Posted: 2/8/2023 | February eighth, 2023
Dubrovnik is the preferred metropolis in Croatia. Famed for its historic and well-preserved Outdated City (and as a filming location for Sport of Thrones), this picturesque metropolis of 40,000 inhabitants swells with vacationers from Might to early October, due to a rising variety of cruise ships that dock right here.
The overwhelming majority of holiday makers, nevertheless, have a tendency to stay to a couple areas. That implies that selecting the best neighborhood is extra necessary right here than in lots of different locations, as it is going to drastically affect your expertise.
That can assist you determine the place to remain in Dubrovnik, I’ll spotlight one of the best neighborhoods, so you’ll be able to select the realm that almost all fits your journey fashion and finances.
However, earlier than I get to the specifics, listed here are some widespread questions I get requested about Dubrovnik neighborhoods:
What’s one of the best neighborhood for foodies?
If you happen to arrive in Dubrovnik by bus or boat, your first step shall be in Gruž (pronounced “Groozh”), which recently has acquired a number of nice consuming choices.
What’s one of the best neighborhood for households?
Lapad is simply a 10-minute bus journey to Outdated City and has a beautiful family-friendly seashore.
What’s one of the best neighborhood for partying?
Pile (pronounced “Pee-lay”) is a warren of slim streets that’s completely positioned to make the most of the numerous bars in and round Outdated City, which is simply to the east.
What’s one of the best neighborhood for feeling like an area?
You gained’t see this neighborhood on many different lists. A couple of 15-minute stroll from Outdated City, Montovjerna is a quiet space with a number of bars and eating places frequented by locals.
What’s one of the best neighborhood total?
Whereas bustling and crowded, Stari Grad (Outdated City) is the place all of the motion is.
With these questions now answered, here’s a extra particular breakdown of every neighborhood — with urged lodging, so that you’ll know the place to remain in Dubrovnik:
The place to Keep in Dubrovnik for Foodies: Gruž
There as soon as was a time when there was nothing notably spectacular about Gruž. However within the final 5 or so years, the neighborhood has advanced into an amazing place to eat. Along with being dwelling to the principle out of doors meals market, there are a handful of terrific eating places that make Gruž the vacation spot for these of you who let your abdomen and style buds dictate your itinerary.
Town’s solely brewery, the Dubrovnik Beer Company, is in Gruž, and it has a beautiful faucet room for sampling the beers. While you get hungry, cease into Glorijet, Amfora, and Kiosk. (The newish Red History Museum, about life within the former Yugoslavia, can also be in Gruž.)
Greatest Locations to Keep in Gruž:
- BUDGET: Free Bird – One of many metropolis’s latest hostels, Free Chook has a chill widespread space with a big TV and a kitchenette (no range although). General, it’s a fairly fundamental hostel, but it surely’s very fashionable and clear, the employees are nice, and the views from the terrace are unbelievable. There are female-only rooms as effectively.
- MID-RANGE: Hotel Adria – Most rooms at this comfy lodge have balconies that look out over the marina. All rooms have massive, cozy mattresses and air con. If in case you have a automobile, use of the lodge’s parking storage is complimentary.
- LUXURY: Berkeley Hotel & Spa – Smack within the coronary heart of Gruž, Berkeley is the one luxurious lodge within the neighborhood. It has spacious visitor rooms, a few of which have balconies overlooking the marina, in addition to an outside pool, a bar, and a completely geared up spa.
The place to Keep in Dubrovnik for Households: Lapad
About 10 or so minutes on the bus from/to Outdated City, Lapad affords a mixture of locals and vacationers. Positioned on a peninsula, residents love to hang around on the lengthy pedestrian promenade, the place a nonstop line of eating places and cafés line the best way to the seashore. Guests, notably households, benefit from the tranquil seashore on the cove, the place the minimal waves make for a great spot for teenagers to swim. You’ll discover far fewer crowds right here too.
Greatest Locations to Keep in Lapad:
- BUDGET: Dubrovnik Backpackers Club – Positioned simply over the Lapad border in Babin Kuk, Dubrovnik Backpackers Membership is essentially the most inexpensive choice within the space. The rooms embrace a number of four-person blended dorms and a few two-person personal rooms with en suite loos and showers. The massive kitchen is ideal for cooking your personal meals, and there’s additionally a terrace with a beautiful view over the neighborhood.
- MID-RANGE: Art Hotel – Only a two-minute stroll to the principle seashore in Lapad, Artwork Resort is a properly priced lodging with a number of consolation and elegance. The rooms have balconies, a few of them with good views, and in addition air con, massive flat-screen TVs, and minibars.
- LUXURY: Royal Palm Hotel – This is among the extra inexpensive luxurious choices on the town. The lodge has massive visitor rooms with ocean vistas and an amazing terrace restaurant for much more views of the Adriatic Sea. There’s a calming spa on-site as effectively.
