A Ragusan Voyage
Eleven Days in Dubrovnik
A shore-leave itinerary for the walled city, its islands, and the Bay of Kotor beyond — May 2027.
Before you sail: All prices in this itinerary are 2026 season rates in euros, gathered from official venues and licensed tour operators — the closest available benchmark until 2027 pricing is published. Book City Walls, the cable car, and Kotor day trips online in advance where possible; queues build fast even in shoulder season.
Getting around, and whether to hire a car: Dubrovnik's Old Town is entirely pedestrian — no vehicles allowed, everything inside it is a few minutes' walk. The wider city (Lapad, Banje, Gruž port) runs on local buses and taxis, none of it far.
- Don't rent for the whole trip. Parking near the Old Town is scarce and expensive, and you won't use a car for Days I–IV, VI or X.
- Do consider a one- or two-day hire for Day VII (Kotor) and, if you pick Korčula for one of your open days, that trip too.
- Rental desks are at the airport (21 km / 25–30 min from the Old Town) or in the Gruž port area. If self-driving to Montenegro, confirm your hire company issues a Green Card.
I
SAT 1 MAY
Landfall
Arrival, orientation, first sight of the walls
| Time | Activity | Getting there | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:25 | Land at Dubrovnik Airport (DBV)Transfer into the Old Town by shuttle bus or taxi | 21 km · 25–30 min drive/taxi (shuttle bus ~33 min) | €10–40 |
| 13:00 | Settle in, lunch on the StradunThe main limestone thoroughfare — polished smooth by 700 years of footsteps | In the Old Town | €15–25 |
| 16:00 | Free wander — Old Town backstreetsNo ticket needed; get lost in the stone stairways above Stradun | In the Old Town | Free |
| 19:30 | Sunset drink + dinner, Buža Bar or harbour terraceBuža is cut into the cliffside outside the south wall — open till late | ~5 min walk from Stradun | €30–45 |
1 May is Labour Day, a Croatian public holiday — tourist sites and restaurants run as normal, only banks and some local (non-tourist) shops may be shut.
II
SUN 2 MAY
The Walls & the Republic
Dubrovnik's defining monument, walked at the coolest hour
| Time | Activity | Getting there | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08:00 | Walk the City Walls2km loop, ~1,190 steps. Open 8:00–19:30 in May. Go at opening to beat the heat and cruise crowds | Entrances at Pile/Ploče gates — in the Old Town | €40 pp |
| 11:00 | Rector's Palace & Cultural History MuseumIncluded free with the Dubrovnik Pass instead of a single Walls ticket | ~5 min walk from Stradun | Incl. in Pass |
| 13:00 | Lunch, Gundulić Square market area | ~5 min walk | €15–20 |
| 15:00 | War Photo Limited galleryDocumentary photography on the 1990s Balkan wars — sobering, well curated | ~3 min walk from Stradun | ~€10 |
| 21:00 | Optional: Dubrovnik Musical Spring concert, Rector's Palace2027 programme not yet published — check dso.hr closer to the date | In the Old Town | TBC |
Money-saver: the 1-Day Dubrovnik Pass costs €45 — same as a standalone Walls ticket — and also covers the Rector's Palace, Maritime Museum, Franciscan Monastery, and city buses.
III
MON 3 MAY
Lokrum
A forested island a fifteen-minute crossing away
| Time | Activity | Getting there | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09:30 | Ferry from Old Port to LokrumIn May, boats run roughly hourly (less frequent than peak summer) | Old Port ~5 min walk from Stradun · crossing ~15 min by boat | €27–30 pp return, incl. entry |
| 10:00 | Botanical garden, peacocks, Benedictine monastery ruins | On Lokrum, short walks | Incl. above |
| 12:00 | Swim in the "Dead Sea" saltwater lake, or the rocks off Fort RoyalSea temp ~18–19°C in May — bracing but swimmable | On Lokrum | Free |
| 13:30 | Lunch at the island café | On Lokrum | €15–20 |
| 16:30 | Return ferry to Old Town | ~15 min by boat | Incl. above |
IV
TUE 4 MAY
Above the Rooftops
A slow morning, then the city from 412 metres up
| Time | Activity | Getting there | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:00 | Morning free — Banje Beach or café timeBanje sits just outside Ploče Gate, views straight onto the walls | ~8 min walk from Ploče Gate | Free–€15 (sunbed) |
| 19:00 | Mount Srđ Cable Car3.5 min ascent. May hours: 09:00–22:00 (1–14 May), 09:00–23:30 (15–31 May) | 8–12 min walk from Pile/Ploče gate (or ~6–9 min via steep stairs from Stradun) | €30 pp return |
| 19:30 | Fort Imperial — Museum of the Homeland WarSmall but affecting exhibit on the 1991–92 siege of Dubrovnik | At the cable car summit | €5 pp |
| 20:15 | Sunset over the Adriatic from the summitSunset in Dubrovnik mid-May is roughly 20:15–20:25 local time | At the summit | Free |
| 21:00 | Dinner, Panorama Restaurant (summit) or back in town | Summit, or 4 min cable car down + short walk | €25–50 |
V
WED 5 MAY
Open Day
No log entries — a breather between excursions
| Time | Activity | Getting there | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | UnplannedGood options: Banje Beach, a slow lap of the Old Town shops, or Buža Bar cliffside for the afternoon | All within the Old Town or a short walk | Free–€20 |
This trip runs 11 days rather than the original 7 — I've left this and one later day open rather than padding with filler. Happy to fill them in with more excursions (Mljet National Park, Ston oyster & wine tour, Korčula) if you'd like a fuller schedule.
