Dubrovnik, also known as the Pearl of the Adriatic, has long captivated visitors and continues to gain popularity. Fans of Game of Thrones recognize it as the real-life King’s Landing, and it has recently been featured in films such as Robin Hood: Origins and Star Wars: The Last Jedi, drawing even more attention to the city. With the introduction of UberBoat and the country’s first underwater winery in the nearby Peljesac peninsula, it is evident why the spotlight is firmly fixed on Dubrovnik.
Dubrovnik is a regular stop for cruise ships in the Mediterranean, and 377,000 passengers got off last year, according to the city’s Port Authority. In 2023, the number rose to 500,000, as up to five ships arrived daily during the high season. Every cruise ship’s arrival sends a rush of people toward Old Town, mostly between 7 and 9 a.m.
To avoid joining the rush of cruise ship passengers, monitor the port’s schedule online. The Port Authority’s schedule and sites like Cruise Dig offer cruise ships’ arrival times as well as the potential number of travellers disembarking. The number of passengers arriving is more important than the number of ships.
A two-hour buffer should be enough to avoid the crowd at the gates, the Jesuit Stairs (best known from the “Walk of Shame” scene in “Game of Thrones”), or the city’s other major attractions.
The city also offers Dubrovnik Visitors, an online resource that estimates how crowded the Old Town is at any moment and also uses machine learning to forecast visitor numbers during future dates.
Avoid the golden-hour photo shoot: The city’s streets empty somewhat in the late afternoon. Day-trippers leave while other visitors rush to the city walls for selfies or even the occasional marriage proposal in front of the setting sun. The golden hour is a better time to take in the Old Town, with a stop by Onofrio’s Fountains before getting lost in the narrow passageways and streets. If you do need a photo you can hashtag, check the passages and stairways below the walls for unique shots; there will be much less jostling for space.
But don’t skip the city’s fortifications entirely. Undulating terra-cotta roofs rippling off into the distant, glistening Adriatic Sea remain a vista unique to Dubrovnik. It is best experienced when the walls open at 8 a.m., before the crowds and before the sun rises. A visit is 35 euros ($38), but the Dubrovnik Pass, which costs the same, offers access to the city walls as well as discounts to other attractions and free public transport.
Dubrovnik, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is renowned as the pearl of the Adriatic due to its strategic location on the Dalmatian coast and its breathtaking Gothic and Baroque architecture. The months of July and August tend to be very busy throughout Europe, and Dubrovnik is no exception. During this time, the city can become exceptionally crowded, so if possible, it’s best to steer clear of the peak season.