The place to remain in Dubrovnik for Partying: Pile
Pile, simply outdoors of Pile Gate (one in all 3 ways out and in of Outdated City), is a neighborhood of slim winding streets between the historic heart and the medieval Fort Lovrijenac and Gradac Park. It isn’t essentially rife with celebration spots, but it surely’s not within the Airbnb-centric Outdated City and it’s inside strolling (learn: stumbling) distance of the walled Stari Grad must you be inclined to spend the nights imbibing.
Greatest Locations to Keep in Pile:
- BUDGET: Villa Garden Hostel – Positioned close to Gradac Park, Villa Backyard Hostel is made up of a set of personal rooms, every of which has both one or two single beds. The property has a enjoyable, energetic widespread room and a beautiful terrace to absorb the Adriatic breezes.
- MID-RANGE: B&B Villa Dubrovnik Garden – This B&B is positioned up on the hill overlooking Outdated City and the Adriatic Sea. The six rooms are properly appointed, with large beds and wonderful views. The employees are wonderful and may also help you propose your journey and e book excursions too.
- LUXURY: Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik – A part of one of many few massive worldwide lodge chains (run by Hilton) in Dubrovnik, the Imperial is definitely a historic property. It’s completely positioned simply outdoors of Outdated City’s Pile Gate and has a beautiful foyer bar and plus-sized rooms with extra-large, comfy beds.
The place to Keep in Dubrovnik to Really feel Like a Native: Montovjerna
The primary drag of this neighborhood is ulica bana Josipa Jelacica, which implies nothing to vacationers, however to locals, it’s — or a minimum of, was — a celebration road, lined with bars. It even gained the moniker “Bourbon Road” (after the notorious celebration road in New Orleans). Right this moment it’s a lot tamer, but it surely’s nonetheless place to seize espresso or a night drink on the handful of pubs on the road if you wish to hang around the place residents go.
The road can also be dwelling to top-of-the-line consuming choices on the town: Marija’s House, the place chef Marija Papak cooks unbelievable native fare on the coated terrace of her dwelling.
Greatest Locations to Keep in Montovjerna:
- BUDGET: Vila Marija – Only a 15-minute stroll from/to Outdated City, this guesthouse affords personal rooms in addition to complete studio residences with their very own kitchens. There’s a beautiful terrace outdoors and the host is extraordinarily variety and welcoming.
- MID-RANGE: Hotel Lero – This can be a lengthy, rectangular, multifloor property with an inviting courtyard pool and rooms that overlook the Adriatic Sea. The rooms have air con, plush robes, coffeemakers, satellite tv for pc televisions, and enormous wardrobes.
- LUXURY: Hotel More – This cliffside lodge is true on the water. The 72 rooms and eight suites all have balconies that face the shimmering Adriatic. As a bonus, the lodge boasts essentially the most distinctive bar within the metropolis, if not all of Croatia: the Cave Bar Extra, which, because the identify suggests, is about in an precise cave proper on the water.
The Greatest General Neighborhood in Dubrovnik: Stari Grad
Stari Grad, or Outdated City, is the principle attract Dubrovnik and the chief purpose why thousands and thousands of individuals go to. If you happen to come throughout peak season, count on the limestone-blanketed streets to really feel like a sidewalk in Instances Sq., because the foot site visitors causes critical congestion. That stated, that is the explanation you got here right here and possibly the place the place you is likely to be spending a lot of your time.
There are some first rate eating places in Outdated City. However regardless of the quite a few pizzerias right here, avoid pizza in any respect prices; you’ll be disenchanted.
Additionally, keep away from the restaurant-lined road Prijeko ulica, which locals have nicknamed “Banditenstrasse,” as a result of it’s the road the place vacationers go to get ripped off by unhealthy meals and unhealthy eating places (which have a historical past of scamming vacationers).
As a substitute, simply get pleasure from staying in Outdated City, taking within the medieval ambiance of the place as you wander the slim streets.
Greatest Locations to Keep in Stari Grad:
- BUDGET: City Walls Hostel – This three-floor, award-winning property has a spacious widespread room and a small however absolutely geared up kitchen and a fundamental free breakfast each morning. There’s additionally espresso and tea out there within the kitchen all through the day.
- MID-RANGE: La Vita e Bella II – This assortment of stylish rooms is positioned in a Thirteenth-century dwelling within the coronary heart of the Outdated City. All models have air con, flat display TVs, and wonderful facilities, together with small touches like Bose audio system and robes/slippers.
- LUXURY: St. Joseph’s Hotel – Housed in a Sixteenth-century constructing, St. Joseph’s is one of some lodges positioned inside the partitions. And it’s a pleasant one! The six rooms have small kitchens, rain showers (some even have huge bathtubs), and sufficient house to make you need to keep awhile. The employees is especially pleasant too.
Dubrovnik is greatest skilled if you happen to unfold your self out, not completely counting on the overcrowded Outdated City for all of your enjoyable and exploring. There are many cool, quiet, and delightful neighborhoods in Dubrovnik that can help you beat the crowds whereas nonetheless taking in every thing the town has to supply.
And, because the metropolis is comparatively small, you’re at all times inside a brief bus journey to every thing, guaranteeing that you just gained’t miss out on something this beautiful medieval city has to supply.
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