Dubrovnik, Croatia Hotels and City Guide

Dubrovnik - Going Out

Dubrovnik Entertainment Guide

Although Dubrovnik is primarily known as a tourism destination, it plays host to an array of concerts and festival throughout the year, as well as many outdoor and indoor sights and activities.

Dubrovnik Arts and Evens

Dubrovnik’s colourful annual Carnival with participants from six countries fills the ancient squares and streets with music, dance, acrobats, fabulous renaissance costumes, parades, masked balls, art exhibitions and more for five weeks during February and March.

The renowned Summer Festival, the highlight of the cultural year from July to August, is a feast for lovers of theatre, dance, opera and music, performed at myriad open-air venues in front of stunning historical buildings or within buildings such as the Rector’s Palace and various churches where excellent acoustics complement the music.

Dubrovnik’s Natural Scenery and Outdoor Activities

The cable car ride from Mount Srd offers breathtaking views of the Old Town and the Elafiti Islands, being most atmospheric at sunset.

Croatia’s sheltered coast is ideal for sailing. Diving is very popular, but you need a valid diving card from the Croatian Diving Union which is valid for a year. Shipwrecks abound off the coast of Dubrovnik making diving a popular sport for recreational and professional divers. Off Cavtat protected shipwrecks are ancient amphora sites. Local diving centres offer diving excursions.

Off-shore Excursions

Lokrum Island
A short boat ride away from the port is forested Lokrum Island, the last of many in the scenic Croatian archipelago consisting of over a thousand islands along the country’s 5,835km coastline. Home to the Fort Royal begun by the French during their occupation of Lokrum in the early 19thC and completed by the Austrians in the 1830s, the ruins of a Benedictine monastery dating from 1023, a botanical garden, a saltwater lake and white sandy beaches ensure a quiet respite for those wanting to relax a while.

Cavtat
Take a side-trip to idyllic Cavtat on the slopes of Croatia’s southern coast, 15km southeast of Dubrovnik. Bus No. 10 from Dubrovnik runs to Cavtat every half hour. Other options are ferry or taxi. Situated on a magnificent sheltered bay on wooded Rat peninsula, the picturesque small harbour town is the perfect holiday resort on the calm blue waters of the Adriatic with beaches, coves, Mediterranean vegetation and bright flowers in clear light. No wonder artists gravitate to Cavtat. Stroll along the palm-lined harbour promenade and take time to smell the yellow juniper blossoms.

Annual Events

February
Feast of St Blasius: The Feast of St Blasius (patron saint of Dubrovnik), also regarded as ‘The City of Dubrovnik Day’ takes place on 3 February.
Dubrovnik Carnival: A joyous 5-week event dating back to the 15thC, the Dubrovnik Carnival takes places annually in the streets and historic buildings of the Old Town immediately after the Feast of St Blasius. It runs from 4 February to 6 March.

April
Libertas Film Festival: Features international and Croatian films, takes place from 11-17 April.

May
Lindjo Traditional Folk Dancing: Lindjo have been performing folklore dances for over 40 years from May-October.
Dubrovnik Wine and Jazz Festival: takes place from 25-29 May.

July/August
Dubrovnik Summer Festival: The popular Dubrovnik Summer Festival, now in its 62nd performance runs from 11 July -25 August and features an array of classical music, drama and traditional dance performers.

August/September
Julian Rachlin & Friends Festival: six chamber music concerts featuring famous musicians led by Austrian violinist Julian Rachlin at the Rector’s Palace from 27 August to 8 September

October
International Festival of Jams and Marmalades: held over the first weekend, 1-2 October.

Dubrovnik After Dark: Bars and Nightclubs in Dubrovnik

During the summer months the streets are alive with night owls in the many bars, cafés, cocktail bars, discothèques and jazz clubs. Simply wander around to find one that suits you, not forgetting the popular Prijeko Street. Music flows through the old streets as the sun goes down.

Possibly the best place to be is on the terraced rocks above the Adriatic just beneath the city walls on Od Margarite, where Café Buza serves drinks at romantic candle-lit tables. Life can’t get much better than this!

The legendary Troubadour Hard Jazz Café at Buniceva 2 behind the cathedral offers music, not necessarily jazz, whilst sitting outside. The smoky interior’s walls are splattered with framed signed photos of famous customers.

Gradska kavana, where the Arsenal was once situated, is another popular drinking hole near the Rector’s Palace. Sit on the terrace and imbibe the atmosphere of this ancient city.

English Pubs
For UK and Irish visitors, there are several Irish pubs where Guinness, Ale and pub grub are served while watching rugby and football matches on a big TV screen. That’s if you want to pretend you are back home!

Elegant Venues and Cocktail Bars
The 5-star Dubrovnik Palace Hotel in Lapad offers picturesque views of the Elafiti Islands from its Sunset Lounge. It’s a good place to be for happy hour from 16.00-18.00. (The No. 4 bus from Pile Gate will drop you there.

The Eastwest Beach Club on Banje Beach near Ploce Gate on Frana Supila bb is an upmarket bar restaurant attracting the beautiful people. It is the place to be seen. The club takes advantage of the Mediterranean climate by having an alfresco rooftop lounge.

Relax on comfortable sofas, loungers or wicker armchairs at Café Nonenina opposite the Rector’s Palace while you sip your cocktail, cognac, champagne or whatever takes your fancy and watch the passing parade.

Nightclubs and Discos
Discos include Latino Club Fuego just outside Pile Gate, Lazareti outside the east walls, once a quarantine centre, for electronica, Nightclub and Cocktail Bar Revelin on top of the old fortress. A more sophisticated and upmarket venue is Labirint, Sv Domenika 2, which is a casino, restaurant, disco and nightclub where you will need to dress smartly.

Hotels in Dubrovnik, Croatia