I spent ten days living like a local in Dubrovnik as a solo woman in my forties — staying in apartments, self-catering, riding local buses, and soaking up the Adriatic at my own pace. If you know Dubrovnik as King’s Landing from Game of Thrones, the real city is every bit as cinematic. Here’s my honest, practical guide: how to dodge my airport-transfer mistake, whether the Dubrovnik Pass is worth it, the cable car and island boat trips you shouldn’t miss, what to eat on a budget, the souvenirs worth bringing home, and how to stay safe traveling solo.
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📑 Contents
Why Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik’s walled Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — a maze of marble streets, terracotta roofs, and honey-colored stone tumbling down to the turquoise Adriatic. For TV fans it’s instantly familiar as King’s Landing, but it has been enchanting travelers for centuries. It’s compact, walkable, and easy to enjoy solo. Ten days let me slow right down: morning coffee on the balcony to the sound of church bells, lazy afternoons by the sea, and sunsets over the mountaintop.
Getting from the Airport to the Old Town
Here’s my biggest rookie mistake, so you can skip it. I pre-booked a cheap shared Dubrovnik Airport shuttle, around €11 at the time, expecting it to leave me close to my apartment. Instead the driver stopped at a big seafront hotel, vaguely pointed uphill, and I then spent over half an hour hauling a heavy suitcase up steep, winding alleys and staircases to my door. Dubrovnik’s Old Town and the lanes around it are mostly car-free, and confusing even with Google Maps.
My advice: a shared shuttle is fine if you’re staying at a big, well-known hotel on a main road. But if you’ve booked an apartment tucked among the old streets, ask the host to arrange a private transfer, even a paid one. They know exactly which set-down point saves you the suitcase marathon, and it’s worth every euro after a long flight.
Where to Stay
I booked two different apartments for my ten days — partly to hedge against a bad choice, partly to experience two neighborhoods. I made the two reservations on Booking.com and Expedia. Both were lovely, but the one with the easier walk to the Old Town won out. My method: filter for places rated 9.0 “Superb” or higher, then check that each is within a 10-minute walk of the Old Town, then read the reviews carefully before deciding.
Apartments suit a longer, live-like-a-local stay: a kitchen, a balcony with a view, a coffee machine, and far better value than restaurants for breakfast and dinner. My first apartment had a dreamy Old Town view and a Nespresso machine; the second was a huge ~90 sqm place with a jacuzzi balcony — almost too much for one. If you’d rather be hands-off, a central hotel keeps the airport transfer simple. Either way, book early: Dubrovnik fills up fast in summer.
Is the Dubrovnik Pass Worth It?
For most visitors, yes. The Dubrovnik Pass includes one entry to the famous City Walls (a must-do, and pricey on its own), unlimited rides on the local buses, and small discounts at certain restaurants and sights. I got around almost entirely by bus, so the unlimited travel alone nearly paid for the card. If you’re staying three days or more and plan to walk the walls, the pass is an easy win.
Mount Srd Cable Car
The cable car up Mount Srd delivers the postcard view of Dubrovnik — the whole walled city laid out below against the Adriatic. It was about €25 one way when I visited, and worth every cent. My tip: go up in the late afternoon, around 4pm, so you catch the golden light. On the way up, grab a spot by the lower window of the car for the best views as the Old Town shrinks beneath you. There’s a café-restaurant at the top, but I just stood on the terrace drinking in the panorama.
If you’re reasonably fit, walk back down instead of riding the cable car. The path takes around an hour and lets you savor the sunset views at your own pace — scenery the cable car would otherwise whisk past in seconds.
Boat Trip to Lokrum Island
On a clear day, catch the little boat at the Old Town harbor to Lokrum Island. The crossing is only about 15 minutes, but it feels a world apart — a lush, green nature reserve ringed by crystal-clear coves. Round-trip tickets were around €40 at the port counter, and boats leave frequently. Sit at the edge of the boat for the breeze and the view of the Old Town receding behind you.
