We spent almost a full week in the beautiful walled city of Dubrovnik during our two week trip to Croatia. Besides spending a few days exploring the old town, walking the city walls, sipping on local wines and relaxing on nearby beaches, this extra time in Dubrovnik allowed us to take several day trips to nearby towns. We stayed in a cute third story apartment within the old town which we used as our base for day trips from Dubrovnik.

Korcula

The walled city of Korcula Town is a smaller, less crowded version of Dubrovnik. Just as beautiful as Dubrovnik with its red tiled roofs and stone walls dating from the 13th century, it was also once part of the Venetian Empire. Korcula Towns sits at the eastern end of the island of Korcula just off the coast from the Peljesac Peninsula. We took a small boat to the island of Korcula from Orebic on the mainland.

From this small boat we had our first views of the beautiful walled town while collecting restaurant recommendations from our guide for a fresh fish lunch. There were many restaurants along the outer edge of the old town where you could sit outside with a view of the Adriatic Sea. After our seafood lunch, we wandered around the old walled town and climbed the bell tower of St. Mark’s Cathedral to view the city from above.

One of Korcula’s major claims to fame is that it is reportedly the birthplace of Marco Polo. Wandering around the old town, you will find a plaque that commemorates the reported location of the house where Marco Polo was born. There is also a Marco Polo Museum located not far from the Korcula Town Gate.

What to Do:

• Wander the small streets in the old town of Korcula
• Rumoured birthplace of Marco Polo
• Marco Polo Museum
• Cathedral of St. Mark
• Banje Beach

How to Get There:

• 2 hour drive from Dubrovnik to Orebic where you can take a ferry to the Korcula Old Town
• Catamaran ferry available during the summer months
• 3.5 hour bus ride from Dubrovnik Central Bus Station
• Organized tour which combines Korcula and Ston

Kotor, Montenegro

A day trip into the neighbouring country of Montenegro is completely doable from Dubrovnik. A scenic drive around the Bay of Kotor took us to the fortified town of Kotor which was dramatically framed by dark limestone peaks. Kotor is listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site as the old town of Kotor is one of the most well preserved medieval towns. It was primarily built in the 12th to 14th century and it is the perfect small town to get lost in as you wander the maze of narrow stone alleys and streets of the old town.

The stone walls rise high up the mountain behind the old town. You can climb the 1350 steps up the walls to the Church of Our Lady of Remedy and the Castle of San Giovanni to get a bird’s eye view of the fortified city and the Bay of Kotor. As we only had a short time to explore the city of Kotor, we didn’t have time to climb the walls but if I ever return to Kotor this will be top of my list.

What to Do:

• Wander the streets of old town Kotor
• Climb the walls to the Church of Our Lady of Remedy
• Cathedral of Saint Tryphon
• Hike the Ladder of Kotor
• Our Lady of the Rock – Roman Catholic church in the middle of the Bay of Kotor
• Continue on to the beaches and old town of Buvda

How to Get There:

• 2 hour drive from Dubrovnik (consider wait times at the border with Montenegro)
• 3 hour bus from Dubrovnik (consider wait times at the border with Montenegro)
• Organized tour which combines Kotor and Buvda

Ston, Croatia

A trip to the small town of Ston can be combined with a visit to Korcula or the Peljesac wine region, but it is also worth a visit on its own. Ston is most well known for salt production and oysters. During ancient times the salt was more valuable than gold so stone walls were built around the city and to the neighbouring city of Mali Ston. You can climb the stone walls which are over 5km long. We even saw signs for an annual marathon which traverses the stone walls.

What to Do:

• Climb the stone walls above the town and visit the fortresses
• Try the fresh local oysters

How to Get There:

• 1 hour drive from Dubrovnik
• 1.25 hour bus from the Dubrovnik Central Bus Station
• Organized tour which combines Ston and Korcula

Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina

Mostar, a scenic city in Bosnia & Herzegovina founded in the 15th century, is a common day trip from Dubrovnik. Mostar is most well known for the Stari Most bridge which crosses the Neretva River. You will often see local daredevils jumping from the bridge into the river below.

We didn’t have the opportunity to visit Mostar during this trip but I would absolutely make Mostar a priority if given another chance. Besides the picturesque 24m high Stari Most bridge, there are numerous mosques and plenty of history and culture to discover.

What to Do:

• Watch divers jumping from Stari Most Bridge
• Visit the Old Market (Kujundziluk)
• Kajtaz House – historic residence with tours
• Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque

How to Get There:

• 2 hour drive from Dubrovnik (consider wait times at the border)
• Organized tour will simplify transport to Mostar from Dubrovnik

Peljesac Wine Region

The Peljesac wine region is located on a peninsula just north of Dubrovnik. The area is a well known wine growing region and many of the best Croatian wines are produced in this region. Another perfect day trip from Dubrovnik is to explore this region and tour some local wineries. We stopped for a wine tasting in the Peljesac peninsula after our trip to Korcula. This is where we tried the famous Croatian red wine, Dingac, made from Plavac Mali grapes. I would also recommend trying the dry white wine known as Posip. It would be worth buying a few bottles to take home as it can be difficult to find Croatian wines outside of Croatia.

What to Do:

• Explore the many wineries such as Grgich Winery and Milos Winery
• Beaches in Orebic
• Hiking and walking trails along the coast connecting villages such as Orebic and Viganj

How to Get There:

• About an hour drive from Dubrovnik
• Book a wine tasting tour of the Peljesac peninsula

Other Days Trips from Dubrovnik

• Mljet – island with a National Park and Benedictine Monastery
• Elafiti Islands – beautiful archipelago perfect for relaxation
• Kravica Falls – Waterfalls in Bosnia & Herzegovina where you can swim in the pools at the bottom of the falls
• Lokrum – nearby island with botanical gardens and ruins of a Benedictine Monastery