrovnik, Mljet was a breath of fresh air.

We rode from Sobra to the sandy beaches at Saplunara. Only about ten miles, it took us the better part of our afternoon to explore, stopping for pictures, beaches, and lunch. The other side of the island boasts Mljet’s famed national park, large and small lakes great for swimming. Also, be sure to check out the Odysseus cave, where Odysseus was said to have sheltered from Poseidon’s storm upon his arrival to Calypso’s island.

If nature is your thing, you’ll easily find enough to do on Mljet for a couple of days. We plan on returning and spending more time on this magical island.

The Walls of the Old City

We returned to Dubrovnik from Mljet in the early evening. Exhausted, we also knew that this was our last chance to explore the famed walls.

We did a self-guided tour, which was perfect for us. There are guided tours if you prefer, including a Game of Thrones tour for fans. Tickets were about 200 Croatian kuna per person, or $30 U.S. The views from the wall, especially at sunset, were my favorite views of Dubrovnik.

We started at the city gates. Wear comfortable shoes and bring water— even at sunset the Croatian sun beamed down on us. There are a few places to get a drink overlooking the views, but be prepared to pay!

Where to Eat & Drink

We took advantage of our kitchen for breakfast, but for dinners we splurged and ate at what I think were some of the best places inside the city walls.

Our first night, we ventured to Azur, an Asian fusion restaurant located near our apartment and the Cliff Bars. On a warm night, our table in the alley was perfect. I ordered the fragrant meatballs in coconut curry, while Sean ordered the seafood laksa. Both were excellent.

Our second night, the smells of grilled meat pumping out of the famous Lady Pi Pi enticed us. They do not take reservations, so be prepared to wait in line. We ended up waiting for about an hour for our table, and they cut off the line right after we got there. We got there after sunset, but they apparently have some amazing views if you are lucky enough to snag one. The food was well prepared and very Dalmatian in style (think grilled meat and seafood and amazing bread).

We found that the cliff bars (there are two) were the best places to grab a drink and a dip. You can purchase drinks at the cliff bar. If you go further down, you can also find a spot on the rocks to enjoy the view with your own bottle of wine or beer.

Final Thoughts

On the whole, Dubrovnik was pretty crowded and touristy. We loved the views, the famous walls, and the proximity to many of Croatia’s beautiful islands. However, for a more authentic Dalmatian experience, don’t skip other Croatian cities like Split, and make sure to travel inland to check out some of Croatia’s beautiful national parks, such as Plitvice and Krka.