Literally everyone I met on the road raised their eyebrows and asked the same question when they found out I was heading to Dubrovnik: “Why are you going in winter?” If I had the energy, I’d explain how I had to use my open ticket before mid-January. If not, I’d just drop some easy answer like : “Why not?” Or even better: “I myself also have the same question.”
Dubrovnik is the Adriatic’s summer sweetheart — the kind of place people dream of visiting in the summer. So yes, I get it with all the questions and curiosity. But traveling off-season turned out to have its own wins. Here’s why — and a few things to keep in mind if you ever consider doing the same.
Before the trip, I was a bit struggle to find Dubrovnik winter-specific experience online. But I did find some general warnings, such as:
- Dubrovnik is expensive on meal, attraction, and accommodation. For an eastern European town, the price tags are wild — think of €25–30 per meal and €150–200 per night for a decent Airbnb inside the old town.
- The old town is a stair heaven — or hell. Most properties require climbing multiple flights, particularly if you stayed inside the gate. The city is built like a bowl, with the main street (Stradun) running through the center like a valley. So, expect to have some leg workout during your Dubrovnik days. If you got big suitcases, good luck! In my case, my Airbnb host was sweet enough to offer help with our suitcases. So maybe you can ask yours.
- Some attractions are closed in winter. The famous cable car to the top of Srd Hill? Shut down for the season. It’s actually a bit of a disappointment since the view from up there is the best of Dubrovnik.
So was it worth it? Hell yeah. Despite missing the summer perks, like swimming or going to the top of Srd Hill, winter in Dubrovnik has some Upsides too – that I grateful for :
The Old Town is practically empty.
No crowds. No long lines. No heads blocking my photos. It felt like I had the whole place to myself. I just could easily capture every corner of Dubrovnik without any tourist disturbance. So convenient!
The Dubrovnik City Pass is cheaper and totally worth it.
In winter, it costs only €15 — that includes walking the famous city walls and access to several cool museums. In summer? It’s €35. Hello, savings!
Accommodation is way more affordable.
Our charming Airbnb inside the walls cost half the normal price. The room was small but cutesy cute and located right in the heart of the city, very easy access to everything. That alone made winter worth it.
There are still some cool performance.
Surprisingly they don’t back down in winter! I actually encountered the performers when I was exploring the old town, and I just followed them right away. I thought they were going to have some wedding ceremony, apparently they were about to perform some folklore dance.
You still get sunshine.
Yes, some days are gray, but we got lucky with sunny, breezy weather that gave us just enough warmth. Oh winter sun in Dubrovnik was just the best!!
No, I didn’t swim. I didn’t ride the cable car. But I also didn’t elbow through crowds or overpay for a basic room. To sum up, winter in Dubrovnik = peaceful, affordable, and underrated.
So the next time someone asks, “Why go in winter?”
I’ll say “Why not?”
