Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a wonderful little city, perfect for a weekend break or a couple of days while travelling around Croatia — any longer and you’ll run out of things to do. The old city is stunning and untouched, nestled behind a thick grey wall like something out of a Disney film set. This is, after all, where they filmed King’s Landing in Game of Thrones.
There are two main entrances to the old city of Dubrovnik, both accessed on foot across a little bridge and through a grand stone arch. You can also arrive by boat through the main harbour, if you happen to have a yacht moored out at sea. It’s refreshing to be in a city where no cars are allowed inside the walls.
Every building is made of the same grey stone as the fortifications, matching the floor too — polished by foot traffic for hundreds of years until it shines in the daylight and glows under the evening lights.
If you visit at the weekend, you’ll likely catch a wedding or two at the city’s main churches. Once the ceremony ends, the whole congregation parades through the streets with the bride and groom at the front, singing and playing instruments — each wedding party trying to outdo the last. It’s a celebration the whole city turns out to watch.
Where to Drink in Dubrovnik
My top recommendation is Buža Bar, a fantastic spot for cocktails day and night, with a terrace overlooking the sea. By day you can sunbathe on the rocks and cool off with a dip; by evening, settle in with a cocktail and watch the sunset.
There are plenty of bars around the main squares open all day and into the evening, but for something later, head down two or three of the narrow alleys just off the square. Here you’ll find bars with music playing and, if you’re lucky, a tiny dance floor. Most people end up sitting on the steps outside, soaking in the atmosphere of the city at night.
Where to Eat in Dubrovnik
The city is always alive with people — bars buzzing, restaurants spilling out into the alleyways and squares come evening.
Gradska Kavana Arsenal is great for lunch and people-watching. You can dine on the main terrace overlooking the marina, or — my preference — the quieter terrace at the front, overlooking the street and main square, where you can take in the architecture and watch the day go by.
Sesame is worth trying for breakfast or lunch. It’s tucked away and much quieter than the main squares.
Restaurant Kopun, at the top of the steps in front of St. Ignatius Church, serves wonderful local cuisine — most famously kopun, a castrated rooster braised in orange and honey. Plenty of outdoor tables for soaking up the atmosphere, or for a romantic candlelit dinner. The dish is perfectly balanced between salt and sweet, and the meat — which tastes much like chicken — is tender and moist.
A ten-minute taxi ride outside the old city towards the main harbour brings you to Restaurant Orsan. Tables sit right on the jetty overlooking the marina, with a great selection of fresh fish and local dishes, and it’s full of locals — always a good sign.
The service was wonderful; they let us sample a few wines to help us pick a favourite. The black risotto is a must-try, and don’t leave without buying some of the local olive oil — Croatia produces it by the bucket-load, and it’s every bit as good as Italy’s, at a fraction of the price.
Where to Sunbathe
“Collina Beach” refers to Šulić Beachis the closest beach to the city, hidden at the bottom of a flight of steps behind a residential area. No sand here, so bring appropriate footwear — but the view, with the rocky coastline and the fortress looming above the cove, is stunning. Ideal if you want to escape the crowds.
Banje Beachi is a short walk east, has crystal-clear water and a beach club if you’d rather a sun lounger than the pebbles.
Lokrum — a short boat ride from the old city and well worth the trip. The island has roaming peacocks, beautiful nature trails and a nudist beach that draws a mixed and open-minded crowd. It’s also a brilliant spot for cliff diving into the entrance of a huge cave.
What to Do
A walking tour through the old city is the best way to get your bearings and absorb the history — the guides here are excellent and bring the Game of Thrones connections to life in a way that’s genuinely entertaining even if you’re not a fan.
Revelin Club is a brilliant night out, set dramatically inside the original walls and fortress of the old city. One of the more unusual club venues you’ll find anywhere in Europe.
Korčula — Brna
A 25-minute drive from the ferry port at Korčula town, Brna is a quiet, unhurried fishing village wrapped around a secluded bay that catches the sunset perfectly. If your idea of a good holiday involves very little — a pool, a jetty, a glass of something cold and a view — then Aimee’s Lume Hotel delivers exactly that. It’s also ideal for practising your dive posture for the obligatory Instagram shot off the end of the jetty.
The surrounding landscape is all valleys, wineries and olive groves. Croatian wine is far better than it has any right to be — try a Pošip if you’re a white wine drinker (crisp, dry, very good) or a Radovanović for a red.
Hire a bike and explore the neighbouring village of Smokvica, a hillside cluster of white stone houses with terracotta roofs and a tiny church that towers over everything else. It’s one of those places that doesn’t need to try.
Getting to Hvar — The Road Less Travelled
Getting from Korčula to Hvar is something of an adventure in itself. A 4pm ferry to Orebić, a 30-minute drive, a second ferry at 5pm from Drvenik to Ploče — a fairly grim brutalist port town, best treated as a pitstop — then back to Drvenik for the 7pm ferry, and finally the crossing to Hvar.
