What to Expect
Ships dock at the Gruž terminal, 3 km west of the Old Town's Pile Gate. Bus line 1a runs from the terminal to the Old Town every 10–20 minutes (€2 one way). Water taxis also run from the terminal directly to the Old Town port for €5–10. Old Town is contained within medieval walls — all major sights are within a 15-minute walk of each other inside the walls. The Stradun, the main limestone-paved promenade, runs from the Pile Gate to the Bell Tower. Dubrovnik sees 5,000–8,000 cruise passengers per day in peak season; the Old Town's narrow streets are genuinely crowded between 10am and 4pm.
Getting Around
Bus 1a from Gruž terminal to Pile Gate: 20 minutes, frequent service. Taxis: €10–15 from terminal to Pile Gate. Bikes and ATVs are not useful inside Old Town (pedestrian streets). Lokrum Island — 10 minutes by ferry from Old Harbour (€25 return, includes island entry) — is a forested islet with a saltwater lake, botanical garden, and Benedictine monastery ruins. The cable car to Mount Srđ departs from just outside the Ploče Gate (€29 return), with views across the city and islands — book at the terminal before entering the city if you want to guarantee a slot.
Tipping and Currency
Euros (Croatia adopted the euro in January 2023). Restaurants in tourist areas typically include a service charge — check the bill before tipping. Where no service charge is included, 10% is appropriate. Boat captains: €2–5 per person is appreciated. ATMs at Gruž terminal and throughout Old Town.
Beaches
Beaches inside Old Town are limited to small rocky coves — Buža (accessible through a hole in the city wall, with a bar carved into the limestone) is the famous cliff-jumping spot. Banje Beach just east of the Ploče Gate is the closest proper beach with sun beds and views back to Old Town. Lapad Bay (near Gruž) has a longer beach used mainly by locals. Most cruise passengers come for the city, not the water; the beaches are secondary.
The Walls and Culture
The city walls are 1,940 meters around and up to 25 meters high — the most intact medieval fortifications in Europe. Entry from either the Pile Gate (west) or St. Luke's Bastion (east): €35 in peak season. The walk takes 1.5–2 hours at a comfortable pace. Start early (before 9am if possible) or late afternoon — midday heat and the full crowd make it uncomfortable. Inside the walls: the Dominican Monastery (€5) has a Tintoretto painting and a pharmacy operating since 1317. The Franciscan Monastery near the Pile Gate has an apothecary with the same claim and a peaceful Romanesque cloister.