On the island you’ll find roaming peacocks, a small salt lake popular with swimmers, a botanical garden, and a wonderfully time-stilled monastery. Different coves offer completely different views, perfect for finding a quiet bench and doing nothing at all. There’s a café (a sandwich and drink ran about €9), but I’d bring your own food and water — there are gorgeous sea-view benches everywhere. I happily spent three hours. One warning: the island’s signs and direction arrows are unreliable, so allow time to wander and get a little lost.
Game of Thrones Filming Locations
If you’re a fan, Dubrovnik is King’s Landing. The City Walls, Fort Lovrijenac, the Jesuit Staircase (the “walk of shame” steps), and the harbor all appear across the series. You can absolutely explore them yourself with a map, but a guided Game of Thrones walking tour is the fun way to do it — a local guide lines up scene photos with the real spots and shares behind-the-scenes stories you’d never spot alone. It’s one of the most popular things to do in the city, so book ahead in peak season.
Eating Well on a Budget
Dubrovnik is more expensive than I expected, so as a solo traveler I ate out for just three lunches and self-catered the rest. That turned out to be a joy, not a sacrifice. Croatian bread is cheap and delicious — I had it with butter every morning — and the local supermarket (Konzum) has everything you need, including a surprisingly good coffee machine, much as a convenience store does back home.
For breakfast I made big salads with tuna and single-serve dressing, and coffee made on the apartment machine. For lunch I sought out high-rated bakeries on Google for sandwiches and pastries, paired them with a Konzum coffee, and ate on a park bench with a view. For dinner I pan-fried fresh fish and grilled meat bought at the supermarket — Croatia’s seafood is abundant and excellent. A local all-purpose seasoning I picked up became my secret weapon for soups and fish alike.
Best Dubrovnik Souvenirs
Dubrovnik’s Old Town main street is lined with shops, and over ten days I tracked down the souvenirs actually worth buying — for friends, colleagues, and myself.
KRAS Bajadera hazelnut chocolate — Croatia’s beloved chocolate, individually wrapped, and seriously good. Buy it cheaply at the Konzum supermarket rather than tourist shops.
Lavender sachets — Croatia is lavender country. The freshest, prettiest, and cheapest ones I found were at the Old Town’s open-air market, about €2 each.
Ginger-lemon tea — my surprise favorite. Naturally caffeine-free, with real ginger warmth and bright lemon, and I bought ten boxes and still haven’t found its equal back home.
Truffle salt — with Italy so close, truffle products are everywhere. I bought a strongly flavored 100g jar (about €13) at the airport, and it was a hit.
Old Pharmacy creams & perfume — inside the Franciscan Monastery is one of the world’s oldest working pharmacies, founded in 1317. Photos aren’t allowed inside, but the face-and-hand creams come in lovely packaging (about €9), make perfect gifts, and the orange-scented one was my pick for friends and family.
🛍️ Croatia travel guidebook
Solo Female Safety
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Dubrovnik felt very safe to walk solo, even after dark in the Old Town. That said, busy tourist hubs anywhere in Europe attract pickpockets, and I learned the hard way elsewhere in my travels how fast a professional can work. Keep your passport and backup card in a hidden pouch under your clothes, use a zipped crossbody bag worn in front in crowds, and stay alert at transport hubs. I wrote up my full anti-theft system, including a wallet tether that literally saved my wallet, here:
🛡️ My Real Attempted-Theft Story + the Anti-Theft Gear That Saved Me
What to Pack
Dubrovnik’s marble streets and that suitcase-dragging climb taught me two lessons: pack light, and bring genuinely comfortable shoes. The Old Town is steep and slippery-smooth underfoot, so leave the heels at home. A light, well-wheeled suitcase and a European plug adapter round out the essentials. For my full, tried-and-tested list, see my packing guides:
🛍️ Comfortable walking shoes for women
🛍️ Europe travel plug adapter
Plan more of your trip:
🧳 Europe Packing List: What to Bring
🛡️ Anti-Theft Travel Gear That Saved Me
👗 What to Wear in Summer: A Packing List for Women
Planning Italy next? This site is mainly about traveling Italy in your 40s and beyond — start here:
🛏️ Staying the night? Compare Dubrovnik hotels on ZenHotels →