Visit Croatia On A Budget: Dubrovnik Edition!

 

In the summer of 2022, my older sister Sam and I decided to check off one of our top bucket list destinations: Croatia! We had both been dying to visit for years, and the conclusion of my freshman year at UTK and her graduation from UT Austin seemed like the perfect excuse.

Considering we were both broke college kids, this trip was super budget friendly, utilizing hostels and public transportation as much as possible.

DUBROVNIK

First stop on the Croatia coast was the historic city of Dubrovnik. Located in one of the most Southern parts of the country, Dubrovnik is a unique city because of the Medieval wall that surrounds the Old City. It is also home to many filming locations in Game of Thrones, and you can even take a GOT tour around the city (or do what we did- tag along in the background of one of the tours at a few of the main stops).

My sister and I spent 3 full days in the city, which I think was about a day too long. Dubrovnik is definitely very touristy, and we thoroughly enjoyed it but 2 days would have sufficed.

Where to Stay

Hostel Angelina: Hostel Angelina was a great choice, especially as a first timer, like myself. Although my sister and I had a private room, our stay was clean and relaxing. After asking around to those in the shared rooms, reviews were just as pleasant as our stay! I am unsure if this is common among most other hostels, but ours had different activities we could attend, ranging from sunset hiking to going to the clubs, which helped meet other travelers in our hostel! (Fun Fact: through this I found another fellow UT student staying at our hostel!)

Activities

I would like to preface that my sister and I are very much beach people. With that being said, if you are a jam-packed adventurer when you go on vacation this might not be the best recommendations for you!

Located next to eachother, Beach Bar Dodo and Ala Mizerija are both cliffside bars that are a perfect spot to set up camp for the afternoon in a secluded harbor. We found that we preferred Ala Mizerija more for food, but both provide the same great atmosphere so you really can’t go wrong! Here, you can also sent up your towels or go for a swim in the crystal clear (and freezing!) cove. From our hostel in the Old City, this was about a 10-15 minute walk, and I would reccommend allowing yourself about 40 minutes to find it, as it is hidden and the directions are not clear on maps! We loved this place so much, I think we came for a few hours every single day we were in Dubrovnik!

One of the most popular tourist activities is walking the Walls of Dubrovnik. This is a bight pricier (about 35 USD per person) but did offer some of the best views of the city. I wouldn’t consider this a ‘must-do’ but we didn’t regret doing it! Pro tip: plan ahead and make sure you start the walk right when it opens, it gets not only very crowded but ridiculously hot around 10am.

Banje Beach is a stunning rock beach right outside the walls, about a 10 minute walk. For a super relaxing day, grab a loaf of bread, salami and cheeses from a local market and head to the beach. We packed food from the market almost everyday for breakfast and lunch because it was significantly cheaper than eating out. At the beach, you can rent umbrellas for super cheap, or pay a little more for chairs if you prefer. Either way, I would recommend opting for some form of rental shade because there is no natural shady spots.

If you have an extra day, of a few hours to spare, checking out Lokrum Island might be a good option! For about 25 USD roundtrip, take a water taxi from the Old City to Lokrum- which is only about a 15 min cruise. There are many different options to spend your time there, some for beach-goers, and some for the more energetic folks.

End each night at Buza Bar, a cliffside bar and cliff jumping spot- a perfect place to watch the sunset! Drinks can be pretty pricey so grab a Radler from the market on your way over for a cheaper option. If you’re looking for something with more energy, Culture Club Revelin surely checks the box. Located at the front gates of the Old City, this club was exactly what I had imagined when I thought of European Clubs! Pro tip: prime club hours are between 1am-5am, anything before then is pretty quiet!