VI
THU 6 MAY
The Elaphiti Islands
Šipan, Lopud and Koločep by boat
| Time | Activity | Getting there | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09:00 | Depart Old Port on full-day island-hopping boat tourTypically visits all three islands; lunch and unlimited drinks usually included | Old Port ~5 min walk from Stradun | €45–65 pp |
| 10:30 | Koločep — Blue Cave snorkel stopEquipment provided on most tours | ~8 nautical miles / 35–45 min sail | Incl. above |
| 12:30 | Lopud — Šunj sandy beach, free timeOne of the few proper sand beaches near Dubrovnik | ~12 nautical miles / ~1h sail | Incl. above |
| 14:30 | Šipan — vineyards and olive groves, lunch | ~9 nautical miles / ~50 min sail | Incl. above |
| 17:30 | Return to Dubrovnik | By boat | — |
Budget option: skip the organised tour and take public ferry lines 807/831 direct to the islands for about €5 each way per leg. A car is no help here — the islands have no bridge or car ferry connection.
VII
FRI 7 MAY
Crossing into Montenegro
Perast and the Bay of Kotor — bring your passport
| Time | Activity | Getting there | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 07:30 | Depart on organised day tour, or self-driveBorder crossing at Karasovići/Debeli Brijeg | ~93 km · 1h45–2h drive incl. border Self-drive: rent from airport or Gruž |
€35–65 pp tour or ~€40–60/day car hire |
| 09:30 | Perast — Our Lady of the Rocks island churchSmall boat crossing usually included or add-on | ~12 km / 15 min further from Kotor | €5–10 (if not incl.) |
| 11:30 | Kotor Old Town — free timeCathedral of St Tryphon ~€3; city walls climb (1,355 steps) €15 | At Kotor | €0–18 |
| 15:30 | Lunch in Kotor before the drive back | At Kotor | €15–25 |
| 18:30 | Return to Dubrovnik | ~93 km, ~2h back | — |
Montenegro is outside the EU/Schengen — a passport is mandatory even for a day trip. Self-driving gives you Perast and Kotor at your own pace, but confirm your rental agreement covers Montenegro and includes a Green Card.
VIII
SAT 8 MAY
Lapad by Segway
A change of pace along the coast, away from the Old Town crowds
| Time | Activity | Getting there | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:30 | Bus or taxi to Lapad | 3–4 km from Old Town · ~15 min bus/taxi from Pile Gate | €2.50 bus / €10–15 taxi |
| 11:00 | Lapad Segway tour~2 hrs along the Lapad Bay promenade and Gruž port coastline | Starts in Lapad | €40–65 pp |
| 13:30 | Lunch in Lapad | In Lapad | €15–25 |
| 14:30 | Free afternoon — Copacabana or Sveti Jakov beachBoth a short walk from central Lapad | In Lapad | Free–€15 (sunbed) |
Worth considering instead: Korčula (Marco Polo's birthplace) as a full-day swap for this one — 110 km via Pelješac Bridge (~2h self-drive) or 2h direct catamaran from Gruž port.
IX
SUN 9 MAY
Open Day
No log entries
| Time | Activity | Getting there | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | UnplannedGood candidate for Mljet National Park (a full-day boat trip to the saltwater lakes) | 30 km by sea · 1h30 direct catamaran from Gruž port (no car needed) | Free–€70 |
X
MON 10 MAY
Last Watch
A quiet last full day — kayaking, then time to unwind
| Time | Activity | Getting there | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09:00 | Sea kayak & snorkel tourPaddle beneath the City Walls to Betina Cave, ~2 hrs, starts Pile Bay | ~2–5 min walk from Pile Gate | €32–45 pp |
| 13:00 | Free afternoonLast chance for souvenirs, or resting up before the flight home | In the Old Town | Free–€30 |
| 19:30 | Farewell dinner, Old TownLast night — worth booking a table with a view | In the Old Town | €35–55 pp |
XI
TUE 11 MAY
Departure
EZY3320 — Dubrovnik to Edinburgh
| Time | Activity | Getting there | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09:05 | Pack up, check out, head to the airportBag drop opens 09:05, closes 10:25 | 21 km · 25–30 min drive/taxi | — |
| 11:05 | Depart Dubrovnik Airport → EdinburghEZY3320, direct, arrives EDI 13:30 local | — | — |
Voyage Ledger — per person, activities only
Excludes flights, accommodation, and food. Covers the 9 planned days only — Days V and IX are left open. May 2027 rates unpublished — figures below use 2026 season pricing.
| Dubrovnik Pass (Walls + museums + bus) | €45 |
| War Photo Limited | €10 |
| Lokrum ferry & entry | €28 |
| Mount Srđ cable car + Fort Imperial museum | €35 |
| Elaphiti Islands full-day boat tour | €55 |
| Montenegro day trip (Kotor & Perast) | €50 |
| Sea kayak & snorkel tour | €38 |
| Lapad Segway tour | €52 |
| Estimated total | ≈ €313 |