Question 1

The Republic of Ragusa

Accepted Answer

Dubrovnik governed itself as the Republic of Ragusa from 1358 until Napoleon's Kingdom of Italy annexed it in 1808. The town was probably founded in the 7th century by refugees from the town of Epidaurum, and it passed from Byzantine to Venetian control before the republic. The republic paid an annual tribute to the Ottoman sultan from 1382 to 1804, and its sea trade peaked in the 15th and 16th centuries. Ragusa set up a medical service in 1301 and a quarantine hospital in 1377, and it banned the slave trade in the 1410s. An earthquake on April 6, 1667, killed around 2,000 people in the city and leveled most of its public buildings. In 1991, during the Croatian War of Independence, the Yugoslav People's Army besieged Dubrovnik for seven months and shelled the Old City.

Question 2

Getting Around Dubrovnik

Accepted Answer

A city bus ticket costs €1.73 at a kiosk or €1.99 from the driver, and buses leave for each part of town every 10 to 20 minutes. A kiosk ticket is valid for an hour from first use, and a ticket bought on the bus covers that ride only. Have change ready, because drivers may not take large bills. A 24-hour bus pass costs €5.31 at the main bus terminal and at Libertas sales points. Fares change, so check before you travel. The cable car climbs Srđ, the 412-meter hill behind the Old City, in under five minutes. An adult round trip is €30. The cable car shuts for annual maintenance, so check the price and that it is running.

Question 3

Tipping in Dubrovnik

Accepted Answer

A common guide across Europe is to round up a taxi fare and leave 5 to 10 percent in a restaurant when service is not included. Croatia has used the euro since January 1, 2023, and it is the only currency accepted in Dubrovnik. Most hotels, restaurants and shops take credit cards, and cash machines are easy to find. Check the bill for a service charge before you add anything.

Question 4

Where to Eat

Accepted Answer

Seafood leads the menu in Dubrovnik: grilled squid, octopus salad and black risotto. Pašticada is beef marinated in wine and spices, cooked slowly and served with gnocchi. Rozata, the local custard dessert, is flavored with a rose liqueur. The red wines Dingač and Postup are made from the Plavac Mali grape on the Pelješac peninsula, a short drive away.

Question 5

Culture & Local Life

Accepted Answer

The walk around the top of the city walls is about 1,940 meters and takes 90 minutes to two hours. The Rector's Palace, rebuilt after a fire in 1435, has housed a history museum since 1872. A one-day Dubrovnik Pass costs €40 (checked October 2026; check before you go) and covers the walls, Fort Lovrijenac, the Rector's Palace and other museums, plus 24 hours of city buses. Stradun, the limestone-paved main street, runs about 300 meters from the Pile Gate to the Ploče Gate. Most of the buildings along it went up after the earthquake of 1667. Fort Lovrijenac, on a rock 37 meters above the sea outside the western wall, played the Red Keep in Game of Thrones.

Question 6

Traveling with Family

Accepted Answer

Lokrum, a wooded island 600 meters off the Old City, is a nature reserve with peacocks and a small salt lake. The €30 Lokrum ticket (checked October 2026; check before you go) covers entry to the reserve and the return boat. Buy it at the Luža ticket office in the Old City port. On the cable car, children aged 4 to 12 pay €8 for a round trip and younger children ride free (checked October 2026; check before you go). Children must be with an adult at all times on the city walls. Carry water, and avoid the hottest hours of the day.

Question 7

Shopping & Local Markets

Accepted Answer

The Authentically Croatian mark identifies traditional, locally made souvenirs. Things made locally include handcrafted jewelry, wine, olive oil and work by Dubrovnik artists. The green market in Gundulić Square, inside the Old City, sells local fruit and vegetables from early morning until midday. Gruž, around the cruise port, has larger stores and a produce market, so some shopping can wait until you are back near the ship.

Question 8

Beaches

Accepted Answer

Banje, the main public beach, is a few minutes' walk from the Old City. Sveti Jakov is a pebble cove and quieter than Banje. Copacabana Beach, on the Lapad peninsula, has the most facilities for families. Cover up when you leave the beach. UK government advice for Croatia says Dubrovnik issues on-the-spot fines for walking through town shirtless or in swimwear.

Question 9

Accessibility

Accepted Answer

Stradun and the main squares of the Old City are flat and smoothly paved, but the side streets climb by steps. The cable car, the Aquarium, the Museum of Modern Art and the Rector's Palace are wheelchair accessible. The Franciscan Monastery and the Sponza Palace exhibition space can be visited with assistance. Lifts that lower swimmers into the sea are installed at Copacabana Beach and at Mandrač. Download the tourist board's accessible map of Dubrovnik before you arrive, and ask at the entrance to the city walls about access before you buy a ticket. Ask your ship whether the gangway will be step-free in Gruž. If the ship anchors off the Old City, ask whether the tender can take a wheelchair.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

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