The Best Dubrovnik tours to book, recommended by a local - #1 Old Town Walking tour in Dubrovnik

I was recently filming as a local host for Americans Airlines Dubrovnik episode of “One Day Two Ways” when it actually hit me. Even though I’ve been living in Dubrovnik as an expat for about 4 years, even though I’ve traveled all over the region and thought I explored everything, there is actually SO many activities I haven’t done myself. There are so many Dubrovnik tours to take that even as a local, I still feel like I’m continuing to discover more about this incredible little city.

If you happen to be coming to Dubrovnik, you should start with checking out my Dubrovnik travel guide. Once you’ve got your trip all squared away, it’s time to start planning what you’ll do when you get here.

I generally recommend a minimum of 3 days in Dubrovnik to see most of the major sites, and a couple extra days if you want to explore alllll the amazing day trips! However, I understand that your schedule may only allow you 1-2 days here.

You definitely can have some incredible experiences here with only a little bit of time. Forget what you’ve heard: many of these activities are actually OUTSIDE of the Old Town. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely recommend you explore the Old Town and City Walls a bit, but you’ll definitely want to see the surrounding region to truly experience the Pearl of the Adriatic.

If you like culture, architecture, hiking, kayaking, island hopping, or food and wine tasting, there’s definitely a little bit of something here for everyone.

Now, you definitely can’t come to Dubrovnik and NOT see the Old Town. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is over 500 years old. It used to be an independent city state for hundreds of years, remaining independent through trade and diplomacy. Much of the Old Town was destroyed during the war in the 1990s, and is truly a symbol of the city’s resilience.

You definitely can see the Old Town without a tour, especially if you like to go at your own pace and get lost in the side streets. However, if you’re interested in the history, architecture, and learning more about the war, I would definitely recommend taking a walking tour. Local guides are really knowledgeable and will often share their personal experiences from the war.

I always highly recommend travelers to explore the Dubrovnik city walls, a looped wall walk around the perimeter of the city. It’s truly one of the most breathtaking views of the Adriatic and gives a great bird’s eye view of the Old Town. This is where you’ll get those Dubrovnik postcard shots. You can explore the City Walls on your own, or you can go with a historical war guided tour. This is the best way to learn about the history of the city from above.