Where to stay in Dubrovnik

In Dubrovnik the choice of neighbourhood comes down to the number of steps to the door and the length of the ride on bus 6. The Old Town keeps everything within reach, but with no car to the room; Pile and Ploče sit right against the walls, usually cheaper; Lapad has the beach and the most beds; Gruž is the port, with the lowest price and the longest ride back.

The Old Town — inside the walls

Sleeping inside the walls means reaching the Stradun, the Rector's Palace and the old harbour entirely on foot, with no ride at all — but also no car to the door: a suitcase goes the last stretch up stone steps, because the town itself is a medieval web of lanes. The supply here is mostly private apartments, rarely large hotels, and the price is the highest in the city.

2 daysThis area is also day one of the plan itself, from the walls to the Stradun:Dubrovnik in 2 days →

Pile and Ploče — against the walls, usually cheaper

Just outside the Old Town's two main gates, Pile to the west and Ploče to the east: the same walking distance to every sight as from inside the town, but a room often costs less because the address is not formally within the walls. Bus 6 to Lapad also starts at Pile, which makes this a good middle ground for anyone who wants both the town on foot and the sea by bus.

Getting aroundBus 6 and the airport shuttle both start from Pile:Getting around Dubrovnik →

Lapad — the beach and the most beds

A peninsula west of the centre, with a seafront promenade and beaches without the Old Town's steps. Bus 6 reaches the centre, the same one the day-by-day plan takes back after the beach on day two. The bed supply is densest here in the whole city, from hostels to large hotels right on the water.

BudgetHostel and hotel prices, alongside the rest of the day's costs:What Dubrovnik costs →

Gruž — the port, the lowest price

The city's working port, where the large ferries leave and the cruise ships dock — further from the promenades and beaches, but with the lowest bed price in Dubrovnik. Buses to the centre run often, since this is also the main hub of city transport. It makes sense for a stay longer than a few nights, or when price is the only criterion.

FoodRestaurants and prices, in the same order, area by area:What to eat in Dubrovnik →

What to check before booking

• Steps to the room itself. An address inside the walls measures the distance to the street, and the real route runs on — often three flights of stone steps with no lift; ask in advance if you are travelling with a large case.
• A 'central' address that is really Lapad or Gruž. Some listings draw 'centre' broadly, by municipal boundary — check the exact address on a map before booking.
• Bus 6 after midnight. The line does not run all night; anyone staying in Lapad or Gruž and out in the Old Town in the evening should budget for a taxi back.

When to goThe bed price also moves by month, not just by area:The best time to visit Dubrovnik →

Hidden gemsThe Franciscan pharmacy and the synagogue are both inside the walls, close to any Old Town stay:Dubrovnik's four extras, from a pharmacy open since 1317 →

Day tripsKonavle and Cavtat are reached from all four areas on the same bus:Day trips from Dubrovnik →

MistakesA suitcase on the steps is a common accommodation mistake:Mistakes everyone makes in Dubrovnik →