Dubrovnik is a magnificent base — and some of the best experiences in the region are a short journey away. From car-free islands and Game of Thrones gardens to two foreign countries within easy reach, the day trips from Dubrovnik are among the most varied on the Adriatic. Here are the eight best, with distances, travel times, and what makes each worth your day.
1. Lokrum Island — the easy island escape
Distance: ~15 minutes by boat from the Old Port
Best for: Game of Thrones fans, families, swimmers
The quickest and easiest day trip from Dubrovnik is barely a trip at all — Lokrum Island sits just offshore, a 10–15 minute ferry from the Old Town harbour. This car-free nature reserve is the Game of Thrones location for Qarth and home to the Iron Throne replica you can sit on. Add botanical gardens, free-roaming peacocks, the buoyant “Dead Sea” saltwater lake, and clifftop Fort Royal, and you have a perfect relaxed half-day. Round-trip tickets (which include reserve entry) are around €30.
2. Elaphiti Islands — island hopping
Distance: ~20 minutes to ~1 hour by ferry
Best for: beach lovers, boat-trip fans
The Elaphiti Islands — Koločep, Lopud, and Šipan — are a trio of tranquil, largely car-free islands just northwest of Dubrovnik. A classic island-hopping day tour from Dubrovnik takes in all three, with time to swim at the beautiful sandy Šunj Beach on Lopud, wander sleepy villages, and lunch on fresh seafood. Many trips are sold as relaxed full-day boat excursions with lunch included.
Other experiences worth adding to your itinerary
Beyond the islands, Dubrovnik is a gateway to the whole Dalmatian coast and beyond. These tours explore Mostar and the Kravice Waterfalls, the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro, Lokrum Island (Qarth and the Iron Throne), the Game of Thrones locations in Dubrovnik’s Old Town, and Trsteno Arboretum (the Red Keep gardens) — all bookable from Dubrovnik with free cancellation.
3. Montenegro (Kotor & Budva) — a foreign country in a day
Distance: ~92 km / ~2 hours + border crossing
Best for: dramatic scenery, UNESCO towns
One of the most popular day tours from Dubrovnik crosses the border into Montenegro. The star is the Bay of Kotor, a fjord-like inlet ringed by mountains, with the UNESCO-listed old town of Kotor and the impossibly photogenic islets of Perast. Many tours add the beach resort town of Budva. It’s a long day (around 11 hours) with a border crossing, so a guided tour that handles the logistics is the easiest way to do it. Bring your passport.
4. Mostar (Bosnia & Herzegovina) — the Ottoman bridge city
Distance: ~2.5–3 hours each way
Best for: history and culture
Cross into a third country on a trip from Dubrovnik to Mostar, the atmospheric Bosnian city famous for its Ottoman old town and the graceful Stari Most bridge, where local divers plunge into the Neretva River. It’s a long but deeply rewarding cultural day, often combined with the turquoise Kravice Waterfalls and/or the pilgrimage town of Medjugorje. A guided tour makes the border and logistics painless. Passport required.
5. Split — Diocletian’s Palace & Meereen
Distance: ~230 km / ~3–3.5 hours by car
Best for: Game of Thrones fans, Roman history
Split is doable as a long one day trip from Dubrovnik, but it’s better as an overnight if you can spare it. Croatia’s second city is built inside the walls of Diocletian’s Palace, whose cellars became Daenerys’s dragon dungeons in Game of Thrones, while nearby Klis Fortress stood in for Meereen. Thanks to the Pelješac Bridge, you can now drive the whole way within Croatia. Buses (~4–4.5 hours) and a seasonal catamaran also connect the two cities. See our full Split Game of Thrones locations guide for what to visit and how to get there.
6. Korčula — Marco Polo’s island
Distance: ~2.5–3 hours (drive + ferry)
Best for: wine, walled towns, romance
The island of Korčula is often called “Little Dubrovnik” for its beautiful walled old town, reputedly the birthplace of Marco Polo. Surrounded by vineyards producing crisp white wines, it makes a gorgeous day trip from Dubrovnik — though, like Split, it’s rushed in a single day and rewards an overnight for those with time.
7. Trsteno Arboretum — the Red Keep gardens
Distance: ~18–24 km / ~30 minutes
Best for: Game of Thrones fans, gardens, budget travellers
The closest cultural day trip from Dubrovnik is the lovely Trsteno Arboretum, one of the oldest arboretums in Europe. Fans will recognise it instantly: this is the gardens of the Red Keep / King’s Landing, where Sansa meets Lady Olenna Tyrell and Oberyn Martell speaks with Cersei. With 500-year-old plane trees, a Renaissance villa, an old aqueduct, and a Baroque Neptune fountain, it’s a peaceful, affordable half-day (entry ~€10), reachable by local bus in around 30 minutes.
8. Ston & the Pelješ ac Peninsula — walls and oysters
Distance: ~1 hour
Best for: foodies, walkers
Ston guards the entrance to the Pelješac peninsula with the longest defensive walls in Europe (often called the “European Great Wall”). It’s also famous for its oysters and mussels, farmed in the bay, and for the surrounding Pelješac wine region. A great combination of history, hiking, and gastronomy on a day trip from Dubrovnik.
Which day trip from Dubrovnik should you choose?
- Short on time / want to relax? → Lokrum or the Elaphiti Islands
- Game of Thrones fan? → Trsteno (close) or Split (full day)
- Want dramatic scenery and a new country? → Montenegro
- Love history and culture? → Mostar
- Foodie? → Ston & Pelješac
- Romantic escape? → Korčula
Tips for day trips from Dubrovnik
- Book guided tours for the border trips (Montenegro, Mostar) to skip the logistics and paperwork stress.
- Carry your passport for any trip into Montenegro or Bosnia — it’s required at the border.
- Start early — the best full-day trips leave around 7–8 am.
- Consider overnights for Split and Korčula if you want to see them properly.
- Check what’s included — some tours bundle lunch, entrance tickets, and boat rides; others don’t.
- Book flexible options where weather could affect boat-based trips to the Elaphiti Islands or Lokrum.
Whether you stay close with a quick hop to Lokrum or venture across borders to Montenegro and Bosnia, the day tours from Dubrovnik turn one great city into a gateway to the whole region.
Day trips from Dubrovnik FAQ
Do I need a passport for day trips from Dubrovnik?
Yes — you need a valid passport for any day trip that crosses an international border. Montenegro and Bosnia & Herzegovina (Mostar) are not EU member states, so you will pass through border control both ways. Croatia is in the EU and Schengen area, so trips that stay within Croatia — Lokrum Island, the Elaphiti Islands, Trsteno Arboretum, Split, Korčula, and Ston — do not require a passport beyond standard ID. Keep your passport accessible if you’re combining a Croatia-only trip with a border crossing on the same day.
Browse day trips and excursions from Dubrovnik
From a quick ferry to Lokrum Island to a full-day border crossing into Montenegro or Bosnia, the excursions below cover the whole range. All bookable with free cancellation and instant confirmation.
★ Mostar & Kravice Waterfalls from $34 · Elaphiti Islands from $40 · Montenegro from $63