LANGUAGE

Croatian

CURRENCY

Croatian Kuna

BEST TIME TO VISIT

May to June and September to October

NEAREST AIRPORT

Dubrovnik Airport (DBV)

EMERGENCY HELPLINE NUMBER

112

INTERNET ACCESS

Most accommodation providers, restaurants cafes and bars offer free wi-fi.

VISA

Generally not required for stays of up to 90 days. Some nationalities (such as Chinese, Indian, Russian, South African and Turkish) do need them.

Citizens of many countries, including EU member states, Australia, Bosnia, Brazil, Canada, Israel, Japan, Macedonia, Montenegro, New Zealand, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea and the USA, do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period. (This means that leaving the country just to get a stamp and then return isn’t a legal option.)

Other nationalities can check whether they need a visa and download application forms on the website of the Croatian Ministry for Foreign & European Affairs (www.mvep.hr).

HOTEL

To see Dubrovnik’s top sites and absorb the city’s rich history, the best place to stay is near the pedestrian-only old town. If you prefer a quieter location, the Lapad peninsula, about three kilometers northwest of the Old Town, is an excellent choice, and many of the high-end hotels here feature stunning sea views.

LUXURY

Villa Dubrovnik – $387 onwards per night

Royal Princess Hotel – $337 onwards per night

Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik – $365 onwards per night

MID-RANGE

Berkeley Hotel-$130 onwards per night

Hotel Lero- $98 onwards per night

Hotel Zagreb0 $101 onwards per night

BUDGET

Hotel Perla – $42 onwards per night

Hotel Petka – $45 onwards per night

Stella Apartments- $80 onwards per night

COST OF LIVING

Dubrovnik deserves its reputation as a hot city for cultural travelers. It’s small, beautiful, and very historic, and if it were easier to reach it might just be overwhelmed by visitors. Cultural travelers will want to focus on the gorgeous and extremely touristy Old City, where bargains of any kind are hard to find. Sunseekers have plenty of options of beachy hotels up and down the coast a bit.

Hotels right in the Old City area can charge high rates and stay busy at least all summer, so the only way to find a bargain is to look a bit outside the center. Apartment rentals and sobes (private rooms) are much easier to find than actual hotels in the Old City, and can be good value at least. The only hostel in the Old City is twice the price of some of the others.

Fortunately the main attractions are reasonably priced, and there’s plenty of free and cheap things to do, so once you have a room you are doing okay. Food and drinks can be pricey in the Old City as well, but some cheaper items are around if you look around. With its location on the Mediterranean, it’s no surprise that hotels in Dubrovnik have their high season from June through September, with peak prices during July and August. Bargains can be had during winter, and good prices are often available during spring and autumn.