There are several options for a memorable day trip from Dubrovnik if you find yourself with extra time in the city. I actually recommend baking in a spare day so you can explore outside the city center. This will allow you to experience something less frequented by tourists and get a better feel for the country of Croatia. Picking a day trip felt a little daunting because there were so many spectacular options. Thankfully, the day trip I chose was perfect, and in my opinion, the best day trip from Dubrovnik!
Sea kayaking and snorkeling around Dubrovnik and the neighboring islands, visiting the border countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro), island hopping, and wine tours were my top choices. All sound like incredible day trips from Dubrovnik, right?!
From reading endless reviews, blogs, and websites, it seemed that many travelers were in the same boat as me and having a hard time deciding how to use their extra day in Dubrovnik. If I could go back I would add 3 or 4 extra days to allow for multiple day trips or even spend the night in one of the neighboring countries. Let me take you through my thought process of how I decided on the right day trip for Jake and I and why I nixed the others.
See other Croatia Blog posts:
A GUIDE TO WALKING THE WALLS OF DUBROVNIK
BUZA BAR DUBROVNIK – CLIFF JUMPING & SUNSET VIEWS
Taking a dip at Lokrum Island
TOP Day trips from Dubrovnik
1. Island Hopping - The Elaphite Islands
Several boat companies offer day long excursions to the archipelago called the Elaphite Islands (usually including 3 island visits and lunch). Given that Jake and I already sailed to Lokrum Island to hike and swim for a few hours (highly recommend if you want to escape the crowds and see additional Game of Thrones filming sites) I decided to nix an island hopping excursion. This would be a great day trip from Dubrovnik if you want to see more of the islands to get some sun and beach time!
GOT filming site for Qarth on Lokrum Island
2. Bosnia and Herzegovina Day Trip - Mostar and the Kravice Waterfalls
An excursion to Mostar and/or the Kravice Waterfalls is the most popular option as a day trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina from Dubrovnik. Mostar is a cultural gem with a mix of traditions and faiths. Cobblestoned streets, the call to prayer, mosques, and Turkish style homes are just the starting point of what makes this city a great visit. However, the amount of time spent getting to and from Mostar (2.5-3.5 hours of driving) and the unknown amount of time spent at border control was a big deciding factor in nixing this as a day trip from Dubrovnik.
3. Montenegro Day Trip: Bay of Kotor
A day trip to Montenegro including the Bay of Kotor proposed the same issues as doing a trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina. I decided I would rather do Kotor and Montenegro when I had time to spend at least 1 night in the city. Kotor is becoming more popular and therefore overrun with tourists during the afternoon. Montenegro got nixed in favor of doing it right on a future trip by spending at least 1 night.
Watching the kayaks go by from Buza Bar
4. Sea Kayaking and Snorkeling Excursion
I was extremely enticed by this option as it was active, included water and sun, and some pretty awesome views of Dubrovnik from the water. The majority of reviews voiced that an entire day of sea kayaking and snorkeling was too long, especially in the heat and sun. The half day tour looked like a more enjoyable experience, but unfortunately all the best stops were only included in the full day tour.
Oyster Farm
5. PELJESAC PENINSULA WITH DUBROVNIK WINE TOURS - THE BEST DAY TRIP FROM DUBROVNIK
The WINNER! Instead of traveling to other countries we decided to stay in our backyard and visit the Peljesac Peninsula with Dubrovnik Wine Tours. This fit my travel profile much better than some of the other options. I would rather stick to one area and do that area right than travel all over the place and try to fit in as many countries and cities as possible in a short span of time. This option allowed us to see the “countryside” of Dubrovnik. I decided to go with Dubrovnik Wine Tours and couldn’t have been happier with the experience. The company, tour guide, transportation, selection of wineries and sights were all perfect!
*I am not being compensated to mention this company (nor do they know I am writing about them). This is the company I chose for our personal trip after doing extensive research.
My Experience with Dubrovnik Wine Tours
The tour included pick-up and drop-off at our hotel, which was very convenient. I was impressed with our transportation (spacious minibus, immaculately clean, AC) and the fact that we had a driver and a tour guide (the guide is the driver with most tours). This allowed our guide, Mario, to have wonderful and fully focused conversations with us.
Mario is a certified sommelier and was one of the most informative guides I have ever had. We enjoyed our time with Mario so much that we regretted we didn’t have enough time on our trip to do a second tour with him! After picking up two other couples we began the drive to the first stop, the ancient city of Ston.
Like wine? You might also be interested in:
OREGON WINE COUNTRY – A WEEKEND IN WILLAMETTE VALLEY
PLANNING A TRIP TO NAPA VALLEY – A NAPA GUIDE
BEST TIME TO VISIT NAPA VALLEY
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If you like Croatia then you will LOVE Greece! See my Croatia and Greece blog posts!
Do you have a favorite day trip from Dubrovnik? Let me know in the comments below!
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