From there, an hour’s drive along what might be the narrowest, bendiest road in Croatia — 60-degree bends with nothing between you and a very long drop — brings you to Vrboska, where things improve dramatically.
Hvar — Vrboska
By far the most picturesque village of the trip. Vrboska sits around a marina full of sailing yachts and little taxi boats, with a small fort on the hill above watching over it all. I stayed at Senses Resort, around 30 minutes from Hvar old town — a great base if you want somewhere genuinely beautiful and away from the tourist bustle.
Hire a boat for the day (around 1,500 HRK including fuel for a 30hp) and the island is yours. Crystal-clear water, secluded bays, the odd nudist beach if you’re that way inclined. It’s as close to having your own private island as most of us will ever get.
Hvar Old Town
Like much of coastal Croatia, Hvar old town is all shining white stone, terracotta rooftops and a church bell tower overlooking the main square. But behind the square, the little alleyways come into their own — subtly lit restaurants tucked into courtyards and corners, fresh fish everywhere, and a real effort made with the food.
Truffle risotto and black squid ink risotto both seem to be house specialities wherever you go, and rightly so. I didn’t have a single bad meal. Budget around £65–£80 for two with a bottle of wine, which feels entirely fair given the setting.
Hvar has two distinct personalities. There’s the chilled, tucked-away version you find in bars like K’Lavanda — low-key, atmospheric, ideal for a late glass of wine. And then there’s party Hvar, centred around the marina, which is loud, fun and exactly what it looks like.
Hula Hula beach bar is the classic Hvar sunset spot — music, drinks, the full holiday-maker experience.
Carpe Diem Beach Club is the one worth the trip though. A free boat takes you across to a small island off the coast. By day you’re on day beds sipping cocktails looking out to sea; by night it becomes a proper open-air club under a canopy of trees and lights. If you end up swimming in your underwear at some point, you’re doing it right.
Split
The ferry from Hvar to Split is popular — get there at least an hour and a half before departure if you’re taking a car, or you’ll end up queuing on the overflow road with no guarantee of getting on.
Split is wonderfully compact. I stayed at Villa Spada — ten minutes from the ferry terminal and five from the old town. Everything you need is within easy walking distance.
For the beach, head to Kasjuni — tucked into a beautiful cove with beach bars, it’s the pick of Split’s beaches and the perfect place to spend an afternoon. Further along the rocks you’ll find the nudist section, and beyond that a more private spot where the gay crowd tends to gather.
For dinner, Zoi Restaurant is an absolute must. One of the best views of the harbour and promenade in Split, with tables set along a beautifully restored first-floor balcony that probably dates back to the Romans. The food matches the setting — worth every penny.
All the real action in Split happens inside the old city walls. Every alley finds a way to become a restaurant, the alfresco dining is genuinely excellent, and the main square comes alive every evening with live music — hundreds of people on the steps eating, drinking and soaking it all in. Consistently good-natured, relaxed and completely trouble-free. In all my time in Croatia, I didn’t witness a single incident. For a popular tourist destination in summer, that says something.
A Note on LGBTQ+ Travel in Croatia
Croatia isn’t quite there yet when it comes to LGBTQ+ visibility. There are no gay bars, clubs or designated spaces to speak of — and it’s where the country noticeably lags behind its fellow European destinations. That said, Split does have options if you know where to look.
Academia Club Ghetto is tucked deep in the alleyways of the old town — technically billed as an alternative venue, it attracts a genuinely mixed crowd with a strong LGBTQ+ following. At weekends there’s a DJ in the courtyard playing house and pop, and the atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming.
For a proper late night, X Club is the place to go — the best LGBTQ+ venue in Split, open late and with a real party energy. Between the two, you’re well covered.
Day Trip — Krka Waterfalls
One of the great advantages of having a car is the freedom to do things properly. The Krka Waterfalls are about an hour north of Split and one of the genuinely spectacular natural sights in Europe.
Get there before 9am if you want any chance of beating the tour buses, which arrive in their hundreds. I got there early enough to swim in the lake at the base of the main falls with barely another soul around — the kind of moment that makes you glad you set an alarm.
The wooden walkway takes you through the trees and over rushing clear water. The falls are formed by a rare natural process — calcium separating from the water as it flows, building up into constantly growing deposits. It’s surprisingly moving to stand next to something that’s been doing this for thousands of years.
Follow the route above the main falls and the feeder falls above are, if anything, even more beautiful — the sun hitting the water produces an extraordinary range of greens and blues around every corner. I’d also recommend walking back to the car park along the shingled path through the trees rather than retracing your steps. There’s a lookout point that takes in the whole park. It took me about 20 minutes in flip flops.
By the time I left, the car park was full and coaches were still streaming in. Timing is everything.
Click to read my last post about the stunning Greek island of Paros