Dubrovnik’s historical centre is beautiful and packed with amazing stories of the past. However, recently we’ve been seeing swarms of cruise ship guests descending upon the city on regular basis. This is nothing to worry about for our guests staying in Dubrovnik. Steps can be taken to ensure you get the most out of your city exploration without worrying about the number of ships in the city.

Most cruise ships arrive in Dubrovnik during the morning and stay until late or early afternoon. Many of these ships carry in excess of 2000 or even 3000 passengers most of which visit the historical centre. This means that periods between 10:00am and 2:00pm can be very crowded around the main city’s attractions. To avoid this, try planning ahead for when you are visiting the Old City district. Even if you’re in while the crowds are there, you can still use city’s smaller side streets to navigate your way around the crowds. These often offer shade, will give you a more authentic experience of what it’s like living within the city walls, and if you get any city map you will easily find your way around. However, if you are staying in Dubrovnik and are not one for getting up early in the morning, the best time to visit the city might just be in the evening. All the main sites are still well visible (with the exception of the museums which are all closed in the evening) and streets are populated by people mainly strolling around and relaxing, all in much lower numbers than during the day.

City Walls are a wonderful city attraction well worth visiting as well. They are best enjoyed as soon as they open in 8:00 am, or towards the closing time at 5:30pm, 6:30pm or 7:30pm, depending on the month.

All in all, a little bit of planning or thinking ahead can go a long way where ever you travel. When it comes to visiting Dubrovnik’s historical centre, it can mean the difference between enjoying the medieval city in a relaxed manner with a gelato in your hands, or making your way through crowds of screaming people during the peak daily temperatures. It’s up to you.