Lady’s Itinerary for 24 Hours in Dubrovnik, Croatia

I want to share my travel itinerary for 24 hours in Dubrovnik with you today. This city on the Adriatic Sea in Croatia is one of the most popular places to travel in the Balkans. From its walled old town to its seaside charm, there’s a lot to love about Dubrovnik.

24 Hours in Dubrovnik

That said, I was nervous to spend 24 hours in Dubrovnik. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with the city. It’s just that I hadn’t been there in years and I was afraid everything had changed.

Back when I first visited, most Americans had never heard of Dubrovnik, let alone been there. But shortly after my first trip, the city became a hot travel destination in Europe.

As such, I wasn’t sure if the place I’d fallen in love with all those years ago would be as lovable today.

But when I booked my Balkans trip, it only made sense to spend 24 hours in Dubrovnik on my way from Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina to Kotor in Montenegro.

How to Get to Dubrovnik

I arrived in Dubrovnik after a 3-hour-and-40-minute bus ride from Mostar. When I alighted, I was glad to see there were still local people with signs offering rooms to visitors arriving in the city.

That was how my friends and I found our accommodation on my last trip, and it was something I hadn’t seen anywhere else in the world.

Where to Stay in Dubrovnik

This time my accommodation was different, but in a good way. I was staying at Hotel Bellevue in Dubrovnik. It was a gorgeous luxury hotel right on the sea, complete with cliff-side guest rooms, a spa, a restaurant, and a beach.

Hotel Bellevue had offered me a complimentary room for my 24 hours in Dubrovnik, and I was happy to learn it would be an executive suite with sweeping sea views.

The decor was all natural in both the bedroom and the living room, and there was an abundance of L’Occitane products in the two bathrooms. I was tempted to stay in the suite for my entire stay.

Things to Do in 24 Hours in Dubrovnik

But I wanted to see the historic old town during my 24 hours in Dubrovnik.

I walked the quick 10 minutes into the walled city, and before I knew it, I was strolling along the marble streets and taking in the beautiful architecture around me.

From the clock towers to the churches, the Renaissance buildings to the Baroque facades, Dubrovnik was just as beautiful as I remembered.

It was, however, a bit more crowded. On my last trip to Dubrovnik, my friends and I felt like we had the entire city to ourselves. This time there were multiple cruise ships in the harbors and lots of tour buses around.

But as soon as I stepped off the main streets in the walled city, the crowds virtually disappeared and I had the old town to myself again. It was great.

Hotels in Dubrovnik

In the late afternoon my 24 hours in Dubrovnik continued as I went back to Hotel Bellevue and met the PR manager. She and I had drinks on the terrace at Vapor Restaurant before heading off to view the hotel’s sister properties.

Our first stop was the famous Hotel Dubrovnik Palace. Located on the Lapad peninsula, its rooms and suites had great views of the sea.

Down on the water, I walked over a bridge that spanned a swimming pool and saw the hotel’s private pool and beach for VIP guests, events, and weddings.

The second property I saw was Hotel Excelsior in Dubrovnik. It was located on the other side of the old town. The hotel first opened in 1913, and half of it is still housed in the restored original building.

The rooms at Hotel Excelsior had stunning views of the Dubrovnik old town. Right beside the new half of the hotel was the private Villa Agave, which guests can rent out.

Dinner in Dubrovnik

Back at Hotel Bellevue, my 24 hours in Dubrovnik continued as I enjoyed dinner at Vapor Restaurant.

I started with scampi and avocado, then moved onto a sea bass main with mashed potatoes. For dessert I ordered a chocolate souffle, which was divine.

My server recommended two great Croatian white wines to go with my meal, as well as a dessert wine to pair with the souffle.

Spa in Dubrovnik

My indulgence continued in the morning when I went to the Hotel Bellevue spa for a massage.

The treatment was incredibly relaxing, and the therapist worked out the tension that had accumulated in my shoulders from carrying my bags all over the Balkans.

Side Streets in Dubrovnik

Rejuvenated, my 24 hours in Dubrovnik continued as I walked back into the old town, stopping on the way to explore some of the side streets.

One of the areas I wandered into was a churchyard with a beautiful cemetery. I walked around it for a few minutes, enjoying the peace and quiet.

Like many of the cemeteries I’d seen on my Balkans trip, this one had a lot of areas where all the graves shared the same year of death in the early 1990s. It was a sobering reminder of the region’s tragic war.

Where to Eat in 24 Hours in Dubrovnik

But sometimes good things are born out of hard times. One such thing is a dining establishment called Nautika Restaurant.

Located just outside the entrance to Dubrovnik’s old town, its terrace offers stunning views of the sea, the city walls, and the fortress on the opposite hill.

Nautika was founded during the war in the 1990s and is now one of the city’s most celebrated restaurants (it even won an award from Conde Nast Traveler for being one of the most romantic restaurants in the world).

I enjoyed a complimentary three-course there lunch overlooking the sea during my 24 hours in Dubrovnik.

Starting with a great cold seafood appetizer of lobster, mussels, cuttlefish, and scampi, I moved onto fresh lobster ravioli and finished with a chocolate souffle with olives.

More local Croatian wine from the nearby island of Korcula rounded out what was a lovely meal.

Nautika has a sister restaurant, Proto, in the old town, and another called Konavoski Dvori outside the city. I was sad I didn’t have time to try them as well.

Cable Car in Dubrovnik

The final activity of my 24 hours in Dubrovnik was another reminder of how much the city has changed since I was there previously.

On my last visit, my friends and I spent half a day hiking up switchbacks to the top of the mountain behind the old town. At the summit were the ruins of a fortress and a bombed-out structure we didn’t know the original purpose of.

Turns out it was for a cable car. Said method of transport had been restored since my last trip to Dubrovnik, and I spent an hour riding up, visiting the tower and its photographic museum, and walking around the grounds.

It was beautiful and offered stunning views of the 16th-century city walls and the islands in the distance.

24 Hours in Dubrovnik

The rest of my 24 hours in Dubrovnik were spent wandering through small streets, up to lookout points, and along wide roads lined with cafes and restaurants.

In the evening, a driver from Hotel Bellevue drove me down to the bus station and I boarded my bus to Kotor, Montenegro.

My second trip to Dubrovnik had been different from my first, but I was happy to have discovered the city hadn’t changed in the way I’d feared.

It was still just as beautiful, and the new additions were positive ones. I hope it doesn’t take so long for me to spend another 24 hours in Dubrovnik, but if it does, I won’t be nervous next time.

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